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DAM-L Southern African Call to Action re WCD/LS (fwd)
----- Forwarded message from Lori Pottinger -----
From owner-irn-safrica@netvista.net Mon Nov 27 13:45:05 2000
From: lori@irn.org (Lori Pottinger)
Subject: Southern African Call to Action re WCD/LS
Southern African Call to Action
Financial Institutions, Governments & Relevant Authorities regarding the
World Commission on Dams
23 November 2000
We, the communities and non-governmental organisations present at the
Southern African Preparatory Meeting for the regional launch of the World
Commission on Dams Report in November 2000, endorse the Global Call to
Action which includes the following:
We note and appreciate that the WCD report vindicates many concerns raised
by NGO campaigns. Given the role of financial institutions in funding large
dams in the WCD process, and based on the WCD Report's recommendations \we
call on all public financial institutions, including the World bank, the
Regional Development Banks, the export credit agencies and bilateral
agencies (as well as governments and relevant authorities where
applicable), to take the following actions
1.. All public financial institutions should immediately and
comprehensively adopt the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams,
and should integrate them into their relevant policies, in particular those
on water and energy development, environmental impact assessment,
resettlement, and public participation. In particular, as recommended by
the WCD, no project should proceed without the free, prior and informed
consent of indigenous peoples, and without the demonstrable public
acceptance all those who would be affected by the project.
2.. All public finance institutions should immediately establish
independent, transparent and participatory reviews of all their planned and
ongoing dam projects. Whilst such reviews are taking place, project
preparation and construction should be halted. Such reviews should
establish whether the respective dams comply, as a minimum, with the
recommendations of the WCD. If they do not, projects should be modified
accordingly or be stopped altogether.
3.. All institutions which share in the responsibility for unresolved
negative impacts of dams should immediately initiate a process to establish
and fund mechanisms to provide reparations to affected communities that
have suffered social, cultural and economic harm as a result of dam
projects.
4.. All public financial institutions should place a moratorium on
funding the planning or construction of new dams until they can demonstrate
that they have complied with the above measures.
Additionally, and in view of the corruption scandal that has plagued the
planning and construction of the Lesotho highlands Water Project, we call
on financial institutions, governments and relevant authorities to
blacklist corrupt companies with immediate effect.
Lastly, and as a direct result of the inequity between those communities
who pay the costs of large dams, and those who benefit from these same
dams, we strongly urge for affected communities to be direct beneficiaries
if existing dam projects.
Signed by:
1. Moshe Tsehlo Lesotho Council of NGOs (Lesotho)
2. Motselisi Ntsoelikane Federation of Women's Lawyers (Lesotho)
3. Bothata Tsikoane Rural Self Help development Association (Lesotho)
4. Mothusi Seqhee Transformation Resource Centre (Lesotho)
5. JM Lenka Transformation Resource Centre (Lesotho)
6. SL Mabula Lesotho Durhata Link (LDL) (Lesotho)
7. M Makatoko Lesotho Red Cross Society (Lesotho)
8. M Koali Lesotho Blue Cross Society (Lesotho)
9. TS Phori Lesotho Youth Federation (Lesotho)
10. TS Morfoa RHRED Alex (South Africa)
11. Thabang Kholumo Highlands Church Action Group (Lesotho)
12. Komene Brown Community Legal Resource and Advice Centre (Lesotho)
13. S Moeketsi Lesotho Young Christian Students (LYCS) (Lesotho)
14. AL Mtsike Lesotho NGO Credit Centre (Lesotho)
15. RB Maphasa Lesotho Blue Cross Society (Lesotho)
16. VJ Manzana Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
17. Sara Mbalula Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
18. Jane Natu Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
19. Mirriam Kibi Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
20. Xolile Kweleta Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
21. Zinikele Ngesi Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
22. Jane Ngxabazi Gariep & Van der Kloof Community (South Africa)
23. Johny Mphou RHREDI Alexandra (South Africa)
24. Bryan Ashe Earthlife Africa Durban (South Africa)
25. Liane Greeff Environmental Monitoring Group (South Africa)
26. Paulos Gwala SANCO (KZN, South Africa)
27. L Shena Qadi Tribe (KZN, South Africa)
28. Maxwell Meyiwa Ngcolosi Tribe (KZN, South Africa)
29. Elliot Nxumalo Yonge Nawe Environmental Organisation (Swaziland)
Liane Greeff - Environmental Monitoring Group - South Africa
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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----- End of forwarded message from Lori Pottinger -----