 Siliguri,
Aug 9: In 1992, after the invasion of the Bodo militants
the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was included in the red-list by the
UNESCO – which meant that the site was in danger.
Manas had been declared a World Heritage Site in 1985, which had
a tiger reserve; a biosphere reserve; a national park and a reserve
forest. But after the militant campaign the sanctuary suffered damages
worth $ 2 million.
However, after the Bodo gave up their militant life and the formation
of the Bodo Council on February, 2003, took place they resolved
to put the sanctuary back into the UNESCO’s World Heritage
list.
The Bodo people with their determination and reformed outlook scripted
a spectacular success with the Northeast’s first community-based
eco-tourism project in Manas. Now they are positive enough to hope
that the name of the World Heritage Site will be struck off the
UNESCO’s “red-list” for good.
The Siliguri-based Help Tourism and Ashoka Holidays had formed the
Manas Maozigendri Eco-Tourism Society (MMES) two years ago. The
society mainly consisted of reformed Bodos who were previously poachers
or hardcore militants. They involved themselves in several conservation
and tourism programmes and did a commendable job which won them
praise and appreciation from all quarters.
The MMES and the people of Manas were hopeful when Kishore Rao,
Deputy-Director, UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, and David
Shepherd, Head of the World Conservation Union’s Programme
on Protected Areas, visited the sanctuary to assess and review the
status of the area.
The MMES is supported by the Manas Tiger Reserve, Bodo Territorial
Council, All Bodo Students’ Union, Chapguri Koklabari Anchalik
Committee and ACT.
Many people are quite upbeat that given the success of the MMES
project they might be removed of the red-list. If not, at least
they will be shown in a positive light after the shameful episodes
in the past. |
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