Protests in Ladakh enter third week as locals seek protection of fragile ecology

Thousands of people in the remote region of Ladakh have been protesting in freezing temperatures for over two weeks, demanding that the Indian government grant constitutional provisions to protect their territory's fragile ecology and give them autonomy over land and agriculture decisions.

Sonam Wangchuk fasts for environment

Sonam Wangchuk, a top climate activist, participates in the demonstrations in the town of Leh. Since the protests started on March 6, he fasts in the open in subzero temperatures, surviving only on salt and water.

Wangchuk, an engineer working on sustainability solutions at his Himalayan Institute of Alternative Ladakh, calls his protest a "climate fast.

"We're already facing climate disaster and these glaciers and mountains will be destroyed if there is not a check on unbridled industrial development and military maneuvers" in the region, Wangchuk told The Associated Press.

He said that even after it ends, local people and supporters will alternate going on hunger strikes until he regains enough strength to fast again.

Thousands of glaciers in Ladakh, which earned the rugged region the title of one of the "water towers of the world", are receding at an alarming rate and threatening the water supply for millions of people. Local pollution, which has increased due to the militarization of the region, further intensified the melting. The deadly military standoff between India and China since 2020 has worsened this situation.

He also said, "Ladakh critically needs ecological protection. Thus, it's not just a local disaster in the making, but an international one too, as these mountains, which are part of the Greater Himalayas, are intricately linked to over 2 billion people and multiple countries."

Ladakh nomads lose pastureland concerns

Wangchuk said the Ladakh nomads were also losing prime pastureland to huge Indian industrial plans and Chinese encroachment. The region's shepherds complain that Chinese soldiers have captured multiple pasturelands and restricted them from grazing their herds.

Wangchuk said that locals and nomadic tribals will march to the border with China on April 7 to highlight their claims of losing land to Chinese encroachment and corporate interests. Local shepherds claim China has seized some of their grazing lands, and earlier this year, they clashed with a Chinese army patrolling unit.

Sonam Wangchuk alleges that huge industrial plants to the south and Chinese encroachment to the north are taking away their prime pasture land. He also stated that we are planning a Border March of 10,000 Ladakhi shepherds & farmers soon to demonstrate the ground reality.

Wangchuk said that his ​supporters have asked him to end his strike early due to deteriorating health. However, he said that even after it ends, local people will take it in turns to go on hunger strikes until he regains sufficient strength to fast again.

Ladakh autonomy rejected, locals protest

The recent report by The Indian Express highlighted the government's rejection of demands for Ladakh's autonomy. Instead, they offered to extend protections for local jobs and land while addressing other concerns, as per Wangchuk.

Wangchuk criticized the federal government for imposing a 13-gigawatt renewable energy project on nomadic pastures in Ladakh without local consultation. He emphasized Ladakh's global significance, stating, "Ladakh is like a thermometer of the planet. So if it is destroyed ... it will be a global catastrophe."

Scientists have issued warnings about the potential loss of up to 75% glacier volume in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya region by the century's end due to global warming. This could lead to perilous flooding and water shortages affecting around 240 million people.

In response to these issues, locals and nomadic tribals plan to march to the border with China on April 7. Wangchuk highlighted concerns about land loss to Chinese encroachment and corporate interests. He mentioned instances where Chinese encroachment impacted local shepherds and led to clashes with Chinese Army units.

In recognition of his innovative education reforms in Ladakh, Wangchuk was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018, often referred to as Asia's Nobel Prize. He remains a prominent advocate for community-driven development in the region.

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