Last
Updated: 25 August
2004.
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People violated by Chashma
Project gathered at Chashma Lok Sath in March 2004.
>>> Judgement
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The
construction of Chashma Irrigation Project in Pakistan
has extensively destroyed local livelihoods, ecology,
and violated basic human rights. The Chashma area, locally
known as Daaman, is facing a number of other destructive
development projects, including Gomal Zam Dam Project
and Kachhi Canal Project. Through this website, we the
friends of the Chashma and people of Damaan hope to present
the perspective of grassroots people's movements on the
issue.
>>>Introduction to
the issue. |
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The
Friends of Chashma is an international coalition of organisations
and individuals. The coalition is a solidarity network
for Chashma struggles and the Damaan Bachao Taralla (Save
Damaan Movement). >>>More
Info. |
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INSPECTION:
Email
to the Secretariat of ADB Board Inspection Committee. Gadi. 23
August 2004. |
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"...I
have today recieved the documents that you sent through courier. I
will be thankful if you, CRP or anyone else responsible could clarify
what would be the role of the requesters and local communities in
this post-inspection stage. According to my understanding, the BIC
and the Board ask the Management to ensure full policy compliance
and outline the steps for the implementation of the recommendations
of the panel's report...." |
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INSPECTION:
ADB's
Press Release: "ADB's
Board Approves Inspection Committee's Recommendation on Chashma Right
Bank Irrigation Project." ADB. 20 August 2004 |
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INSPECTION:
Letter
to ADB Board Members: "Soiled Temple of Justice." Mustaq
Gadi, Inspection Requester (Chashma Lok Sath). 16 August 2004. |
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"...After
this long and disappointing engagement, we feel that the inspection
laws are rather only beneficial to ADB in terms of getting fake
legitimacy and credibility, and controlling and diffusing opposition
of local communities. The worst aspects of this situation is that
the requesters and local communities are exposed to the coercion
of the government while they get nothing substantial in terms of
the compensation of their losses.
We believe
the only way to make the accountability laws credible and trustworthy
is the open confession of policy violations that will lead to the
genuine cooperation. Otherwise, nobody would want to enter into
this soiled temple of Justice..."
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Specific
Comments regarding the ADB Board Inspection Committee's Response to
the Chashma Inspection Panel Report |
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"...Recommendations
for the Board in its discussion of the Chashma Inspection Panel report: |
- ADB should
openly confess the violations and non-compliance with all relevant
and applicable policies.
- Based on
the more than 8,000 complaints received by the GRSC, remedial
actions should be developed in consultation with local communities.
Some of these remedial actions may be similar to GRSC recommendations,
while others may arrive at different locally appropriate and acceptable
solutions. The development and implementation of these remedial
actions should be monitored by an independent entity acceptable
to all parties, including to the Requesters. A participatory assessment
of project-induced impacts in the riverine belt and proposed remedial
actions should be included in the Hill Torrents Management Plan.
- The Inspection
Panel report recommendations should be implemented and progress
should be monitored by the Board.
- The Board
should clarify and emphasize that Management is required to comply
fully with ADB policies and not simply to adhere to "the
integrity and spirit" of ADB's internal laws based on Management's
own judgment. "
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PEOPLE'S
STRUGGLES: Alert:
Suspension of Japanese Yen Loanto Pakistan is to be lifted. |
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Upon meeting
with President of Pakistan on 11 August 2004, Japanese Minister
of Foreign Affairs expressed that Japan will resume its Yen Loan
service to Pakistan in order to support Pakistan's battle against
terrorism. Japan's yen loan has been suspended since the nuclear
testing in 1998. Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
is responsible for Yen Loans, and also provides import and export
credits to Japanese corporations (non-ODA international financing).
JBIC is known for investing in large-scale infrastructure project
with disastrous social and environmental impacts.
For lists of
JBIC's proposed investment projects, please regularly check http://www.jbic-watch.net/
, maintained and updated by a group of Japanese NGOs. JBIC has so
far refused to translate the project list into English. For stories
related to establishment and problems with JBIC's new Environmental
Guidelines, Objection Procedures (Inpsection Mechanism), and their
implementation, please
click here (see Catfish Tales #1, 14, and 16).
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PEOPLE'S
STRUGGLES: "Soiled
Hands: The Pakistan Army's Repression of the Punjab Farmers' Movement".
Human Rights Watch. July 2004. |
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INSPECTION:
Letter
to ADB Board Members: A demand to the Board to clarify the violations
of policies concerningthe inspection on the Chashma Right Bank Irrigation
Project Stage III (CRBIP-III). JACSES.
5 August 2004. |
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"...Therefore,
we demand that the Board clarify the violations pointed out by the
Panel to ensure the accountability of ADB." |
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INSPECTION:
NGO
Sign on Letter regarding Release of Final Inspection Report of Chashma
Project to Requesters. Bank Information Center and Environmental
Defense, USA. Endorsed by 24 NGOS. 24 June 2004. [pdf
version] |
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"...Given
the Requesters' knowledge of local conditions and appropriate remedies
that are likely to be sufficient and successful (unlike those proposed
by the GRSC, for example), we urge the ADB Board to:-
1. Immediately
release the Final Report of the Chashma Inspection Panel to the
Requesters, and
2. Proactively seek the views of the Requesters on remedial measures
and arrive at a Mitigation Plan with their full involvement..."
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GRSC:
Email
to ADB Management regarding Consultants' Study. 27 May 2004.
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"...I
would like to know whether the work of three consultants on the issues
of gender, irrigation management and participatory assessment to support
the GRSC have been completed or not. If this study is completed I
would like to ask to disclose the report to us..." |
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INSPECTION:
A Letter to Inpsection
Panel. Mushtaq Gadi (Chashma Lok Sath). 24 May 2004. |
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"...Let
us begin with a thank you for your best efforts. The focus on non-compliance
as part of the TORs tied you down in what you were able to discuss,
but your best efforts had been made. Yet the problems accrue, problems
which lie outside the TORs and issues of non-compliance....Omissions
in the material of your report however have been stark..." |
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Attachments:
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INSPECTION:
Email to
the Secretariat of ADB Board Inspection Committee requesting Soft
Copy of Draft Panel Report. 26 April 2004.
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"...Can
you send me the report in soft form because it will be easier for
us to consult with each other on the report...."
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CHASHMA
LOK SATH: Judgement.
Chashma Lok Sath. 27 March 2004. |
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"I. In
the Beginning...
II. Dreams and Crimes...
III. Guilt...
IV. Punishment
and/or Surrender..".
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KACHHI
Canal: A
report on visit to Kachhi Canal Site. Khalil Javed. 11 May 2004. |
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"I,
Khalil Javed, belong to Union Council Dajal Tehisl Jampur District
Rajanpur. I am civil society activist and presently based in Islamabad.
My native town and adjacent areas are going to be adversely impacted
because of the construction of Kachhi Canal. Therefore, I decided
to do a very preliminary and investigative field visit to Kachhi Canal
site in my town... " >>>Kachhi
Canal Project |
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INSPECTION:
A
Letter to Inspection Panel from Chashma Inspection Requester.
19 April 2004. |
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"...We
gathered in Daera Din-Panha (Circle of God's Protection) to hold the
Lok Sath. Lok Sath was the moment of our meditation on Truth. We sat
in a circle at the bank of Sindhu River and started our meditation.
The meditation began with mourning and grief. And thus we sang the
'Story of Dead River' composed by the siraiki poet, Sain Ashu Lal...." |
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