KSU asks Centre to end uranium chapter

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) said on Sunday the Centre should close the uranium mining chapter in West Khasi and South West Khasi Hills and other areas under the Hynniewtrep because “it is harassment of minority communities”.
In a statement issued here, KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar demanded that the central government issue an order to stop mining of radioactive elements following the temporary closure of the UCIL office here in Shillong and Wahkaji.
Stating that by mining uranium, India is attempting to generate nuclear energy and place itself as a nuclear powerful country, Marngar said, “For the benefit of Indians, it is unacceptable for the Khasis to be made victims of uranium mining or to even be extinct.”
According to him, if the Centre intends to mine uranium it shows its step-motherly treatment and harassment of minority communities.
“Or it can be seen that it looks at the Hynniewtrep land not as Indian but just another colony,” Marngar said.
“The world knows about the harmful environmental impact of uranium mining. Many countries in the world have shut down uranium mines as increased exposure to it poses health risks to the present and future generations,” he added.
To elaborate on how minority communities are harassed, he cited the examples of tribal areas in India as well as outside the country where the consequences of uranium mining had been disastrous.
“Uranium is mined in Navajo Nation in the US where native Americans settle and Australia mined uranium in places belonging to aboriginal Australians, who are the indigenous people. Uranium is also mined in places where indigenous people live such as in places settled by adivasis in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh,” he said and maintained that KSU’s stand on the issue has remained the same since 1993 when for the first time uranium explorations were made in the state.
Marngar recollected that many KSU members were hunted by the state government in 2009 and some members were put behind bars while some still suffer physical ailments.
“There were members of the union who narrowly
escaped police bullets,” he said, adding that in the previous years there were criticisms by fellow Khasis who felt that the union is blocking development.
He alleged that there are “some fellow indigenous people who benefitted from UCIL without knowing its harmful effects and who criticised the KSU for misleading information”.
According to him, people are aware of the harmful impact of uranium mining with the advent of technology.
“KSU is prepared to stand against any attempt to mine uranium in the state at any time. The members are ready to sacrifice their lives to thwart attempts to mine uranium,” he said.