[asia-apec 261] THREE GORGES: ACTION ALERT

[Citizens' Nuclear Information Center]

>Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 01:52:48 -0800 (PST)
>From: Friends of the Earth Japan <foejapan at igc.apc.org>
>To: L.Mehta at sussex.ac.uk, merickson at alternatives.com, pwellner at igc.org
>Subject: THREE GORGES: ACTION ALERT
>Cc: bankreform at igc.org, cnic at kiwi.co.jp, foenz at kcbbs.gen.nz, mchan at FOE.org
>
>ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION
>ALERT
>
>
>20 Nov 96
>
>STOP THREE GORGES DAM!!
>
>PLEASE SEND A FAX TO HITACHI TODAY.  ALSO, PLEASE PASS ON THIS
>ACTION ALERT
>TO YOUR CONTACTS; WE NEED AS MANY FAXES TO HITACHI, JEXIM, and
>MITI AS
>POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN IMPACT.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Aya Saitoh Aid Impact Campaigner
>
>************************************************************************
>
>To:   Bruce Rich, EDF, 202 234 6049:  bruce at edf.org
>
>          Roberta Brook Cowan, IFI Campaign, FOE International,
>          fax 31 20
>                    392181:  ifi at foeint.antenna.nl
>
>          Larry Boudreau, Maryknoll Education Center, Texas:
>          Mklsanton at igc.
>                    apc.org
>
>          Tom Keating, Rainforest Relief: relief at igc.apc.org
>
>          Goran Eklof, Swedish Society for Nature:  011 46 8 702
>          0855;
>                    Goran.Eklof at snf.se
>
>          Mengchuo Wong, IDEAL, Eco-friendly and Appropriate
>          Lifestyle,
>                    Malayasia: ipk at pactok.peg.apc.org
>
>          Lisa Jordan, BIC 202 466 8189: bicusa at igc.apc.org
>
>          Manuel Erickson,Green Party of British
>          Columbia:merickson@
>                    alternatives.com
>
>          Lyla Mehta & Jason Ward, Institute of Development
>          Studies,
>                    University of Sussex L.Mehta at sussex.ac.uk
>
>          John W. Friede, Worldview: worldview at igc.apc.org
>
>          Endorsement for James Hansen, Wetlands Rainforest Action
>          Group,
>                    was received from Worldview.  No direct email
>                    or fax available at this time.
>
>          Pamela Wellner, Free Burma: No Petro-dollars for SLORC,
>          pwellner@
>                    igc.apc.org
>
>          Mika Obayashi, Asian Relations, Citizens' Nuclear
>          Information
>                    Center, Japan, cnic at kiwi.co.jp
>
>          Jack Henderson, FOE New Zealand, foenz at kcbbs.gen.nz
>
>          Mark DuBois, WorldWise  916 739 6951:
>          bankreform at igc.apc.org
>
>          Michelle Chan, FOE  202 783 0444: mchan at FOE.org
>
>          Marie Jose Vervest, BOTH Ends, fax: +31 20 620 80 49:
>          bothends@
>                    gn.apc.org
>
>          Peter Bosshard, Erklaerung von Bern, (41 1) 272 60 60:
>          evb@
>                    access.ch
>
>          David Hunter, CIEL, 332 4865: cieldh at igc.apc.org
>
>          Owen Lammers/Patrick McCully, IRN 510 848 1008
>
>          Barbara Bramble, NWF, 202 797 5486, bramble at nwf.org
>
>          David C. Korten, PCD Forum, 212 242-1901:
>          pcdf at igc.apc.org
>
>          Deike Peters Fax, Institute for Transportation and
>          Development
>                    Polic, 212-260 7353: mobility at igc.apc.org
>
>          Erik Hoeines, FIVAS, 011 47 22 36 22 80:
>          erik.hoines at ima.uio.no
>
>          Wouter Veening, IUCN, Fax 011 31 20 6279349
>
>          Francesco Martone, Liliana Cori, Antonio Tricarico,
>          Reform the
>                    World Bank Campaign, 39 6 242 4177:
>                    fmartone at gn.apc.org (Francesco) and
>                    tricar at elettrica.ing.uniroma1.it (Antonio)
>
>          Marko Ulvila, CED, tel/fax 011 358 3 212 0097:
>          ulvila at katto.
>                    kaapeli.fi
>
>            Helene Ballande, Amis de la Terre -- France Fax: 33
>            -01- 48 87
>                      2823: amiterre at micronet.fr
>
>            Laura Radiconcini, FOE Italy, fax: 39 68308610:
>                          foeitaly at gn.apc.org
>            Aviva Imhoff, Aid/Watch, +612 9264 6092:
>            aidwatch at peg.apc.org
>                          Saleem Samad, LMEAG +88-02-805874
>                          saleem at drik.bgd.toolnet.org
>
>            Richard Forrest, NWF, Raforrest at aol.com
>
>            Daniel Beard, dbeard at uadobon.org
>
>            John Thibodeau, eprobe at web.apc.org
>
>            Dai Qing, dgdg at public3.bta.net.cn
>
>            Yuri Onodera, foejapan at igc.apc.org
>
>            Kenneth Walsh, EDF, wild at edf.org
>
>
>ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION
>ALERT
>
>
>20 Nov 96
>
>Stop Three Gorges Dam
>PLEASE SEND A FAX TO HITACHI TODAY
>
>To NGOs campaigning on the Three Gorges Dam in China,
>
>Japan is about to make a critical decision that will affect the
>future of the Dam which you are campaigning on. Please help by
>sending a fax as explained below.
>
>BACKGROUND
>The Export Import Bank of Japan is very eager to fund the Three
>Gorges Dam, and will make a decision whether or not offer funds
>for the project before 18 December.
>
>Hitachi Ltd. is the leader of a 7-company Japanese consortium
>hoping to win bids for power turbines for the dam. Based on our
>previous experience with that company's involvement in the Narmada
>Dam in India, we know that they are quite concerned about their
>international image. We understand that they have not yet formally
>requested funding from JEXIM for Three Gorges.
>
>Your action now is critical.
>
>Please send the following letter to Hitachi directly.
>International pressure is important. Please send a copy to JEXIM
>and MITI, and a copy (or at least a notice) to FoE Japan.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Aya Saitoh Aid Impact Campaigner FoE Japan (FAX 81-3-3951-1084)
>
>FAX NUMBERS
>Hitachi Ltd. FAX 81-3-3258-5211~5216 Export Import Bank of Japan
>FAX 81-3-3287-9574
>MITI    FAX 81-3-3501-1479
>
>
>*************************************************************
>
>SAMPLE LETTER:
>
>
>November, 1996
>
>Mr. Tokiyuki Uchida Assistant Manager International Electric Power
>Sales Department Hitachi Ltd.  4-6 Kanda-Surugadai Chiyoda-ku,
>Tokyo 101 JAPAN
>
>Dear Mr. Uchida,
>
>I am writing to express my deep concern about potential
>involvement of Hitachi Ltd. in the Three Gorges Dam project in
>China, and to urge you not to make a loan request to the Export
>Import Bank of Japan for this project.
>
>I understand that the deadline for bids to provide generator
>turbines for the Three Gorges Dam project will be on 18 December,
>that Hitachi Ltd. and another six companies are interesting in
>bidding.
>
>Many environmental, human rights, technical, and economic problems
>have been pointed out about the dam. The government of China has
>claimed that these problems have been "solved or improved," but I
>still hold grave doubts about whether or not the problems have
>been properly addressed yet. The government of China says that
>"resettlement is proceeding based on legal procedures," citing the
>'Resettlement of Yangtse-Three Gorges Construction Project'
>ordinance adopted 29 June 1993. However the ordinance only
>provides general guidelines. Since it is clear that there are no
>concrete implementation guidelines, I am very concerned about how
>the Chinese government is actually proceeding with "resettlement
>based on legal procedures".
>
>Furthermore, reports from individuals who recently tried see the
>resettlement site indicate that at present foreigners have great
>difficulty getting to the site, and it is impossible to hear or
>confirm the views of local people.  Under these conditions, it is
>impossible for third parties to confirm directly with local people
>whether resettlement is "proceeding carefully", or whether they
>are "willingly being resettled", as authorities promoting the
>project state.
>
>As the world has learned from observing the negative impacts of
>other large scale dam projects such as the Narmada Dam in India,
>it is not convincing to listen only to the statements of
>authorities which are promoting the project.
>
>Furthermore, authorities have not given convincing explanations
>about technical issues surrounding the Three Gorges Dam. Based on
>reports released, the extent of siltification that will occur is
>very clear. Authorities claim that the project will 'help
>environmental protection since the dam will have less impact on
>global warming and acid rain than thermal power plants.' But what
>about the environmental problems that will occur in the high
>likelihood that the dam ceases to function properly.
>
>As Hitachi Ltd. is well aware from the experience of problems
>surrounding the Narmada Dam in India, the global trend is to stop
>building large scale dams. The United States Department of the
>Interior is stopping the construction of all large dams in the
>country, and is extremely cautious about large dam construction
>overseas.  International opinion is already very critical of the
>Three Gorges Dam, and any party which involves itself in the
>project will clearly also be a target for international
>criticism.
>
>I hope for the prosperity of the people of China, and would like
>to believe that Hitachi Ltd. is trying to get involved in the
>project with the benefit of the people of China in mind. I hope
>that Hitachi Ltd. will seriously consider the issues raised above,
>and cancel plans for potential involvement in the project.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Name, Organization:  Address:
>
>cc:     Mr Kazuhisa Marukawa, Director, Loan Department 1, Export
>Import Bank of Japan
>        Mr. Yasunobe Shin, Director, Export Division, Ministry of
>International Trade and Industry, Japan
>
>END
>
>

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