Text :
26.01.00 : Japan city gives thumbs down to
pork-barrel dam
TOKYO, Jan 24 (Reuters)
By Elaine Lies
- A Japanese city has given a resounding no to
a
controversial dam scheme in a rare vote against a central
government-backed public works project at a time of rising
criticism of
pork-barrel spending.
More than 90 percent of voters in Tokushima, a city on
Japan's smallest
main island of Shikoku some 900 km (540 miles) southwest
of Tokyo, on
Sunday voted down the 100 billion yen ($954 million)
project, the first
referendum ever held on a public works scheme.
The vote is not legally binding and Prime Minister Keizo
Obuchi told
reporters on Monday construction was likely to go ahead
despite the
results.
``This project is very important for the entire region,''
Obuchi said.
``I haven't heard anything about cancelling the project
because of the
poll results.''
Observers hailed the vote as a significant step for Japan,
which has
traditionally welcomed such projects as a way of pumping
life into
lagging local economies.
``This shows that people in Japan are not just saying
'yes, yes' to
government projects anymore,'' said Tsunao Imamura, a
professor at
Tokyo's Chuo University. ``They are evaluating each one
individually, and
this time they said no.''
He said the result was especially significant in light
of an unusual
ruling that mandated the vote would only be valid if
more than 50 percent
of eligible voters turned out.
Close to 55 percent came to cast 102,759 votes against
while 9,367 voted
in favour.
REJECTING TRADITIONAL PUMP-PRIMING
Public works projects have been the backbone both of Japanese
politics
and economic policies, with lawmakers ladling out the
pork to get votes
and jump-start the economy when it falters.
But these practices have come back to haunt the government,
which after a
decade of such spending faces a public debt that rose
to 123 percent of
gross domestic product this fiscal year -- the highest
among
industrialised nations -- and will swell to 130 percent
in 2000/01.
In the face of growing criticism from both opposition
forces and rivals
within his own party, Obuchi refuses to cut government
spending, saying
Japan's fragile economic recovery needs ``one more push''
before fiscal
reform can be tackled.
LOCALS RESENT BIG GOVERNMENT
Under the scheme proposed by Japan's construction ministry,
a movable
weir-highway bridge would be built on the Yoshino river
to replace an
existing 250-year-old dam.
The ministry says the project is essential for control
of major floods,
which it says may strike once every 150 years. Opponents
say it would
destroy the ecosystem around the dam.
But what really angers Tokushima residents is a sense
that the government
has not consulted them even while it uses their tax money,
city official
Toshihiro Honda said.
``The national government has ignored the people of the
city in putting
forth this plan. Considering they're spending so much
money on this, why
won't they hear our opinions?'' he added.
RESULT IS MOSTLY SYMBOLIC
The construction ministry said the vote will not affect
its plans. ``We
will make further efforts to explain to local residents
the necessity of
the project for their safety,'' it said in a statement.
An official at the ministry's Flood Control division said
it is still far
too early to say whether the ministry might propose a
compromise to
mollify residents.
Tokushima is also not the only municipality involved.
Jurisdiction over
the project also rests with one other city and eight
towns, all of which
are still in favour of the project.
But observers said the fact that this is an election year
could make
officials more willing to lend an ear.
>`The government won't halt the project,'' said Chuo University's
Imamura. ``But they are going to have to listen to what
people say and
take it more seriously than usual.''
($1 - 105 yen)
07:25 01-24-00
Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
21.01.00 : Donau : WWF fordert mehr Wasser
fuer die Donau bei Gabcikovo
Rastatt, Wien, Budapest, 21. Januar 2000. Neue Diskussionen
gibt es derzeit um einen alten Konflikt zwischen Ungarn und der Slowakei:
Anlaesslich einer internationalen Tagung in Budapest betonte der World
Wide Fund For Nature (WWF),dass es fuer den Streitfall um das Donau-Kraftwerk
bei Gabcikovo nur eine wirklich naturvertraegliche Loesung gibt: Es muss
wieder mehr Wasser in das alte Bett der Donau.
1992 nahm die Slowakei das Wasserkraftwerk Gabcikovo
in Betrieb und lenkte eigenmaechtig die Donau aus dem Flussbett heraus
in einen Kanal um. Ungarn erhob dagegen Einspruch, der Fall gelangte bis
vor den Internationalen Gerichtshof in Den Haag. Dieser ermahnte die beiden
Regierungen 1998, eine umweltvertraegliche Loesung zu finden. Es liegen
mehrere Loesungsvorschlaege vor, einen davon hat der WWF erarbeitet. Diese
Vorschlaege sind nun unter anderem Gegenstand einer Fachtagung zu Flussrenaturierung
und Wasserstrassen, die am 21. und 22. Januar in Budapest stattfindet.
Der Staudamm und der Ableitungskanal, den die Slowakei zum Betreiben des
Kraftwerks baute, haben folgenschwere Auswirkungen auf die ueber 8.000
Hektar grossen Auengebiete.
Da ein Grossteil des Flusswassers durch den Kanal geleitet
wird, sind fuer das eigentliche Flussbett nur noch etwa 20 Prozent der
urspruenglichen Menge uebrig. In der Folge sinkt auch der Grundwasserspiegel,
und die wertvollen Auenwaelder zeigen erste Trockenschaeden. Laut der Studie
des WWF muessten wieder zwei Drittel der urspruenglichen Wassermenge durch
das alte Flussbett fliessen. „Nur mit mehr Wasser kann das Leben in die
Auen zurueckkehren“, sagte Prof. Emil Dister, Leiter des WWF-Auen-Instituts.
Das Flussbett muesse dazu auch verengt werden. Ausserdem muesse gesichert
sein, dass Hochwasser in die Auen gelange. „Die Lebensgemeinschaften in
der Donau sind auf regelmaessige Ueberflutungen angewiesen“, unterstrich
Dister. Im Vergleich zu den anderen diskutierten Moeglichkeiten sei diese
die einzige, die alle oekologischen Faktoren beruecksichtige und damit
eine Renaturierung gewaehrleiste.
Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie bei:
Anja Rech, Pressereferentin im WWF-Auen-Institut, Tel.:
0 72 22/38 07-14, Fax -99
E-Mail: rech@wwf.de, Internet: www.wwf.de
WWF claims for more water in the old Danube river
bed near Gabchikovo
New discussion over an old Slovakian power plant.
Rastatt, Wien, Budapest, January, 21. 2000. New discussion
is kindled on an old conflict between Hungary and Slovakia. On the occasion
of an international conference in Budapest the World Wide Fund For Nature
(WWF) emphasised that there is only one real solution for the dispute:
the original Danube river bed must again receive more water.
In 1992 the Republic of Slovakia on its own authority
deviated the Danube into a canal. Hungary's suit had reached the International
Supreme Court in Den Haag. As a result in 1998 both governments where summoned
to find an ecologically acceptable solution to the dispute. Now several
mitigation proposals are submitted. These different proposals have been
reviewed in an conference in Budapest on 21. and 22. of January. The deviation
of the water from the original river bed causes serious consequences for
the 8,000 hectares of plain forests on that stretch of the Danube river.
The plain forests show first draught damages.
Since only 20% of the original run off are running through
the old river bed the ground water level has dropped. According to study
launched by the WWF it is necessary to let 2/3rd of the run off pass through
the old river bed: "Only more water can bring new live to the plain forests"
so Prof. Emil Diester, chairmen of the WWF Floodplain Research Institute.
Furthermore annual high water has to be lead into the old riverbed to let
all functions revive.
For more information contact:
Anja Rech, Press consultant of WWF- Floodplain
Research Institute, Tel.: 0 72 22/38 07-14, Fax -99
E-Mail: rech@wwf.de, Internet: www.wwf.de
21.01.00 : Australia launches Snowy hydro
water flows study
MELBOURNE - Reuters News Service
Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority corporatisation
and the effect of
changed water flows would be studied in an environmental
impact statement,
Federal Environment Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.
The authority and Snowy Hydro Trading Ltd are proposed
to be brought
together in the corporatised Snowy Hydro Ltd, but the
controversial issue
of water flows in the Snowy River must first be resolved.
"It will be run as a business entity and as such will
be given guarantees
for water flows over quite a long period and therefore
the issue has to be
sorted out," a spokesman for Hill told Reuters.
The impact study would be conducted by the Department
of Industry, Science
and Resources and be completed within six months.
"The process will enable full examination of the proposal
to increase
environmental flows to the Snowy with emphasis on how
they might affect the
future health of the Murray River," Hill said in a statement.
Victoria is pushing for Snowy River flows below Lake
Jindabyne to be
increased to 28 percent of original levels compared to
one percent
currently, but the plan has sparked strong opposition
by irrigators
A report commissioned by the Victorian and New South
Wales government and
released in October 1998 found increasing the flow level
to 28 percent
would have a A$188 million impact on the Snowy hydro
scheme.
The report recommended flows be increased to 15 percent
of current levels,
which would have a A$108 million impact.
The Snowy hydro scheme, considered something of an Australian
icon, has
eight power stations with a generating capacity of 3,800
MW and plays a
critical role in meeting peak power demand.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
24.01.00 : action on the Brandenburg Gate
in Berlin by solidarios con Itoiz
Today, Mondaz 24th of January 00, the direct action group
SOLIDARIOS CON
ITOIZ (Basque Country) did an action on the worldwide
famous Brandenburg
gate in Berlin - against the itoiz reservoir project
and for criticizing th
e penalty of 5 years of prison that 8 of their comrades
got for another
peaceful and public direct action.
At 11 o'clock in the morning seven activist stepped on
top of a lateral
roof of the building using a 9 m ladder. A few seconds
later the first
policemen arrived (Berlin's center is completely controlled
24 hours) and got
on the top roof of Brandenburg Gate before the activists
could change the
ladder's position in order to get there. One policemen
wildly moved the
ladder, so the activists could'nt go on further. They
decided to lock their
throats to iron bars found right there by some motorbike
locks - 3
activists did so. Two others climbed down some ropes
and hang there till
the finish of the action. A massive banner showing the
Itoiz dam and the
text SOS ITOIZ were put in the front of the building
by them.
Police, that soon were massively present, closed the
whole area, took the
names of some of the more than 100 supporting people
on the street (that
carried another banner saying "for nature's defense 5
years of jail") and
told the people clearly to go away.
Two fire brigade's vans arrived and using their ladder
7 special
agents of the Federal's Police Special Task Forces (SEK,
black
uniform, covered face, machine gun) got on top of the
roof. They
quickly cut the iron bars the activists were locked to
by some very
heavy tool. Fire brigades installed a big airbag on the
floor for the
case anyone falls down of the very slippery snowed roof.
At 15:30 h all activists were brought to the police department,
without
having done any kind of resistance to the detention.
A large number of tourists were quite surprised by the
action and
followed it with interest. The German media were massively
present.
Until now we don't know when the 7 activists will be
allowed to leave
police department.
Tuesday, 25.1.2000: The arrested activists will see the
judge in the
afternoon. One of them was arrested with the lock still
around his
neck and its unsure if and when he got rid of it.
SOLIDARI@S CON ITOIZ
You can order photos and tv images at:
e-mail SOLIDARIOS for Germany: solidarias@gmx.de
German website with foto: www.umbruch-bildarchiv.de/events.html
European Tour website: www.s-o-s-itoiz.org.uk
24.01.00 : WCD (World Comision on Dams) Hearing
in Europe.
Commentaire et communiqué de presse sur la conférence
des ONG à Bratislava
there is an English version available
ERN, Bratislava/Le Puy, 24.01.00
Un colloque organisé par des ONG européennes
s’est tenu à Bratislava les 17 et 18 janvier. Plus de 60 ONG européennes
ainsi que des représentants des autres continents se sont réunis
pour travailler sur les questions relatives à la Commission Mondiale
sur les Barrages (WCD)*. Le colloque était organisé sur place
par les Amis de la Terre-Slovaquie.
La Commission Mondiale sur les Barrages, fondée
par la Banque Mondiale et l’IUCN (International Union for the Conservation
of Nature), doit produire un bilan sur l’efficacité des grands barrages
et évaluer les alternatives pour la gestion de la ressource en eau
et le développement énergétique. Elle doit aussi proposer
des directives et des règles pour les prises de décision
lors de la planification, la construction, l’exploitation et la démolition
des barrages.
Des audiences ont eu lieu dans le monde entier mais,
malgré l’importance des questions liées aux barrages en Europe,
aucune audience européenne n’avait été prévue
dans le processus de la Commission. Les ONG ont donc décidé
de se réunir pour se mettre d’accord sur la contribution qui leur
semblait essentiel de fournir dans le cadre du rapport final de la Commission
qui sera présenté en septembre 2000.
Les ONG regrettent profondément que la Commission
n’ait pas respecté les efforts humains et financiers déployés
pour organiser un tel événement où n’était
malheureusement présent qu’un seul des membres de la Commission.
- Une des motivations principales de cette réunion
était de détruire le mythe qui consiste à croire que
les
barrages ne sont pas contestés en Europe
et les cas qui ont été présentés ont en effet
prouvé que,
même en Europe, les barrages
peuvent avoir d’énormes impacts sur l’environnement et les
communautés.
- Un autre objectif essentiel étant de dénoncer
le fait que les entreprises basées en Europe utilisent des
règles différentes selon qu’elles
opèrent en Europe ou dans des pays moins développés.
Alors que des
directives sociales et environnementales commencent
à être utilisées dans leur pays d’origine, elles
continuent d’exporter vers le sud des technologies
dépassées.
Les présentations de tous les participants
ont démontré que les barrages ne sont pas une source
d’énergie bénigne et notamment
:
- que de choquantes violations des droits de l’homme
accompagnent souvent la construction de barrage
- que les barrages produisent une masse importante de
gaz à effet de serre
- que, la plupart du temps, les barrages ne bénéficient
qu’aux entreprises occidentales et
n’apportent pas aux pays pauvres le développement
escompté
- que les barrages ont prouvé être inefficaces
dans la lutte contre l’effet des crues
Les participants ont donc conclu que les grands barrages
ne pouvaient pas, dans l’avenir, jouer un rôle majeur dans les politiques
énergetiques et de gestion de l’eau.
- Le communiqué de presse international officiel
: http://www.rivernet.org/prs00_01.htm
- Le programme ainsi que des informations complémentaires
: http://www.rivernet.org/nconf99.htm
- pour plus d'infos sur
WCD
24.01.00 : Comments and Press release of the
NGO meeting held in Bratislava on WCD (World Commission on Dams) related
issues
there is an French version available
ERN, Bratislava/Le Puy, 24.01.00
A European NGO-organised hearing on WCD (World Commission
on Dams) related issues has been held in Bratislava on 17th and 18th January.
Over 60 European NGOs, as well as representatives from other continents
were present. The hearing has been hosted by Friends of the Earth Slovakia.
WCD, founded by the World Bank and the IUCN, has to review
the effectiveness of large dams and assess alternatives for water ressources
and energy development and develop standards and guidelines for decision-making
in the planning, construction, operation and decommissioning of dams.
Hearings have been held all over the world but no European
one was planned in the WCD process despite the importance of dam issues
in Europe. NGOs thus decided to meet to agree on what they think should
appear the in the final WCD report, which will be presented in September
2000.
NGOs deeply regret that the WCD has not respected the
human and financial efforts to organise such an important event which has
been attended by only one of the Commissioners and two members of the staff,
despite the fact that the meeting was convened on the date set by the WCD.
One of the main goals of this meeting was to explode the
myth that dams are uncontroversial in Europe
and the presented cases indeed proved that dams have,
even in Europe, tremendous social and
environmental impacts.
Another main goal was to denounce the fact that European-based
companies are using different
standards wether they operate in Europe or abroad. While
social and environmental guidelines start to
be used in their operation at home, they still export
outdated and outmoded technologies to the South .
The meeting documented how dams are not a benign source
of energy and mainly:
- how gross violations of human rights are often accompanying
dam building
- how dams are producing an important mass of green house
gas
- how dams only benefited northern companies while they
often failed to bring the expected development
to southern communities
- how dams haved proved ineffective in flood prevention
The participants thus concluded that in the future, large
dams must not play a major role in energy and water management policies.
- officiel press release
- fore more information on the hearing go
there
- for more informations on WCD
13.01.2000 : India Thousands Arrested Protesting
Maheshwar Dam
By Frederick Noronha
BOMBAY, India, January 12, 2000 (ENS) - Anti-dam campaigners
protesting
against major dam projects in the northern part
of India occupied the
controversial Maheshwar dam site on Tuesday morning.
Thousands were
arrested.
The Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada River Campaign)
said that "in
spite of police protection" its activists had walked
through the night and
"occupied the destructive Maheshwar dam site on January
11 morning at 6.45
am local time and stopped the work on the dam."
NBA spokesman Alok Agrawal said among the 4,000 affected
people and
activists who "captured the site" were senior Narmada
Bachao Andolan (NBA)
activist Chittaroopa Palit, the internationally-famed
Booker Prize winning
Indian writer Arundhati Roy, prominent film makers Pradip
Kishen and Jharna
Jhaveri and a large number of supporters from major Indian
cities like
Delhi and Bombay, and distant points of the country.
During the march, some 1,500 people were prevented by
the police from
moving towards the site.
The NBA said that the police arrested the people around
1 pm. The police
allegedly "misbehaved" with people including Arundhati
Roy, Jharna Jhaveri
and Chittaroopa Palit.
NBA spokespeople charged that Padhri Verma and Annapurnabai
of the village
Pathrad and Chandrashekar and Chandu of the village Sulgaon
were "terribly
beaten up" by police inside the bus on the way to the
police station.
Earlier, at 6:45 am, the people started a sit-in protest
at the dam site
with slogans and songs. Officials including the regional
Khargone District
Collector Bhopal Singh, came forward to pursuade the
activists to withdraw
their agitation. The talks went on till 10.45 am
but without result.
Villager stands on the bank of the Narmada River
that will be submerged if
the dam is completed.
"At about 1 pm about 1,500 people including Arundhati
and others were
arrested forcefully and taken to Mandaleshwar Police
Station," the NBA
said.
The Maheshwar dam in the state of Madhya Pradesh will
affect around 40,000
people in 61 villages in the region, submerging hundreds
of acres
of fertile, irrigated black cotton soils, scores
of sand quarries and a
rich riverine economy.
For the past three years, the Maheshwar Dam has been the
target of
campaigners who term it "destructive."
Exactly two years ago on January 11, 1998 the Maheshwar
Dam was occupied
for more than 20 days. That occupation has led
the regional state-level
government of Madhya Pradesh to set up a Task Force to
address the
grievances of the protesters.
After ten months study, this Task Force recommended
a comprehensive
review of the Maheshwar Project to reassess the cost-benefit
ratio and the
viability and disirability of the project.
Kumars' private company to
push ahead with the project and supported it by unleasing
repression on the
affected people," the NBA alleged in a statement.
This latest case of occupation of the dam site was to
demand a complete
stoppage of work on the project and a comprehensive review
as recommended
by the Task Force.
The Maheshwar Dam is part of the Narmada Valley Development
Project that
entails the construction of 30 large and 135 medium-sized
dams in the
Narmada Valley. Maheshwar is one of the planned large
dams and is slated to
provide 400 Megawatts in energy.
NBA maintains that that, although the project will have
a proposed
installed capacity of 400 MW, the average firm power
will be only 82 MW,
and power production in the eight non-monsoon months
will not be more than
one and a half hours per day.
The protest organization says the cost of power from this
project will be
prohibitively high - an average of six to eight rupees
per unit, with the
cost of peaking power being eight to ten rupees
per unit at the point of
production.
This project was privatized in 1994 and handed over
to the S. Kumars.
Project costs have been spiralling from rupees (Rs) 4,560
million to Rs
20,000 million in the past five years. At the current
rate of exchange one
dollar roughly equals Rs 43.50.
The NBA vows to continue with its protest actions
against the Maheshwar
Dam. Agrawal warned that "truth and reality cannot be
suppressed through
repressive method of forceful arrest."
11.01.2000 : Switzerland: Last big
dam project in the Alps cancelled !
Short before New Year the operator society of the giant
dam project "Grimsel West"
(restoring power station) has announced to give up the
last big and very controversial
project in the "Berner Oberland" (region in the Swiss
Alps). The 200 m high dam was
to be built into the existing Grimsel reservoir and would
have flooded a part of the glacier
as well as precious moors and rare mountain pine forests.
The planned capacity of the
reservoir was 2400 million m3 with an annual power generation
of up to 1200 million GWh.
The 3 milliards CHF project (1 US Dollar = 1,6 CHF) had
been waged a bitter struggle
against by the Swiss "Grimsel Society" and other environmental
associations for more
than 10 years. However, according to the "KWO Kraftwerke
Oberhasli" the renunciation
of the project had been decided upon only due to commercial
reasons. The liberalisation
of the current market has allegedly made the project
unprofitable. During rush hours the
electricity would have cost up to 0,15 CHF/kwh, meaning
three times as much as the
normal "Grimsel power".
Alternatively the KWO is now planning to rise the existing
dam to produce
additional 200 million GWh/a. With only 1/6 of the originally
aspired additional production
and costing only 1,2 milliards CHF this project is much
smaller and is characterised as
acceptable by the environmental associations.
"Grimsel West" was the last remaining of three big dam
projects in the Alps. The other
two projects "Val Madris" and "Curciusa" where successfully
opposed during the recent
years and both had finally been withdrawn. Solely the
extension of the huge dam
"Grand Dixence" (ecologically hardly controversial) had
begun in 1996 and is now
right before completion. According to relevant sources
the latter is going become the
largest not repayable investment of Switzerland.
Thus the liberalisation of the current market and the
strong environmental opposition
has brought an end to the "dam euphoria" in the Alps
.
10.01.2000 : Namibia/ Epupa:Himba steer
own development plans
Himba steer own development plans
From The Namibian today.
CHRISTOF MALETSKY
THE Himba community living along the Kunene river, in
the area of the
proposed Epupa hydro-electric power scheme, have initiated
several
developments to counter the Government's planned controversial
scheme.
Under the chairmanship of Chief Hikuminue Kapika the Kaoko-Epupa
Development Foundation, an incorporated non-profit association,
want to
focus on developing the region's economy as well as maintaining
and
promoting the unique traditions of communities in the
region.
Interim Executive Director Dr Reinhard Zaire told The
Namibian that they
had already set up a food programme for all schools in
the former
Kaokoland, and water security points for several schools,
villages and
clinics.
Under the food programme which is funded by the European
Union, Zaire
explained, they have fenced off and grown fruits and
vegetables at schools
with distribution expected to start next month.
Zaire said they have also registered 10 students from
the Epupa area with
the Polytechnic of Namibia to study in technical fields
so that their
expertise will be used to secure water provision back
home once they have
finished.
The ambitious scientist said they were busy with a veterinary
programme
under which they will set up an abattoir at regional
capital Opuwo from
where they will market cattle for export to Germany.
The Foundation would also look to solar and wind energy
as sources of
power, and not the construction of a hydro-electric dam
proposed by
Government.
The idea is for the Himba people to steer development
in their area, and
not simply leave it to others who wanted to promote their
own interests, in
the words of Chief Kapika, who chairs the Foundation's
board of directors.
The idea of the Foundation emerged during Kapika's trip
to Europe in 1998,
when he campaigned against the construction of the Epupa
dam.
The aim of the Foundation is to maintain and promote the
traditions of the
Himba, Vazemba, Herero and other related communities
in the Epupa region,
both in Namibia and Angola.
It is also the Foundation's intention to institute and
develop educational
facilities for children and adults living in the Epupa
and Kaoko areas, and
to promote adequately-schooled and trained members of
communities for
higher education.
The body also wanted to develop health facilities and
promote health and
social care, develop the area's tourist industry by developing
the region's
communications network.
Further, the Foundation intended developing the region's
economy through
efficient farming and marketing of livestock and other
agricultural
products, as well as by promoting water management, mining
and
manufacturing.
The directors of the Foundation believe that their project
would not
negatively affect the people of the region nor its environment.
However, they said it would serve as an alternative to
the Epupa dam.
The Foundation is receiving financial and other support
from foreign
sympathisers - mostly from Europe.
The Foundation's board of directors comprises of Kapika
as chair, Kasita
Mburura (Secretary), Dareus Utjavari (Communications
Director), Dr Reinhard
Zaire (Interim Executive Director), Muatjindika Mutambo,
Frans Tjavira,
Ujeuetu Tjihange and Kuejo Rutjindo.
Kapika and his people have vehemently opposed the Epupa
dam scheme since it
was first proposed by Government.
Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
09.01.2000 : CALL TO ACTION:
International Day of Action Against Dams and for Rivers, Water &
Life
March 14, 2000
Dear Friends,
We urge you to join us on March 14th as part of the International
Day of
Action Against Dams and for Rivers, Water & Life.
Over the last year, the
anti-dam movement has gained huge momentum -- from nonviolent
mass
resistance in Asia to unprecedented networking in Latin
America and Africa
to dam removals in Europe and North America. Let's keep
this momentum
rowing. Plan an event on March 14 as part of the Day
of Action.
By acting together we:
* Strengthen local groups by linking them to the global
network of dam
fighters and river protectors.
* Show the world a strong, diverse worldwide movement
dedicated to the
health of rivers and the people that depend on them.
* Publicize the need to move towards equitable and sustainable
ways to
manage our rivers.
As our movement grows, so has the number of groups fighting
for
reparations. Reparations are measures taken to mitigate
or compensate
people for damages suffered because of already existing
dams. Worldwide,
people are demanding that institutions and dam builders
not be let off the
hook once a project is completed -- and that they be
held accountable for
social and environmental damages. Let's work together
to send institutions
and dam builders our message.
Another exciting trend is the growing movement to decommission
dams. In the
US and France, governments and dam building agencies
have acknowledged that
the era of dam-building is over and are starting to tear
dams down. We need
to push this message forward around the world that dams
do not last
forever. It's time to create a new vision for managing
our rivers for the
next millenium.
It is also time to force policymakers to implement real
solutions for
meeting water, flood management and energy needs. We
need to spread the
ord about alternatives, starting with demand side management
strategies
for water and energy and true renewables such as solar
and wind energy.
Let's work together to strengthen the movement. Organize
an event on March
14, 2000 for the International Day of Action Against
Dams and for Rivers,
Water & Life. Reparations, decommissioning and alternatives
are just some
of the many issues around which to organize your event.
Below is some
information on the Day of Action, including additional
resources,
background information and examples of previous events.
We also encourage
you to take photos and video of your event so we can
better document the
growing movement.
We look forward to your involvement in the International
Day of Action.
Please let me know if you are planning to participate
and do not hesitate
to contact me if you have any questions. Please also
feel free to forward
this message to interested groups.
Water for life, not for death!
Susanne Wong
International Rivers Network
CONTACT INFO:
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703 USA
phone: 510 848 1155
fax: 510 848 1008
email: swong@irn.org
web: www.irn.org/
**International Rivers Network serves as the International
Coordinator for
the Day of Action.
**************************
RESOURCES AVAILABLE
IRN has posters and brochures for the Day of Action available
for promoting
your event. Please contact us soon if you would like
us to send you some.
Tell us how many posters and brochures you would like
and include your
mailing address.
If you would like to see photos or descriptions of past
events organized as
part of the Day of Action, please visit our web page
at
www.irn.org/dayofaction (available after December 27).
Also feel free to
contact me at swong@irn.org.
The Call to Action explaining the Day of Action and urging
groups to
participate is also available in Spanish, Portuguese
and French. Let me
know if you would like a copy in a particular language.
**************************
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In 1999, 56 actions took place in 20 countries, including
Brazil, India,
Thailand, Australia, Russia, Japan and the United States.
Tens of thousands
of people participated in demonstrations, rallies, educational
events,
letter-writing campaigns and river clean-ups. This year,
we expect over
100,000 people to join in.
The Day of Action was inspired by participants at the
First International
Meeting of People Affected by Dams held in Curitiba,
Brazil in 1997. They
declared, "We are strong, diverse, and united and our
cause is just. To
symbolize our growing unity, we declare that March 14th
- the Brazilian Day
of Struggles Against Dams - will from now on become the
International Day
of Action Against Dams and for Rivers, Water and Life."
(Please let contact
swong@irn.org if you would like to receive a copy of
the original Curitiba
Declaration.)
for more information: go to www.ern.org (contact)
or swong@irn.org
Susanne Wong
Campaigns Assistant
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703
tel: 1.510.848.1155 ext 316
fax: 1.510.848.1008
web: www.irn.org
email: swong@irn.org
04.01.2000 : Marée noire en
France: site spécial marée noire et souscription "oiseaux"
. Nous relayons un message de Bretagne Vivante
- SEPN participe au ramassage
des oiseaux mazoutés dans le cadre du dispostif
coordonné par la LPO.
Nous attendons vos dons. D'après les derniers
comptages, le nombre total d'oiseaux morts est d'ores
et déjà supérieur à celui
recensé lors du naufrage de l'Amoco Cadiz : oiseaux marins
(fous de bassan et guillemots essentiellement) mais aussi
oiseaux côtiers (limicoles, laridés, canards de tte sortes,
bernaches...). Le petit traict et le grand traict du
croisic sont pollués
(les ostreiculteurs sont contents)
, la Baie de Bourgneuf idem et cerise sur le gateau,
lourde menace sur
l'estuaire de la Loire (si le pétrole touche le
ban de Bilho on assistera à une belle hécatombe).
Merci Total et Joyeuses Fêtes !!!!
Pour les nantais : si la presqu'ile guérandaise
est correctement couverte, nous
manquons de monde pour jouer les ambulances à
oiseaux sur le Pays de Retz :
avis aux amateurs ! Si vous connaissez des vétos
en Sud Loire capables d'épauler l'Ecole Véto de Nantes, faites-signes
!
special website marée noire : http://lpo.lpo44.free.fr
Amtiés à tous
Laurent LE CORRE
33, rue Desgrées du Lou 44100 Nantes
tel: 0240690819 / 0671251459
News older than 04.01.2000
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