[asia-apec 1383] Protest-WCD study on Tarbela Dam Pakistan-Lobbying for Kalabagh Dam

[Sasp]

Protest-WCD study on Tarbela Dam Pakistan-Lobbying for Kalabagh Dam

We Mahfooz Ursani coordinator Pakistan Network of Rivers, Dams and People
(PNRDP), Ayaz Latif Palijo Chairman Sindh Research Council (SRC) and Rafiq
Abbassi coordinator Sindh NGO Forum on NDP would like to submit our view
point regarding the final stake holders meeting of Tarbela Dam hosted by
Asianics Consultants and WCD on 17-18 January 2000 at Sheraton Hotel,
Karachi Pakistan to review the development effectiveness and its
consequences for lower Indus Ecology.

As a coordinator Sindh Mahfooz Ursani and Rafik Abassi after attending the
first day of the meeting, boycotted the second day’s proceedings because the
whole exercise was carefully designed to get pre determined result in favour
of proposed large hydropower dams.

In this connection we submit as under:
1. Invitations were issued to participants majority of which were already
favoring the biased report of Tarbela case study released by “ ASIANICS”
sponsored by WCD (World Commission on Dams). The majority of the
participants didn’t represent the adversely affected fields and area of
Indus river basin.
2. The adopted procedure of WCD / Asianics meeting provided no option for
arguments and was deliberately leaded to acquire the optimum desired results
for Kalabagh Dam.
3. It was absolutely unnecessary to prolong this meeting for two days. The
motive behind was to influence opinion of the participants by delaying
tactics and by facilitating them lunches, dinners and accommodation in a 5
star hotel like Sheraton.
4. The surveys conducted by questioner during this meeting included
questions which if answered yes or no, in both ways served the purpose of
agreeing the study report and giving consent in favour of construction of
future large dam projects.

WE the PNRDP, SRC and NGO Forum in our joint statement condemn this
conspiracy for justification of the proposed construction of Kalabagh Dam,
misconduct,  misinformation and methodology of the Karachi meeting. We out
rightly reject this study report as the final findings are anti people and
anti environment, biased, fictitious  and  unauthentic, methodology for
collection of data is defected and the area of study is limited  to upper
region of Tarbela only. Real and factual adverse effects , which occurred in
the lower region i.e. from Sukkur to Indus delta and Arabian sea are not
incorporated and inducted in this study report.

We are also concerned about the role of WCD and WB in this regard as no
appropriate criteria was followed for the selection of Consultants to
conduct this study and ultimately a biased consultancy firm  was given the
contract which is headed and owned by   pro WAPDA ex bureaucrat who had been
involved in bribing the ‘Fuedals’ in General Zia’s regime through
agriculture loans to acquire unjustified favors from them.

We therefore urge World Commission on Dams (WCD), World Bank, International
Rivers Network (IRN) and all other concerned forums and organizations to
take serious notice of this heinous exercise and put their efforts together
to stop this scam and help us to promote environment friendly future and
prosperity in this region.

We  wish to take this opportunity to appreciate and thank Dr. Aslam Pervez
Umrani, G N Mughal, Mishka Zaman, Khalid Husain, Aly Ercelwan, Aijaz
Qureshi, Noman, Mushtaq Gadhi, Naz Sahto and Suboor for their bold,
positive, pro-people and anti Dam stand.


Mahfooz Ursani
92-221-780225
maf914 at hyd.paknet.com.pk
ursani at yahoo.com

Ayaz Latif Palijo
92-221-651947
psrc at hyd.paknet.com.pk

Rafik Musrtafa Abbasi
92-320-4156442
B-24, Faraz Villaz 2-Qasimabad
Hyderabad Sindh Pakistan