Physical assault and torture of ten Meitei women campaigning against arson and displacement from Loktak Lake under the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act 2006 by Manipur police on 19 December, 2011 at Thanga

At least ten women belonging to the Meitei people of Manipur in India’s North East campaigning against the controversial Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, were seriously injured in brutality unleashed by the Manipur police at Thanga Chingjin,  Manipur on 19 December 2011. All the injured women were taking part in a protest rally, organized by the All Loktak Lake Fishermen’s Union and the All Manipur Thanga People’s Welfare Association to repeal the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, under which the Loktak Development Authority and the Manipur Police unleashed widespread arson and destruction of floating huts over Phumdis, a floating vegetation mass, in Manipur since 15 November 2011 despite stiff opposition of affected families.

The protest rally commenced from Thanga Chingyang Hill till it was stopped at Thanga Chingjin in Bishenpur District by the Manipur Police personnel under the command of the Officer in Charge of Moirang Police Station, Mr. Dhananjoy. The police in an attempt to disperse the protestors resorted to baton charge, physical assault and even firing of around 200 live rounds of ammunitions, including from sophisticated guns in the air, which has caused shock and panic among the community members, already victimized due to displacement from livelihood sources. No women police personnel were involved in the crackdown of the protest which mainly comprised of women and elderly people, which is again a clear cut violation of women’s rights as many of the male police personnel physically assaulted the women protestors.

The injured women were taken to Community Health Centre Moirang. One of the Women, Ms. Oinam Akasini, wife of Oinam Tomba is still in a serious condition and referred to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences on late evening of 19 December 2011. The condition of Ms. Khwairakpam Thambalmala and Heisnam Ashangbi also continues to be serious and were advised for further medical checkups.

During the protest rally on 29 December at Thanga, the protesters raised several slogans like “Repeal Loktak Lake Protection Act 2006″, “Don’t prohibit fishing and building of huts in Loktak Lake”. The protestors were also protesting the absence of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous communities depending on Loktak wetlands in the management and protection measures of the Lake and the numerous restrictions imposed on the communities over the use and dependence on Loktak Lake. A vital aspect of this division is the ban on building huts or houses on phumdis inside the lake, planting athaphum, or engaging in athaphum-fishing in the core area, which will adversely affect over 10,000 people living in phumdi huts, as well as others dependent on Loktak Lake especially under Article 19 and 20 of the Act which divides the Lake into two zones – a core zone comprising 70.30 sq km, which is a ‘no development zone’, or ‘totally protected zone’, and a buffer zone of other areas of the lake excluding the core zone.

The direct targetting of indigenous women endeavouring to defend their right to life and survival sources is a clear cut violation of the rights of human rights defenders in Manipur also violating the UN Declaration on the rights of Human Rights Defenders and also the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women and the UN Convention against Torture. The failure to take the consent of the affected communities also constitute a serious forms of discrimination targetting the marginalized communities and also violated the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. The arsoning and destruction of floating huts and livelihood of the indigenous people dwelling in Loktak Lake constitute a serious violation of the “right to life”, “right to adequate housing” as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and also the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right.

The arsoning process and targetting the indigenous peoples depending on the Loktak Wetlands for survival to eviction and displacement is a clear cut violation and undermining of the provisions of the Ramsar Conventions, in particular resolutions VII. 8 of Ramsar Convention’s Conference of contracting parties held in May 1999 at Costa Rica and Resolution VIII. 19 held in Spain in November 2002, which provides guidelines for establishing and strengthening local communities and indigenous peoples participation and to consider the cultural values of wetlands in the management of wetlands.