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DAM-L Food not Dams at the ADB Annual Meeting, Day 2 (fwd)
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Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 16:54:41 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: Food not Dams at the ADB Annual Meeting, Day 2
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Update from James Arvanitakis on the front lines of the Asian Development
Bank Annual Meeting
(Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting, Honolulu, Hawai'i)
Day 2 Tuesday, 7 May 2001... Honolulu, Hawaii
There are more questions than answers from the ADB... that is the best way
to describe Day 2!!!!
(The empty rhetoric of alleviating poverty is contrasted with the detailed
solutions offered by the protestors, but the ADB officials fail to answer
the questions!!!)
As the daily newspapers continue to present front page coverage of the ADB
meetings and protester concerns (in an almost balanced way), the
international protesters continued to arrive today.
The day began with a panel discussion about globalisation and the role of
the ADB, that had been organised by the University of Hawai'i, featuring
four speakers including the ADB's chief economist. Even though both Walden
Bello and Bruce Rich covered some very effective points, for me the
highlight was Professor Sumi, who stated, “I have a question for the staff
of the ADB present. It was the same question that I asked in 1994, and it
is the same question every year, and that is, how many people have been
displaced by ADB projects? How many development refugees have been created
in the name of economic development?”
While the first speakers were obviously well prepared and familiar with the
ADB, the economist from the ADB began his speech by stating that he had
only been employed by the Bank for 2 weeks. Well, did this cause a bit of
an eruption, whereby most present obviously saw this as a way for him to
avoid serious discussion.
When the Chief Economist did eventually speak, it was almost pathetic as he
delivered a speech based mostly on economic theory and free market
processes. In fact, he basically mumbled, and one could not help but feel
that he himself was embarrassed with what was happening and the hollowness
of his words. This was even further highlighted when there was room for
debate and while Walden Bello, Bruce Rich and Professor Sumi fired off fact
after fact, the ADB representative stuttered and responded in an
increasingly embarrassed way.
The second panel discussion was about privatisation, and we saw a better
prepared ADB speaker but a similarly hollow presentation that was once
again contrasted with the various concerns raised by civil society.
Menawhile, on the other side of town at the ADB convention centre, the
official consultation between the ADB president (Mr Chino) and the NGO
community was taking place. Most progressive NGOs boycotted the meeting,
and when I arrived, I waited for the meeting to finish before entering the
room. When the official meeting was over a few of us entered the room
including Susanne from International Rivers Network and some villagers from
Chang Mai. When we entered, we were immediately asked why we had not
attended that consultation.
Although president Chino had left, we let it be known by all those that
were left behind (including the US ED and US Treasury officials) that in
past years, the Executive Directors of the Bank had informed civil society
that they could not respond to their concerns because they were issues to
take up with the national governments. Quite simply, we summarised, that if
they actually respond to concerns and took actions against the disastrous
projects that had been funded, then civil society would not view these
meetings as a waste of time. They told me that they had changed, I
responded by stating that they should prove it, and that if they responded
to the concerns raised by the Samut Prakarn villages as well as the many
others, then we would start attending the meetings. (“Balls in your court”,
I told the USA ED).
I personally thought it was a shame that the room was quite full of NGO
representatives, but on closer inspection, I realised that those present
were development NGOs (chasing business) and consultants (chasing
business), as well as some local university students. Well, each to their own.
Security was tighter today around the press centre, and it was not possible
to have the free movements that we had the previous day… in reality, we had
been too successful and enticing the media to arrive at the press
conference. So, ADB staff basically told us we had to release press
statements through them (for security reasons obviously)!
While taking advantage of ADB facilities, we found a copy of the “ADB Old
Swingers Gold Tee-Off Times - Official Gold Program”. I feel compelled to
write something about the best decisions being made over a round of golf,
and so maybe the project affected villagers should join the ADB Swingers
and discuss the displacement of their people and the destruction of their
society and environment while sipping a beer and playing the par 5 on the
18th, but I would not want to sound petty.
At 1.30 p.m., the press conference was held with the broad theme of
solidarity, whereby representatives of local and international unions and
international groups made statements of solidarity to the local protestors.
Most importantly, so did an indigenous Hawai'ian.
Once again, the police turned up in force at the press conference and took
photos of each protestor present. This was somewhat disconcerting and
obviously used to intimidate each of the protestors. The high police
presence is intimidating the local people and international visitors, and
some have decided they should not march. ADB Watch has raised these
concerns, and from what we hear, so have some of the ADB officials. (
The final event of the day was the Voices of the People. Here international
guests that had arrived from ADB projected affected areas gave their story.
It was moving and sad and inspiring, and the 150 people present were moved.
Finally, I want to let everyone know that Food not Bombs turned up again
and fed us all... amazing people! In fact they have changed their name for
the week to Food not Dams in a show of solidarity!!!!
Yours in solidarity
James Arvanitakis
AID/WATCH
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