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dam-l ACTION ALERT: Send Letters Now to Stop Dams on the Vistula in Poland
Dear Friends,
URGENT REQUEST FOR HELP - PLEASE SEND YOUR VERSION OR COPY OF THE SUGGESTED
LETTER BELOW BY POST, FAX AND/OR E-MAIL TO MEMBERS OF THE POLISH PARLIAMENT
AS LISTED.
Below is a brief background to our request for help and the suggested
letter. Thank you for your support.
Jacek Bozek and Sally Naylor
Klub Gaja, Poland
-----------------------------
Brief Background
We write from Stowarzyszenie Ekologiczno-Kulturalne "Klub Gaja" (Ecological
and Cultural Association "Klub Gaja"). SEK "Klub Gaja" is an independent,
non-governmental organisation which has led the national campaign "Teraz
Wisla" ("Vistula Now") for several years. This campaign works to stop the
building of a cascade of seven dams on the lower Vistula river and to work
towards the development of alternative methods of working with the river
and its valley to enable social and ecological needs to be met.
The Vistula River, known in Poland as the "Queen of Polish Rivers" is one
of Europe's largest rivers and one which remains close to its natural state
with very close to natural river dynamics, unique and rare habitats, flora
and fauna. In terms of naming, the Vistula is divided into 3 sections, the
upper, middle and lower Vistula, due to its different characteristics in
these three sections. Ecologically it is one of Europe's most important
corridoors linking the Dniestre Basin and the Danube to Scandinavia and
Siberia. The Vistula rises in south west Poland and runs northwards
through the centre of the country finally forming a delta which runs into
the Baltic Sea. In addition to its ecological value, there is tremendous
cultural heritage along the Vistula. The Vistula provides a unique
opportunity for Poland to develop in a pro-ecological, sustainable way.
The building of the cascade series would take away this opportunity for new
ways of development. Between the middle and lower Vistula is one existing
large dam located at Wloclawek which has had many negative effects.
The Current Situation
The Wloclawek dam has erosion of the riverbed by 3 metres on its downstream
side. Behind the dam is a collection of 29 years pollution of untreated
city, town and village waste and heavy industrial pollution. This sediment
is highly toxic and has formed a strange substance which in some places is
3 - 5 metres deep. The argument is that the second dam is necessary to
reduce erosion and stop the first dam collapsing. Some scientists do not
agree with this argument and have other ideas such as the building of a
by-pass.
Forced by civil actions and scientific opinion a study was commissioned by
the Ministry of Environment to examine 3 options: 1) to keep the existing
dam at Wloclawek only; 2) to build one more dam at Ciechocinek; 3) to build
the full cascade.
At the beginning of 1999 a consortium was established to build the next dam
in the cascade series at Ciechocinek. This consortium includes the largest
Polish company Elektrim and ABB.
The decision whether to build the next dam at Ciechocinek is a
parliamentary one. Our sources of information lead us to believe that the
majority of politicians are ready to vote in favour of the building of the
next dam at Ciechocinek.
We expect the Polish parliament to be making the decision very shortly. We
therefore ask for your support by posting, faxing and E-mailing your
version or copy of the following letter urgently to:
The President of the Republic of Poland
Sz.P Aleksander Kwasniewski
Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
Wiejska 10
00-902 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 695 29 00
Fax: + 48 22 695 22 38
E-Mail: listy@prezydent.pl
***
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
Sz.P Jerzy Buzek
Premier RP
Al. Ujazdowskie 1/3
00-950 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 694 69 83
Fax: + 48 22 62 86 946
E-Mail: civinfo@kprm.gov.pl
***
The Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sz.P Bronos„aw Gieremek
Minister Spraw Zagranicznych
al. Szucha 23
00-580 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 628 96 23
Fax: + 48 22 625 76 52
Please also send us a copy of your letter to:
klub@gaja.most.org.pl
Fax: + 48 33 8 12 36 94
SEK "Klub Gaja"
PO Box 261
43-301 Bielsko-Biala 1
Poland
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear
We are the (NAME OF ORGANISATION).
It has come to our attention that the Polish parliament is to make a
decision about the future of the lower Vistula river and its valley.
We here express our deep concern about the proposed plan to build new
stages of fall in the lower Vistula River relating to the "Lower Vistula
Cascade" project and further to express our belief that a decision in
favour of building any new dams would be seriously flawed.
The Vistula is one of Europe's largest rivers and one which remains close
to its natural state. The Vistula River is very important for Europe, it
has unique and rare habitats, flora, fauna, very close to natural river
dynamics and tremendous biodiversity. In addition, it is one of Europe's
most important ecological corridoors.
Information received from the Ecological and Cultural Association "Klub
Gaja" relays that the Polish parliament has to decide from three options
relating to the development of the lower Vistula. In our opinion the
variation which does not propose the building of any new dams is good as
this variation provides the best opportunities for nature, culture and
people.
Additionally, the building of any new dams would be against Poland's
current commitments to a number of international Conventions including
Resolutions under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the Berne
Convention.
We urge the Polish parliament to take the best of the three options, the
option which does not propose the building of any new dams. We look
forward to receiving your reply.
Yours sincerely
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>From everyone here at Klub Gaja we thank you very much for your support.
Jacek Bozek, President and Sally Naylor, International Co-Ordinator
Stowarzyszenie Ekologiczno-Kulturalne "Klub Gaja"
PO Box 261
43-301 Bielsko-Biala 1
Poland
Tel/fax: + 48 33 8 12 36 94
E-Mail: klub@gaja.most.org.pl