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dam-l URGENT - Protest Letters Needed Against Polish Dam
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 GOVERNMENT AS LISTED.
We would be grateful if you could send by E-Mail, fax and post the
letter below to the members of Polish government as listed. Please
pass on this message to any other groups as you feel appropriate. If
it is only possible for a number of groups to add their names on to
one E-Mail or one fax or letter then please do this, whichever way is
most possible.
Latest Developments
The Polish Ministerial Economic Committee has decided during a
meeting on the 11th of February to advise the Polish Ministerial
Board which includes the Prime Minister to support the building of
the proposed dam at Nieszawa-Ciechocinek on the lower Vistula river.
The Polish government has scheduled the point of Nieszawa-Ciechocinek
for their meeting on Tuesday 22nd February. We are holding a press
conference (conference with WWF) on Monday, 21st February and will be
holding a protest action outside the Polish government where the
meeting will be held on Tuesday, 22nd at 9.30 am just prior to the
start of the meeting.
Please send your letters of support of the option to build no more
dams on the Vistula urgently.
Brief Background to ourselves and the Vistula River
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 30 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 to 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 Nieszawa-Ciechocinek. This
consortium includes the largest Polish company Elektrim and the
international giant ABB.
The decision whether to build the next dam at Nieszawa- Ciechocinek
is a political one. Our sources of information lead us to believe
that the Polish government are ready to vote in favour of the
building of the next dam at Nieszawa-Ciechocinek.
***
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
Please write FOR THE ATTENTION OF SZ. P JERZY BUZEK
Sz.P Jerzy Buzek
Premier RP
Al. Ujazdowskie 1/3
00-950 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 694 69 83
Fax: + 48 22 62 86 846
E-Mail: premier@kprm.gov.pl (to the premier) and copy to
rzecznik@kprm.gov.pl (press office of the premier, please mark for
the attention of SzP Jerzy Buzek)
***
The Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sz.P Bronislaw Gieremek
Minister Spraw Zagranicznych
al. Szucha 23
00-580 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 628 96 23 (to the Ministry)
Tel: + 48 22 5239 766 (second choice telephone number:to the press
office of the Ministry)
Fax: + 48 22 625 76 52 (to the Ministry)
Fax: + 48 22 52 38 079 (fax number to the press office of the
Ministry, please mark for the attention of SzP Bronislaw Gieremek)
E-Mail: jerzy.marganski@msz.gov.pl (first choice E-Mail to the
Director of the Minister's Secretariat, please mark for the attention
of SzP Bronislaw Gieremek)
E-Mail: rzecznik@msz.gov.pl (E-Mail to press office of Ministry,
please mark for the attention of SzP Bronislaw Gieremek)
***
Minister of Environment
Sz.P Antoni Tokarczuk
Minister Srodowiska
Ministerstwo Srodowiska
ul. Wawelska 52/54
00-922 Warszawa
Poland
Tel: + 48 22 8 25 33 32 or
Tel and fax: + 48 22 825 72 79
Fax: + 48 22 825 33 26 to the Minister (try this number first if
unsuccessful, please try:
Fax: + 48 22 825 88 50 (Press Office for Ministry, please mark for
the attention of SzP Antoni Tokarczuk)
E-Mail: kkarpins@mos.gov.pl (to press office for Ministry, please
mark for the attention of SzP Antoni Tokarczuk)
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 government 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 government 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 government 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