The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has asked the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and the Centre to once and for all close the chapter of proposing to mine uranium in West and South West Khasi Hills districts as well and other parts of Hynñiewtrep land in Meghalaya.
The UCIL has decided to close down its offices here and Wahkaji near the Kylleng Pyndengsohïong-Mawthabah (KPM) uranium project.
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A statement issued here on Sunday evening, KSU president Lambok Starwell Marngar said the Centre should issue an order to stop its intention to mine uranium in the State.
“If the Central Government continues to wait to get its opportunity to mine uranium, then it is not a mother (government) but a stepmother that tries to suppress the minority community and has no responsibility for the tribals and look at the Hynñiewtrep community only as a colony that it can crush at any moment,” Marngar said.
According to Marngar, the whole world knows the danger and ill effects of uranium mining and many countries have abandoned uranium mines because of adverse effect that led to various heredity diseases.
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In India, uranium has been mined in areas inhabited by Adivasis, the minority and most backward community in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh and through the media and social media, all have witnessed the danger and sufferings of those living near the uranium sites and most of them were persons with disabilities and got displaced from their areas.
“The Union since 1993 till now opposes the move to mine uranium on the above grounds. Many of our members have faced arrests, detention and some escape bullets because of the protests against uranium,” he said.
Lastly, Marngar said, the Union is ever prepared to oppose any move to mine uranium and “we are ready to sacrifice our life and face the gun of the enemies who wanted to mine uranium. There are people who claimed by allowing uranium to be mined, it will make India a nuclear power. But the KSU wanted to send a clear message that the Khasi people will not be victims of uranium mining for the benefit of other Indians.”