Garos protest

The desperation of the indigenous men and women was quite manifest when they attended a protest rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on Thursday. The point that they are trying to make is obvious -- they believe that the planned eco-park will take away the forests that they have to rely on for their livelihood.

Now, there are certain things that must be taken note of. First, the plan to set up an eco-park may not be bad in itself, but the government could ill afford to ignore its impact on the lives of the local people. Participation of people in any development plan is an essential prerequisite for its success. This principle has been clearly laid down in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. But that did not quite happen in Modhupur. The result is that the locals are viewing the government plan with great suspicion. Second, it is not clear why a development issue has been allowed to assume a political overtone. The activists of any political party cannot have a role in the plan of building an eco-park. Any intervention by political elements will only add to the worries of the affected people.

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The rights of citizens are a sacred thing that cannot be violated on the pretext of undertaking a development project. The development planners should not only admit but also insist on the point that all their endeavours will have a common goal -- welfare of people. There is absolutely no room for coercion in such matters.

The victims of Modhupur excesses must be rehabilitated and those responsible for their sufferings brought to justice.