This is a video that showcases indigenous Majhis’ experiences with Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project in Nepal.

Aimed to provide irrigation facilities to 122,00 hectares of land in five districts in southern Nepal by diverting water from Sunkoshi river to Marin Khola, the Sunkoshi-Marin Multipurpose Diversion Project – termed as project of national pride – will also generate 28.62 MW of hydroelectricity.

However, Indigenous Majhi and local communities are being affected by the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project. They even submitted a memorandum to the local authorities stating that the under-construction project will inundate ancestral lands, riverbanks and sacred sites of indigenous Majhi and other local communities that they have traditionally used or acquired. That it will displace the communities, deprive them of agriculture, fishing, boating and other livelihoods and negatively impact their religious, cultural and social lives.

This video was produced by the Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ), one of the partners of the Rights Energy Partnership Project (REP) of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group.