SALWEEN WATCH HOTMAIL OUT - Part 2

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

6. Government Agencies

       United States Bureau of Reclamation, United States
       LHWP, Lesotho Highlands Water Project, Lesotho
       Ministry of Mahaweli Development, Sri Lanka

   7. Utilities

       Electrobras, Brazil
       Hydro-Quebec, Canada

   8. Research Institutes/Resource Persons

       ISPH, Institute of Hydroelectric Studies and Design, Romania
       WRI, World Resources Institute, United States
       Water Research Institute, Israel
       Winrock International, Nepal
       Focus on the Global South, Thailand

   9. Private Sector Firms

       Harza Engineering Firm, United States
       Siemens, Germany

   10. River Basin Authorities

       Confederacion Hydrografica del Ebro, Spain
       Mekong River Commission, Cambodia
       Volta River Authority, Ghana

   11. Export Credit Guarantee Agencies

       Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund, Japan
       U.S. Export/Import Bank, USA


REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS (PUBLIC HEARINGS)

The WCD has recently sent out a Call for Submissions in English, Spanish
and
Portuguese for a "Regional Consultation" on "Large Dams and Their
Alternatives in Latin America: Experiences and Lessons Learned"
(available
on www.dams.org). The public consultation (previously referred to as a
"public hearing") will be held in Sao Paulo on August 12-13, 1999,
immediately before the fifth meeting of Commissioners.

A regional consultation/hearing for South Asia was held in Sri Lanka in
December 1998. Another is planned for Africa and the Middle East in late
1999. If funding permits another may be held in South-East or East Asia
in
early 2000.

Some NGOs have been exploring holding their own regional hearings to
which
WCD commissioners and staff would be invited and the results given as
submissions to the WCD. Such a hearing of the experiences of
dam-affected
people may be held in Southern Africa around October 1999 (contact Liane
Greef, Environmental Monitoring Group - liane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx). NGOs in
Europe are also interested in holding a hearing (contact Juraj
Zamkovsky,
FoE Slovakia - zamkovsky@xxxxxxxxxxxx).

SUBMISSIONS FROM NGOS

Submissions from NGOs, people's movements, concerned academics etc. on
issues related to the WCD's Work Programme will be an essential part of
ensuring that the WCD lives up to its potential.


1) General submissions related to the Work Programme

"Guidelines for Submissions" have been posted on www.dams.org (currently
only in English; it will soon be added in Spanish and French). The
Guidelines appeal for the submissions to be brief and focused on the
areas
covered by the Work Programme with a recommended length of 5-10 single
spaced pages. Background material, including photographs and videos, can
be
sent as attachments/annexes. Submissions should be in English if
possible,
and if not should be accompanied by a 2-page abstract in English.

The Guidelines for Submissions includes a summary form which should be
completed for each submission. The form allows people making submissions
to
indicate which parts of the Work Programme the submission is most
relevant
for (eg particular basin studies or thematic reviews) and should ensure
that
the submissions are circulated to the relevant staff.

The titles of all the submissions received are posted on the WCD web
site.
The full text of most of the presentations made at the South Asia
hearing/consultation has also been posted - as will presumably be the
presentations made at the other hearings/consultations. The web site
says
that the WCD will "endeavour to supply" photocopies of submissions to
those
who request them (requests to info@xxxxxxxx).

Because of the very short time left for the WCD to carry out its
research
and write its final report and recommendations, submissions should be
sent
within the next six months or sooner to have the most impact.
Submissions
may be written specifically for the WCD, or existing documents can be
submitted together with the "summary form" from the WCD web site.

Anyone can make submissions - affected communities, environmental
networks,
concerned academic experts etc. The submissions may be concerned with
individual projects, regional or national overviews of past and current
experience with dam building and/or water and land management, or
relevant
national or international policies and their implementation.

The WCD should hear both the actual record of dam-building in the past
(including the impacts/results of dam projects and the politics of
decision-making) and suggestions for how water and energy planning
should be
carried out in future (including examples of good planning practices
which
are already being implemented). The most effective submissions will
likely
be those which describe the history of one or more dams or alternatives
AND
which suggest policy/political changes which could ensure that past
problems
are not repeated and/or that damage caused (including damage to
communities
and ecosystems) can be compensated or repaired.

The issue of participation/consultation and transparency in the planning
process for dams and alternatives is a key issue for the WCD.
Submissions
which show the problems caused by ignoring the opinions of affected
people,
and which suggest how affected people should be given a meaningful role
in
the decision-making process will be very useful. Also useful will be
examples of legislation and policies which ensure affected people are
involved in decision-making and cases where affected people have been

listened to and where this has either stopped destructive projects being
built and/or led to better alternatives being implemented.

It is important to note that the WCD will not make recommendations on
whether or how specific dams should be built or removed, or on
compensation
for environmental damage or human rights abuses from individual
projects.
However the WCD is mandated to make general recommendations on how
reparations should be provided to past dam victims and how damaged
ecosystems should be restored. Project-specific claims for reparations
and
restoration will thus be useful to inform the general recommendations on
these issues. Suggestions on policies and practices which would help
provide
justice for past dam victims and restore ecosystems would similarly be
very
useful.

It will be very useful for the ICDRP if we can follow who is interested
in
doing submissions on which issues so please let us know (contact:
patrick@xxxxxxx).

1a) Submissions related to the Thematic Reviews

As the thematic reviews cover such a wide range of issues all
submissions
should probably be relevant to at least one of the reviews. People
making
submissions on the thematic reviews should read the scoping papers for
the
relevant reviews.

The thematic reviews will be the main area of the Work Programme in
which
planned and on-going projects are analysed.

1b) Submissions related specifically to the Focal Dam/River Basin
Studies

Before making submissions on any of these studies it would be worthwhile
checking with the relevant staff member on whether/how the issue you are
interested in is being dealt with by the consultants working on the
study.

1c) Submissions related to the Cross-Check Survey

Submissions can be made on the record of individual dams in the review
once
the final list has been made available. Submissions may propose dams to
be
added to the list but whether or not these are accepted will depend on
maintaining an acceptably representative balance of dams of different
purposes, ages, sizes, regions etc.

2) Submissions associated with Regional Consultations

The Call for Submissions for the Sao Paulo consultation asks for people
who
are interested in presenting papers at the consultation to send in
two-page
summaries of their presentations by June 15. Those selected to make
presentations will be informed by June 30. The WCD will pay travel and
accommodation costs for presenters who need financial assistance. For
more
information on making presentations for the Sao Paulo consultation
contact
Selma Barros of the Brazilian Movement of Dam-Affected People (MAB) -
mnab@xxxxxxxxxxx


General submissions and those for regional consultations can be sent via
email to submission@xxxxxxxx or faxed or mailed to

Secretary General
World Commission on Dams
PO BOX 16002 Vlaeberg
Cape Town 8018
South Africa
Fax: +27 21 426 4036


NGO ACTIVITIES

As a result of the WCD Secretariat being based in Cape Town, South
Africa, a
local environmental NGO, the Environmental Monitoring Group, was
contacted
and asked to monitor the progress of the WCD. Liane Greeff of EMG has
taken

on this role, and holds regular meetings with Achim Steiner, the
Secretary-General of the WCD and with the rest of the Secretariat Staff.
The
purpose of these meetings are to raise issues of concern, to obtain
updated
information, and to explore opportunities for NGOs to provide input into
the
process as well as make the submissions process as effective as
possible.
Her contact details are:

Liane Greeff,
Environmental Monitoring Group,
PO Box 18977,
Wynberg,
South Africa, 7824
E-mail: liane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tel: +27 21 761 0549
Fax: +27 21 762 2238.

A South Asia office for the ICDRP has been established in Delhi. For
more
information and to get on the mailing list for copies of the "South Asia
Update on Dams, Rivers and People", contact Himanshu Thakkar -
cwaterp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The recently formed Pakistan Network for
Rivers,
Dams and Peoples (PNDRP) have recently produced a report on the proposed
Diamer (Basha) Dam on the Indus. For more information contact Naeem
Iqbal -
naeemasu@xxxxxxxxxxxx

A meeting of European anti-dam and pro-river activists took place in
Bielsko-Biela, Poland in April. The meeting also included 
representatives
from groups working in S. America, S.E. Asia and S. Africa who gave
their
experience of how Northern companies and finance can affect dam-building
in
their countries. Among the results of the meeting are proposals to write
reports on a) campaigns against dams in Europe and b) European companies
working on dams overseas. These reports could feed into a Europe-wide
campaign against dam-building companies, particularly ABB and would also
be
submitted to the WCD. For more information on the Bielsko-Biela meeting,
contact Sally Naylor at klub@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For more information on
the
reports, contact Nicholas Hildyard - nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information on the ICDRP and for copies of WCD Update No. 1,
please
contact Susanne Wong at swong@xxxxxxxx Please send Susanne details of
any
other organisations/individuals who should be on our mailing list for
WCD
Updates.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Susanne Wong
Campaigns Assistant
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703
Tel: 1.510.848.1155 ext 316        email: swong@xxxxxxx
Fax: 1.510.848.1008                     web: www.irn.org


**************************************************************************
First round of Salween Dam survey completed

April 28, 1999

The companies carrying out a survey to build a dam on the Salween River
in
southern Shan State completed their first round of field studies at the
end
of March, according to a S.H.A.N. source that recently returned from
Shan
State.

The site being surveyed is a gorge about 6 km north of Ta Sarng Bridge,
which links the roads between Mong Pan and Mong Ton townships, 90 miles
north of the Thai border. The surveying began on October 19 last year,
and
ended on March 31 this year.

The surveyors, including Thai, Japanese and Burmese companies, have now
moved out of the area. The rock samples from the dam site were sent to

the
Thai border at Nong Ook, northern Chiang Mai province, in a convoy of
Burma
Army trucks on April 8. It is not known where the samples will be sent
to
for testing.

The Thai companies involved include MDX Power Co., the main Thai
contractor,
as well as AAM, which carried out the general survey, and GMT, which
drilled
and collected samples of the rocks on both sides of the Salween. The
logging
company Thai Sawat was also involved in transporting personnel and
equipment.

Apart from Thai companies, Japan's Electric Power Development
Corporation,
and the Burmese Company Aye Chan Aye, were also involved.

During the surveying, security was provided by the Burma Army's No. 3
Tactical Command, comprising Battalions 65, 43 and 225. Surveying was
halted
several times because of security alerts, owing to the presence of the
Shan
States Army's 727th Brigade in the region.

/// END \\\
Shan Herald Agency for News

For further information, please contact 053-807 121 or e-mail
<shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

**********************************************************************
Northern Thai Hill People's Demonstrate for Citizenship Rights and Land
and
Resource Use Rights

By:  cmgreent@xxxxxxxxxxx

Northern Thailand is comprised mostly of hills and mountains and has
been
populated by diverse ethnic groups who have been making living from
forests
and have had
systems for preserving forests for a long time. Their forest management
systems classify forests
into reserved forests, watershed forestry, forests for conducting
rituals,
and forests from which
villagers can gather forest products, including herbal medicines. When
villagers make use of
forests, they have to have proper reasons and ask for permission from
the
village committee.
Villagers go on patrol in the forests for violation of outsiders,
conduct
rituals, and cooperated
to make firebreaks.

When the Thai government announced National Parks, many of them fell
onto
the
forest lands which villagers have traditionally made living from. The
6th
National Economic and
Social Development Plan defined 15% of the total land for Reserved
Forests
and 25% for
Economic Forests, but the 7th and 8th Plans defined 25% of total
national
territory for Reserved
Forests and increased the National Park areas which fell onto the lands
on
which villagers have
lived for a long time. These state policies have caused problem of many
villagers now unable to
gather forest products, make herbal medicines, or conduct farming for
subsistence. There also
have been pressures from the economic sector to relocate villagers out
of
forest areas on which
they had been living for a long time to Degraded Forest areas on which
they
can barely make
living. The Northern Farmers Network (NFN) was organized to support
villagers facing these
problems.

Since April 26, 1999 villagers has gathered at Chiang Mai provincial
office
and been
appealing the government to take quick measures to solve the problems.
The
government sent
Mr. Newin Chidchob, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, as
its
representative to
have meeting with villagers and NFN. However, some important agreements
of

the meeting
had changes later when they were brought to the Cabinet meeting

1. Citizenship problem
There are now about 800,000 highland population who have resided in the
present Thai territory for many generations and are Thai citizen
according
to the principle of  the citizenship law. However, the government has so
far
granted citizenship to only 200,000 persons, and the rest still are
denied
of basic rights that the Thai citizen can enjoy, for example public
services. The meeting among representatives of the government,
villagers,
and NFN on May 9, 1999 reached an agreement that a committee comprised
of
representatives of the governmental
organizations in charge, NFN and the Assembly of Ethnic Minorities,
scholars, and NGOs be
organized to solve the citizenship problem within 60 days from its
establishment. However, the
Cabinet meeting later decided to authorize only the Ministry of Interior
to
organize the
committee and denied participation from the non-governmental section who
know the problem
well. The Cabinet Decision further deleted the time limit clause and
make it
able to put off to
solve the problem.

2. Forest problem
The meeting among the representatives of the government, villagers, and
NGOs
reached agreements that a committee comprised of representatives of the
government, scholars, and people facing the problem be organized in
order to
revise the laws and the former Cabinet
Decision concerning the forest management within 90 days from its
establishment and that
villagers can retain rights to make living from forests tentatively
before
the committee make
new decisions. (That means, people will not be arrested for gathering
forest
products for
subsistence, before the examination of their rights is completed.)
However,
in the agenda and
the decision of the Cabinet meeting, there were alteration (1)
"committee"
was changed to
"supporting committee", (2) deletion of time limitation clause, (3)
retention of the rights only
for those who have already been granted Thai citizenship. The alteration
means that (1) absence of people's participation in the committee to
examine
people's rights, (2) make room for the
government to put off the resolution of the problem, and (3) denial of
security in making living
without being arrested for those who have not been granted proper
citizenship yet.

end.

[Note: As of 17th May the demonstrations at the Chiang Mai Provincial
Government office continue, with thousands of Karen, Lisu, Hmong, Akha
and
other ethnic peoples participating]