By Kalpana Thaoroijam
Indigenous peoples`™ co-existence with Nature or forest depends on access to land, territory and natural resources. Right to land is regarded as an integral aspect of identity, which is predominant source of income, providing traditional livelihoods.
Remnants of Sacred Groves are existing witness to conservation effort of communities – at fringe forest areas. Land being primary source of sustenance; government or any private party cannot acquire community land and forest areas. Instead, a symbiotic relation must be enhanced. Lately, tourism industry has been the buzzword for economic growth in North East India, Manipur in particular!
The government of Manipur in its endeavor to provide job opportunities, overall progress in the State, has been pushing tourism industry as the key source of economic growth. In the process, infrastructure development has been given prime attention. In order to facilitate the boost of tourism, the Manipur Tourism Policy 2014, claims that Manipur with its inherent tourism potential, rich cultural heritage and vibrant pool of youth, with excellent grip over English language as an ideal place.
This is true that tourism is still at nascent stage in Manipur, and its potentials can be tapped for the benefit of local communities. However, it must involve long-term planning that will foster overall sustainable development. Resources must be used but not to the extent that our future generation will be deprived of any.
In the process of the so called development that is often not gradual but random, people in power play games for their own benefits. In such situation question may be posed: what are the stakes of local inhabitants?
Money will be an important aspect of tourism industry, but profit will mostly go into the pockets of a few private parties in the current given scenario of corruption and nepotism ruling the roost. In the lure of making quick money, resources have to be shared with tourists that will lead to over-dependency on natural resources, which will eventually shrink if not given enough time for regeneration. Thus there is fear that tourism industry will be responsible for massive deforestation, construction of tourism based infrastructures will also use a good amount of our water resources and forest products. Alongside, resource consumption by the tourists is bound to increase, which would in turn threaten the needs of the local people. This would further disturb optimal sharing of the resources. And thereby, there will be increased level of social injustice, which will have adverse impact on social and cultural way of life among the local populace.
In this backdrop, the role of Women as an important support system will be pushed at the periphery of development. Serious concern lies when the roles of women are limited to entertainment (song and dance), cooking and serving and at the same time stereotyped as the torchbearers of cultural identity.
Enormous traditional resources can be tapped but preservation and integrating traditional livelihood is a must.
Manipur Tourism Policy 2014 is incomprehensible and unedited compilation of every kind of tourism practiced elsewhere. It is a mix-match of several tried and failed concepts; not in anyway, suitable in our local context. The Policy mentions focus on Community Participation, involvement of private entrepreneurs for comprehensive development of tourism industry in Manipur. It reflects assigned participation, and not pro-active role of community workforce. The scopes of employment for locals are mostly confined to low- income activities, and menial jobs that will provide meager remuneration. Additionally, an assessment of the loss of current livelihoods to make way for tourism is required.
During recent visits to Thanga, Shirui and Nongmaiching to understand current tourism scenario and the progress of development, one could easily capture that majority of the communities had conflicting views with the government concerning benefits, participation, acquisition of land and the idea of tourism itself. Local communities expressed that they will be better host than others.
Communities have very less or no idea on upcoming projects in their areas, and their interests are sidelined in the process of tourism development while at same time they do not see how they can take part and benefit from the project. While people are not averse to the idea of promoting tourism, they wanted more transparency and would like to be party to the initiatives.
Tourism will come and go, as an alternative source of income. But we cannot depend solely on tourism activities for economic sustenance. People dependent on traditional occupations like farming, fishing, weaving and other activities will be able to entertain visitors only during their lean periods or seasons.
Way-forward:
Equitable benefit-sharing must be the guiding principle, if tourism has to flourish in Manipur. The trickle-down effect of `tourism economy`™ will create internal problem.
Manipur is home to 33 ethnic groups, and their cultural heritage, folk song and dance, traditional festival and indigenous game cannot be ignored. The policy is very Imphal-centric ignoring the highlights of other districts. Understanding current tourism developmental trends in Manipur and its brunt of consequences on communities living around project areas must not be overlooked.
For development to be effective, we need to look into the communities`™ mindset, without whom, the process will be incomplete. Community participation can only bring sustainable development. At village set-up communities have the rights to choose the kind of visitors that will be allowed in their villages, depending on the kind of tourism offered at hand. District-wise planning with local populace participating right from decision-making task, and incorporating them wherever possible is a prerequisite.
Manipur`™s unique advantage is that we are going to be a late participant in tourism industry when compared with other high profile tourism destinations of the world and country in particular. Therefore, lessons can be learned from those established tourist destinations concerning their challenges and negative impact on society and environment that they have to faced, or still facing.
What is required is collective engagement of the communities right from the decision making process to implementation in a wider encompassing framework.
(Kalpana Thaoroijam is with the Indigenous Perspective)