Mr. Jiten Yumnam, Secretary of Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRAM) attended the United Nations Summit on Post 2015 to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) during the UN General Assembly Summit from 25-27 September at the UNHQ in New York, USA as one of the seven member delegation of CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness from across the globe. On 25 September, the UN adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, a new global development agenda replacing the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000 with a focus, “Leave No One Behind”. A press release signed by Sanaton Laishram, President CRAM said that During the summit, Mr. Yumnam joined other civil society organizations across the world, in both official and outside events, to adopt a ‘people’ oriented and ‘environment’ friendly “Sustainable Development Goals, respectful of human rights, self-determination and based on rightful participation of marginalized communities in development decision making in their land and territories. The continued lack of accountability of corporate bodies, such as in Manipur and non- adherence to human rights and the importance of recognizing indigenous peoples’ self-determined development is focused during his engagements with the post 2015 processes. Ending development injustice, by ending forced introduction of development policies and projects incompatible to the wish and rights of indigenous peoples, promoting the rule of law, ending militarization in peoples land and territories, ending corporatization of peoples land and resources are other concerns and demands raised. Changing the existing development model that fosters widespread inequality and poverty is also addressed.
the release further adds that Mr. Yumnam has also been attending the previous post 2015 negotiations and made interventions during the 6th Inter-governmental Negotiations on Sustainable Development Goals and the 3rd High Level Political Forum (HLPF) from 21 June – 8 July 2015 at the UNHQ, pressing the member states of the United Nations to desist from insisting on unsustainable and a corporate led development processes which led to devastation of peoples’ lives and environment and which facilitated state suppression. Mr. Jiten Yumnam earlier also attended the UN Conference on Environment and Development at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012, which resolved, to frame the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2015.
