Response to the Final Report:

RWESA - Rivers Watch East and Southeast Asia

Call to Dam-building agencies in East and SE Asia upon the release of the World Commission on Dams final report
29 November 2000

On July 1, 2000, Rivers Watch East and SE Asia (RWESA) was formed, a network of peoples organizations and NGOs working to stop the funding of dam projects in East and SE Asia and to restore rivers to the communities who depend on them. Dams have brought about the destruction of rivers and the lives and livelihoods of villagers in our region. Dams undermine the rights of people, their community and culture as well as destroying the environment, all of which are basic needs for their survival.

At the time of our formation, we released the Pak Mun Declaration, demanding a moratorium on dam construction, decommissioning of existing dams and reparations for dam-affected peoples.

We welcome the final report of the World Commission on Dams. The report shows the devastating impacts of dam projects on communities and the environment, and also shows how dams have failed to deliver their projected benefits. However, the report does not go far enough in its recommendations.

In the light of the report and recommendations of the World Commission on Dams, and drawing on the Pak Mun Declaration, our demands are as follows:

1. All agencies involved in dam-building in East and SE Asia, including governments, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, China Development Bank, bilateral aid agencies and companies should immediately and comprehensively adopt the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams, and should integrate them into their relevant policies. 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 of all those who would be affected by the project.

2. Independent, transparent and participatory reviews of all planned and ongoing dam projects should be undertaken, in accordance with the WCD's recommendations. While 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 stopped altogether. This is especially important for existing projects in East and SE Asia that are already wreaking havoc upon the lives of millions of people, such as Bakun and Selangor Dams in Malaysia, Three Gorges Dam in China, and San Roque Dam in the Philippines.

3. Governments, dam-building companies, dam industry consultants, the World Bank, private banks and the Asian Development Bank, who are all responsible for the havoc wreaked upon our communities by large dams, must make proper reparations to dam-affected communities. The restoration of livelihood and land compensation for relocated communities must be at the core of any reparation plans.

4. We demand a moratorium on large dam construction in East and SE Asia until the recommendations of the WCD have been implemented by all dam-building agencies, and until reparations to dam-affected communities are being undertaken.

Bangkok, November 24, 2000

Endorsed by:

Australia
James Arvanitakis AID/WATCH
Cambodia
Herman Brouwer Church World Service Cambodia
Kong Socheat Church World Service - Kompong Thom Province
Vann Piseth Culture and Environment Preservation Association
Chhith Sam Ath NGO Forum on Cambodia
Jack Hurd WWF Conservation Program in Cambodia
Hong Kong
Kata Lee Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples
Gerard Greenfield Globalization Monitor
Sophia Woodman Human Rights in China
Kevin Li IRN/Greenpeace China
India
The Centre for Organisation Research & Education (CORE), Manipur Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD), Manipur
Indonesia
Anung Karyadi WALHI Friends of the Earth, Indonesia
Arianto Sangaji Yayasan Tanah Merdeka
Japan
FUJISAWA, Yukiko Africa Japan Forum
APEC Monitor NGO Network
A SEED JAPAN
MATSUZAKI, Yuriko and OOMAE, Yuiko Asian Womens Center
FUJIWARA, Toshihide Campaign for Future of Filipino Children (CFFC)
Ikuko Matsumoto Friends of the Earth-Japan
Doi Toshiyuki Fukuoka NGO Forum on the Asian Development Bank (FNA)
IIDA, Tetsunari Green Energy Law Network
MIYAZAKI, Naoko Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
OHBAYASHI, Mika Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies
ISHIDA, Kyoko Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
KAWAKAMI, Sonoko Japan NGO Network on Indonesia
ASANO, Yuko Jubilee Kansai Network
Jubilee2000 Fukuoka
Satoru Matsumoto Mekong Watch-Japan
Masahito Ujiie National Dam Opposition Network Japan and Sagami River Camp-in-Symposium
ODA Reform Network
Toshiko Niikura Rivers!Japan
Sarawak Campaign Commitee
TERAO, Terumi Ex-professor at Nagoya Institute of Technology
ASAMI, Yasuhito Associate Professor Hitotsubashi University
KUSAGO, Takayoshi Associate Professor Hokkaido University
TODA, Kiyoshi Associate Professor Faculty of Environmental Studies Nagasaki University
Malaysia
Jessica Binwani Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia)
Sam Hui SOS Selangor (Save Our Sungai Selangor)
Dr Kua Kia Soong SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia)
Third World Network, Malaysia
Nepal
Sarba Raj Khadka Rural Reconstruction Nepal
Norway
Elisabeth F. Olsen FIVAS
Philippines
Joan Carling Cordillera Peoples' Alliance, Philippines
Sri Lanka
Hemantha Withanage Environment Foundation Ltd.
Taiwan
Sam Hsu Radiation Safety and Protection Association and Taiwan Watch Institute
Lily Hsueh Taiwan Environmental Action Network (TEAN)
Thailand
Patrick Pierce Earth Rights International
Asst. Professor Dr Kasian Tejapira Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University
Prasittiporn Karn-Onsri Friends of the People
Sugin Katasila Group of Villagers Affected by Hua Na Dam, Thailand
Group of Villagers to Protect the Yom River (Kaeng Sua Ten), Thailand
Chainarong Sretthachau SEARIN, Thailand
Pranee Nonchan Villager Committee to Restore the Mun River, Thailand
Supoj Yaowalee Villager Committee to Protect the Rub Ror River Basin, Thailand
Hannarong Yaowalers Wildlife Fund Thailand
United States of America
Leslie Sewell Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
Aviva Imhof International Rivers Network
Vietnam
Tuong Vi Pham Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES)
Elizabeth Toder PACT Viet Nam
Eric Coull World Wide Fund for Nature
Hoang Phuong Thao WWF Indochina Programme