Action Aid India felicitates Tseten Lepcha as ‘human rights defender’

GANGTOK,: Sikkim’s Tseten Lepcha has been felicitated by Action Aid India as a “human rights defender and promoter of justice”.
Lepcha was felicitated during an event held on the eve of Human Rights Day on December 9, at India International Centre, New Delhi. The award was for promoting rights and justice with vulnerable communities, informs a press release.
“I would like to dedicate this award to Late T. Lachungpa, who was a mentor, guardian and guide for all of us fighting for our rights, and to all the founder members and the present young generation of Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) who are carrying on with the relentless struggle to protect our land and people. I would also like to thank all the members of Sangha of Dzongu, concerned Lepchas, Rong Memong of Darjeeling Hills and members of civil society and media fraternity and international community, who had provided selfless support to the ACT movement. Last but not the least, my family members who always stood by us in our struggle and had to face lot of difficulties over a long period of time,” said Lepcha, who has conducted multiple awareness programmes to sensitise people about the impacts of mega hydroelectric power projects in Sikkim.
Tseten has passionately advocated against the implementation of various hydro power projects in Sikkim in order to protect land belonging to indigenous people. During such campaigns, 13 HEPs were scrapped in Sikkim.
The Chungthang resident is the founding member and ex-working president of Affected Citizens of Teesta and a general secretary of the Joint Action Committee against implementation of 510 Mw Teesta-IV HEP in Dzongu. He is also the ex-president of Sikkim Lepcha Association and plenary board member of World Mountain People’s Association, and was a part of the meeting held by UNESCO in Paris to combat climate change, the release mentions.
Action Aid Association is part of a global federation and is an affiliate of Action Aid International that has presence in over 40 countries worldwide. The organisation works for social and ecological justice and has been engaged with the most marginalised communities in India since 1972.