Hotline Asia Urgent Appeals -- SUA000821(2)

Action Requested || Sample Letter || Background
update

Summary

Hotline Asia received an action alert from the International Rivers Network (IRN) to support the people's movement, Narmada Banchao Andolan (Save the Narmada Movement). Hotline frequently issued Urgent Appeals in the fight against the dam from 1988 to 1999. The following is a message from IRN.

'As part of Narmada Solidarity Week (August 15-22), we (IRN) urge you to renew your solidarity with people fighting for justice in India's Narmada Valley. Thousands of people are once again at risk of losing their homes and lands as the monsoon-swollen Narmada River backs up behind the partly built Sardar Sarovar Dam. Thousands are committed to remaining on their lands rather than move for an ill-conceived and unjust project. We urge you join in solidarity and send a letter to the Indian President urging him to stop construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam. A sample letter is given below.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam and its associated infrastructure threaten to displace nearly 500,000 people. For more than a decade, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA/Save the Narmada Movement) has organized demonstrations, marches and fasts to stop the project.

During last year's monsoon, three times the reservoir waters rose to enter villagers' houses. This year, thousands of people are once more at risk of drowning in the waters rising behind the dam.

We urge you to participate in Narmada Solidarity Week and urge the Indian government to respect the rights of the people of the Narmada Valley.

For more information, go to www.narmada.org or www.irn.org.'

Please write polite letters to express your concern on this case. Send letters to:

Sample Letter

Background

The Narmada River originates on the Plateau of Amarkantak in the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh and winds its way westward through forests and agricultural lands until it reaches the Arabian Sea, 1,300 km away. In April 1987, the government approved two major dams of the Narmada Valley Project and the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat were given permission to 'develop' the Narmada River and its valley.

It is expected that the project will transform the giant river into a series of large reservoirs with 30 major and 135 medium dams to be built (making it the largest single river valley project in the country), to provide irrigation and hydro-electricity to the two states. A population of 20 million, nearly half of them tribals and lower castes, live in this fertile river valley basin. Agriculture is the prime source of income here. The main crops grown are wheat, paddy (rice), millet, oil seeds, cotton and sugar cane.

Over one million people face displacement and even the World Bank admits that it will be the largest river basin population resettlement to date. The figure includes 170,000 people from 254 villages.

On December 25, 1990, 2,500 people started a 250 km 'March for People Oriented Development' in Madhya Pradesh state to site of the proposed Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat State, India. They were prevented from entering Gujarat State by armed police, paramilitary forces and a small pro-dam rally. They then started an indefinite fast on January 4, 1991.

As a result of international criticism of the project, in 1991 the World Bank commissioned an independent group of experts to look into the resettlement and rehabilitation schemes and into the ecological components of the project. The Review from the group contains a harsh critique of policy and planning failures on the side of the World Bank and of the Indian authorities. The Review warns of unavoidable human rights violations, considerable ecological risks and pinpoints other shortcomings of the project. It recommended a moratorium on implementation, to provide time for a thorough rethinking of the project.

In March 1993, the World Bank pulled out of the Narmada project but the Gujarat government has proceeded with the constuction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam wall. When the 149-meter-tall (this is the planned completed height) is finished, as many as 400,000 people might have been displaced, including 19 villages in Gujarat, 180 villages in Madhya Pradesh, and 33 villages in Maharashtra. The works have been carried out in violation of a Gujarat High Court order of April 1993 stating that there should be no forcible eviction, no temporary submergence and no temporary removal of residents without complete rehabilitation.

Hundreds of farmers have pledged to stay in their villages even when the waters rise during the monsoon season. This is seen as a last act of desperation by the farmers and indigenous people to struggle for their basic rights to livelihood and culture. At present, some villages are submerged and some are being evicted under the threat of imminent submergence. Those displaced could not be resettled properly.

Please remember to send copies of your letters to Hotline Asia for monitoring purpose.
Thank you for Your Continued Support!!