The consultation was chaired by Dr. Kh Akoisana Singh (President VEDSCO Khangabok and Senior Technical Officer CAU), Mr. Kh Menjor Mangang (Founder, KM Blooming Hr Sec School, Khangabok), Mr. L. Subha Singh (Founder Wisdom Foundation, Khangabok), Mrs. E Indubala (Secretary Bangsibudhon Meira Paibi), Mrs. L Ebeleisa Devi (Secretary, School Anganbi Nupi ZChaokhat Lup) and Dr. Dhanabir Laishram (Social Scientist)
Dr. L Dhanabir was present as the resource person and he highlighted the following few line:
We do not oppose the oil exploration however; we cannot give our Manipur in the hand of the Multinational Profit making companies who are only interested in making profit. Till today as we have observed, any developmental projects which have been initiated for the betterment of the society had never turned out for the betterment of the people instead it gives huge burden to the livelihood of the people who earn their daily livelihood.
It can be proved that the Jubilant Energy, a company based in Netherland is one of the company who came here for the oil exploration has turned out to be one of the company who bears huge debt to many international bank across the globe. Then how can we rely on these companies like Asian Oil Field Service Ltd, Oil India Ltd and other multinational profit making companies.
He drew the attention of the Youth to be alert and be aware of such companies and protect your future from such evil now or never.
We are the youth born and brought up here in our land Manipur, we are going to survive for many years, our elders cannot decide our future as we have to make our future by protecting our natural resources, land, water, forest and Environment as a whole.
But now before we make our future the Asian Oilfield Service Ltd, a money making company have reached Manipur and started the drilling of Oil, a contract granted by the Indian Government. Without informing the people of Manipur and without disclosing the facts of Negative and Positive Impact of the Oil Exploration how a company can enter into an agricultural land which is now in peak of rice cultivation and use explosives to find oil as it could be seen in the Khaidem Lukol, Imphal West District.
They are trying to make the people of Manipur suffer more as we have been suffering since the occupation of Manipur by the Union of India and the imposition of AFSPA, 1958. We could experienced the response made by the Indian Army by disturbing in the Meeting held at Khaidem on oil exploration on 17th May, 2017. We really do not accept the colonial system of GOI.
As of now the Asian Oilfield Service Ltd should go back and never return back.
Dr. Kh Akoisana Singh (President VEDSCO Khangabok and Senior Technical Officer CAU), Mr. Kh Menjor Mangang (Founder, KM Blooming Hr Sec School, Khangabok) had also shared their views on the negative impact of Oil Exploration in Manipur.
The Asian Oilfield Service Ltd should stop the drilling of Oil in Manipur until the plans are made public and with the consent of the people.
- We the youth will stand to protect our resources and no outsiders can take our resources as the real owners of these resources are the people of Manipur not the money making companies or the central Government.
- The Oil Companies, the Central Government and the State Government must act accordingly as to maintain the sustainable development and environment before taking up any projects which is of threat to the people of Manipur and human kind in general.
This Press Release was sent by Mr. T Kiran, who is the President of KDASU and can be contacted at youthforum(dot)humanrights(at)gmail(dot)com.