Consultation on oil exploration held in Manipur

Eastern Mirror: Dimapur: Friday, May 26, 2017.

“Public consultation on oil exploration in Manipur” was held on May 24 at Nupilan Complex, Imphal.

The programme was collectively organised by several organisations including the Protection and Preservation Committee, Manipur (PPCM), the Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur (CPNRM), the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN, All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM), Peace Core Team, Manipur (PCTM), North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF), Khaidem Golden Youth Club (KGYC), Rural Young Star Organization, Khaidem (RYSOK) and Nganuleima Youth Development Club, Khaidem (NYDCK) on May 24

During the programme these organisations has unanimously adopted the following resolutions:

1. Reaffirm the resolutions of the Jiribam meet and Nungba meet on Petroleum Exploration in Manipur on 22nd December 2011 and 14 March 2012 and the Public consultation on Oil Exploration at Imphal on 16 July 2012 respectively that resolved against oil exploration in Jiribam, Churachandpur and Tamenglong Districts and other parts of Manipur.
2. Affirm that the Government of India and oil companies shall respect and recognize that indigenous peoples of Manipur have inalienable rights for self-determined control and management over their land and resources based on their wishes, aspirations.
3. Expresses condemnation of the blasting of explosives for oil surveys carried out by Asian Oilfields Survey Limited in Khaidem Village, Imphal West District and other parts of Manipur in May 2017 after misinforming the villagers on impacts without conducting full environment and social impact assessment of blasting and other Survey procedures including on environment mitigation plan.
4. That the Government of Manipur and its Department of Industries make a full open disclosure under the provisions of RTI Act, 2010, providing all details including agreements entered into by the Government of Manipur and Asian Oilfields Survey limited in all media of Manipur at the earliest.
5. That the Asian Oil Field and Oil India Limited should immediately stop all surveys and blasting activities related to oil exploration and drilling in Manipur at Khaidem Village, Imphal West, Jiribam District, Tamenglong District and other parts of Manpur
6. That the Oil India Limited, Jubilant Energy, Asian Oilfield, Alpha geo and the Government of India should provide detailed information, viz, detailed project report, Environment and Social Impact Assessments, Production Sharing Contracts, Petroleum Exploration Licenses and other agreements entered between the Government of India and Government of Manipur to the people of Manipur.
7. The Oil India Limited should revoke the contract awarded to Asian Oilfield in January 2017 for 2D surveys in Manipur. Further, the Government of India should cancel the Petroleum Exploration Licenses to Jubilant Energy for oil blocks, AA-ONN-2009/1 and AA-ONN-2009/2 in Manipur. The Government of Manipur should withdraw all licenses to oil companies without peoples consent.
8. The Government of India should ensure that all its laws and policies, especially its laws on Oil exploration, such as the Oil Fields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, the Oil Industry (Development) Act, 1974 etc adhere to the provisions of the International human rights laws, especially the UN Declaration on the Rights of indigenous peoples, 2007.
9. To stop all militarization in the name of development in Manipur and Repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
10. That the Government of India and all oil companies should recognize and respect the self-determined development of indigenous peoples of Manipur over their land and resources.
11.  Appeal all the people of Manipur to refrain from cooperating with Oil companies in any forms of oil exploration related surveys, exploration and drilling activities in Manipur.

The organisations further resolves to adopt the action plans which read:

To hold another public consultation to decide on further action after the open disclosure of information as requested by the people, appraise the Prime Minster of India and the Government of Manipur and related oil companies to reconsider and withdraw all plans to explore and drill oil from Manipur, initiate all appropriate measures to stop all oil exploration plans by oil companies in Manipur, to commit united in order to strive together to protect the land and resources of Manipur and to advance indigenous peoples rights, apprise concerned human rights officials of the United Nations and related human rights, indigenous peoples and environment organizations to stop oil exploration in Manipur and to respect indigenous peoples’ rights over their land and resources.