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From: swong@irn.org (Susanne Wong)
Subject: Update #2 - March 14 International Day of Action Against Dams
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Water for Life, Not for Death!
March 14 International Day of Action against Dams and for Rivers, Water and Life
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UPDATE#2
Dear River Activists & Friends,
The Day of Action is less than one week away! So far, about 50 actions are
confirmed in 19 countries. We hope your plans are coming together. We're
inspired by every new action we hear about to stop dams, push for dam
decommissioning and educate people about threats to their lives and rivers.
This year, for the first time, groups from Chile, Nicaragua, Korea and
China are planning events for March 14th.
Below are descriptions of new actions being organized since the last update
was sent out on February 23. Please check our website as we are updating
and adding new actions (http://www.irn.org/dayofaction) . And, if you have
not contacted us yet or do not see your action listed, please contact us as
soon as possible!
Please provide me with the following information:
* One or two paragraph description of your event
* Name of organizing group
* Contact person
* Address
* City, Postal code, Country
* Phone
* Fax
* Email
* Website
Water for life, not for death!
Susanne Wong
International Rivers Network
swong@irn.org
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NEW ACTIONS PLANNED FOR MARCH 14TH (as of 3/7/00)
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AFRICA
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*SOUTH AFRICA
Environmental Monitoring Group, Environmental Justice Networking Forum,
Earthlife Africa and many other groups
Action: They are planning protests and educational events to inform people
about threats to watersheds both locally and internationally. Activities
include an 8 am excursion to Steenbras Dam, picket outside Cape
Metropolitan Council (Wale Street) from 1-3pm, and an evening program in
the Armchair Theatre, Observatory including a Khayelitsha Drama Group
presentation on Skuifraam Dam and related water isses and videos of Epupa
Dam (Namibia) and the Narmada Struggle (India).
Participating groups include Children's Resources Centre, Durbanville
Environment Forum, Earthlife Africa, Environmental Monitoring Group,
Environmental Justice Networking Forum- Western Cape, Masifundisane, Ilitha
Lomsa, Thandabantu, Phillipi Youth Forum, Two Oceans Aquarium, Tsoga and
Wildlife and Environmental Society. These activities precede the official
South African Water Week which starts on the 15 March.
Information:
Liane Greeff
Environmental Monitoring Group
PO Box 18977
Wynberg 7824
South Africa
tel: +27 21 7610549/788 2473
fax: +27 21 762 2238
email: liane@kingsley.co.za
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EAST ASIA
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*CHINA
Action: We are planning to send a declaration letter to our Chief Executive
of HK Special Administrative Region, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa on or before the
River Day and organize a brief press release at one of the destroyed
streams on 14 March.
Information:
Bosco CHAN
Department of Ecology and Biodiversity
Kadoorie Biological Science Building
3/F, 3N 04, University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong
tel: (852) 28578625 or (852) 22990621
fax: (852) 28550032
email: bochan@hkusua.hku.hk
*JAPAN
The Struggle Commitee Against TOKUYAMA DAM
Action: We will present a petition requesting the Ministry of Construction
to order
the Ministry of Water Resorces to stop dam construction until a suitable
conservation plan has been created for golden eagles and mountain hawk
eagles living in the Tokuyama Dam area.
Information:
Yuriko Kondou
1-20-1 Tamachi, Ogaki-shi, Gifu Japan
Tel/fax: +81-584-78-4119
email: VYV01462@nifty.ne.jp
website: http://www.geocities.co.jp/WallStreet/1214
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SOUTH ASIA
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*INDIA
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Action: On 13th March, rallies will be organized in the Narmada Valley on
the occasion of "Anti Big Dam Day." This is part of the program of the 3rd
National Convention of the National Alliance of People's Movements which
will be held at Village Chotta Badada, near Badwani, in the Narmada Valley,
from March 11-14, 2000. The program will discuss the present
politico-socio-economic situation of the country and the threats the people
are facing from wrong development concepts and plan strategies, communalism
and casteism, to challenge those.
Information:
Medha Patkar
6, Prasanna, Road # 11
Christian Colony, Chembur, Mumbai - 400 O71
India
tel: 022-5574895
email: medhap@bom5.vsnl.net.in
For more info, go to www.narmada.org.
*PAKISTAN
Pakistan Network of Rivers, Dams and Peoples
Action: Pakistan Network of Rivers, Dams and Peoples are planning to hold
public hearings of the affected community of Chotiari Resevoir from March
8-11. The Government of Pakistan planned to lauch a giant National Drainage
Programme (NDP). This huge drainage project will be designed to deal with
water logging and salinity appeared as a result of Indus Basin Irrigation
System. The drains of Left Bank Outfall & Right Bank Outfall will help to
empty the saline water into the sea.
Indigenous Communites and Civil Society groups are highlighting the issues
of pollution of fresh water lakes in downstream, loss of livelihood,
ecology & environmental degradation problem. Government representative will
also be present at that time. Federal Minister of Environment is taking
personal interest in this program.
Information:
Naeem Iqbal
Pakistan Network of Rivers Dams And People (PNRDP)
Central Secretariat
C/O Sungi Development Foundation
House 17, Street 67, G-6/4
Islamabad 44000
Pakistan
tel: +92-51-273272, 276579, 276589
fax: +92-51-823559
email: naeemasu@hotmail.com, mail@sungi.sdnpk.undp.org
website: www.sungi.org (under construction presently)
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
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*THAILAND
Assembly of the Poor at Mae Moon Man Yuen villager#1, Thailand
Action: March 16, The villagers affected by Pak Mun dam will hold a
ceremony to worship the Mun and Mekong River.
Information:
Chainarong Sretthachau
Southeast Asia Rivers Network (SEARIN)
25/5 Moo 2 Soi Sukhapibarn 27
Changkhien- Jed Yod Road
Chang Phuek, Muang,
Chiang Mai 50300
Thailand
email: searin@chmai.loxinfo.co.th
*THAILAND
Assembly of the Poor at Mae Moon Man Yuen villager# 2, # 3 and SEARIN, Thailand
Action: From March 7-15, 700 villagers affected by dam will hold a rally
in the Sisaket Province, NE Thailand, to campaign on the salinization
problem created by Rasi Salai Dam.
Information:
Chainarong Sretthachau
Southeast Asia Rivers Network (SEARIN)
25/5 Moo 2 Soi Sukhapibarn 27
Changkhien- Jed Yod Road
Chang Phuek, Muang,
Chiang Mai 50300
Thailand
email: searin@chmai.loxinfo.co.th
*THAILAND
Assembly of the Poor and Wildlife Fund Thailand.
Action: March 11, the villagers affected by the Rubror Dam will hold a
ceremony to worship the Rubror River and protest against the dam.
*THAILAND
Action: March 14, the villagers affected by the Kaeng Sua Ten Dam will hold
a ceremony to worship the Yom River and protest against the dam.
Information:
Hannarong Yoawaleos
Wildlife Fund Thailand
251/88-90 Paholyhotin Rd.
Bangkhen Bangkok 10120
Thailand
email: pisitnp@mozart.inet.co.th
*PHILIPPINES
Center for Cordillera Peoples' Concern and Kalikasan-People's Network for
the Environment
Action: On March 14, we are planning to stage a picket-mobilization in
front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila. We are protesting the construction
of the San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam Project. We want to register our
opposition in strongest means against the project. We will demand that the
Japanese government stop funding for the project.
The mobiliation will be spearheaded by the Center for Cordillera Peoples'
Concern (CCPC). Kalikasan-People's Network for the Environment and KAMP
(National Organization of Filipino Indigenous People) are supporting the
said activity.
Information:
Kalikasan-People's Network for the Environment
Ces Quimpo, National Coordinator
175 B Kamias Extension Road
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
tel: 63 2 920-9099, 63 2 921-1531
email: kalikasan@pacific.net.ph
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EUROPE
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*GERMANY
Bund Naturschutz and Aktionsgemeinschaft Lebensraum Salzach
Action: On March 18, members of the Bund Naturschutz in Burghausen, Bavaria
plan a demonstration for the free flowing Salzach together with the
Aktionsgemeinschaft Lebensraum Salzach, a local alliance of German and
Austrian environmentalist groups for protection of the Salzach River. The
Bavarian state government is currently discussing new plans for building
dams along the Salzach River. Our demonstartion will be a bicycle tour
along the banks of the Salzach River in Bavaria and Austria. The
demonstration will start at March 18, 10 a.m., meeting point: old bridge in
Burghausen.
During this year's demonstration, we will focus on the extinction of the
migrating fish species like the Hausen (Danube sturgon), these big fish
were migrating from the Black Sea all the way up to the Salzach River in
former times. The Salzach is a tributary of the Inn which is a tributary of
the Danube. The lower Salzach is one of the last free flowing and undamed
rivers on the northside of the Alps.
Information:
Holger Lundt
Germany
*MOLDOVA
Terra Nostra
Action: We are going to prepare and distribute information about the
negative downstream effects of dams and International Day of Action at
March 14 for mass-media.
Information:
Lidia Romanciuc
Terra Nostra
P.O. Box 495
MD-2005 Chisinau
Moldova
tel: (03732) 57-75-57
email: romanch@usm.md
*POLAND
SEK "Klub Gaja"
Action: On 14th of March 2000, two press conferences will be held
simultaneously at noon: one in Torun, a key town in the decision making
process for the building of the Nieszawa-Ciechocinek dam on the Vistula;
and at Wroclaw, for the Odra River. Therefore the two campaigns "Teraz
Wisla" ("Vistula Now") and "Czas na Odra" ("Time for the Odra") will
simultaneously hold the press conferences. Each conference will make it
clear that the other conference is taking place. The press conference in
Torun will highlight local problems if the dam at Nieszawa-Ciechocinek is
built and the conference at Wroclaw will highlight problems about Malczyce.
Emphasis will also be placed on predominantly negative economic and social
aspects of building of these dams, not only in the short term but also
longer term consequences.
In addition, after the press conference in Torun a street action will be
held in Torun by Klub Gaja together with other groups from the region.
Information:
Sally Naylor
SEK "Klub Gaja"
PO Box 261
43-301 Bielsko-Biala 1
Poland
tel/fax: + 48 33 8 12 36 94
email: klub@gaja.most.org.pl
*SPAIN
Coto do Frade
Action: The groups Coto do Frade, Ridimoas, Plataforma de vecinos de Francelos
y Barcia para la Defensa del río Outeiro y la Agrupación Deportivo Natural
de Pesca de Ribadavia, will organize an event with other groups in Ribadavia
(Galicia, Spain).
We will drop banners and organize a rally and 3 kilometer march along the
Avia River collecting garbage and putting signs up where contaminated water
is discharged into the river. We will also give talks to educate
participants, especially kids, about the importance of taking care of our
rivers. We will read a declaration about cleaning up the Avia River basin
which will be later sent to local, state and European authorities.
Information:
Anxo Castiñeiras
Asociación Ecoloxista do Ribeiro "Coto do Frade".
Apdo. 32 - 32400 Ribadavia
Ourense
Spain
email: cotodofrade@jet.es
web: web.jet.es/cotodofrade
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LATIN AMERICA
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*ARGENTINA
Fundacion PROTEGER - Coordinacion Argentina, Coalicion RIOS VIVOS
Action: Organizing a Campaign addressed to printed media, radio and TV,
containing main subjects related to built dams (Yacyreta) and projected
dams (Corpus, Garabi, El Bolson) and to the Paraguay-Parana Waterway.
Claims on further South American "hot spots" will also be included, such as
the Urra dam (Colombia), the Ralco dam (Chile) and the Tucurui dam
(Brazil), as a support to the brand-new Latin America Network against Dams
(RLR).
Information:
Jorge Cappato
Balcarce 1450 - 3000 Santa Fe - Argentina
tel/fax: 54-342-4558520
email: jcproteg@satlink.com
website: www.proteger.org.ar
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NORTH AMERICA
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*CANADA
Petitcodiac River causeway, New Brunswick
Action: Petitcodiac Riverkeeper will be taking part in the March 14
International event by making a stand against tidal barriers here on our
river. We are planning a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of citizen
action to restore free flow and fish passage through the Petitcodiac River
causeway, which was built in 1968.
Information:
Daniel LeBlanc
Sentinelles Petitcodiac Riverkeeper
PO Box 300
Moncton, NB, E1C 8K9
Canada
tel: (506) 388-5337
fax: (506) 858-4099
email: prkeeper@nbnet.nb.ca
website: www.petitcodiac.org (under construction presently)
*USA
MekongForum and the Vietnamese American Science and Technology Society
Action: They will be sending out 1000 copies of The 1999 Mekong River
Papers to institutions, planning and development officials of all six
Mekong countries and international aids agencies. The publication includes
the Mekong River Declaration which was endorsed by natives Mekong Delta
residents both Cambodian and Vietnamese origins and IRN.
Information:
Long P. Pham
MekongForum
5235 Avenida Encinas, Suite G
Carlsbad, CA 92008
tel: (760) 431-7177
email: lppham@ix.netcom.com
website: www.mekongforum.org