President Hu asked to stop the Salween dams

President Hu asked to stop the Salween dams

Environment

76 organizations from 33 countries have written to President Hu Jintao to suspend the projected dam plans on the Upper Salween, known in China as the Nu, according to a copy of the text of the appeal received by S.H.A.N..

Photo Courtesy: www.nujiang.ngo.cn

The protesters cited several reasons for their sign-on letter: 

• Nine of the proposed 13 dams are in the Three Parallel Rivers area, recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site 

• The area contains over 6,000 different plant species and is believed to support over 50% of China's animal species 

• Forests and wetlands along the river are home to many diverse species of flora and fauna and contain areas of high ecological value 

• Millions of people of over 20 ethnicities depend on the watershed for their livelihoods 

• Even dam projects on the river outside the World Heritage Site will need to complete "comprehensive environmental and social impact studies" before construction 

• Proper consultation with riparian neighbors i.e. Thailand and Burma and all affected communities should be conducted according to international standards 

The letter, dated 4 March, was signed by Doris Shen of International Rivers Network (IRiN) and endorsed, among others, by organizations from Burma, China, India, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand. 

Activists in Beijing and Kunming, in response to the Day of Action against Dams that falls tomorrow, 14 March, are busy preparing a week long photo exhibition, 14-22 March. 

Coutesy: www.nujiang.ngo.cn

Related reports: 

• UNESCO says China's Salween part of World Heritage Site(29 February 2004) 

• Dam on China's Salween goes for it (11 March 2004)

A copy of the text is attached herewith. 

President of China

His Excellency, Mr. Hu Jintao
State Council Secretariat
Zhongnanhai
Beijing, People’s Republic of China

March 4, 2004

Your Excellency,

We, the undersigned 76 organizations from 33 countries, are writing to express our concerns about the plans to develop up to thirteen large hydropower projects on the Nu River in China. We have learned that officials from the local prefecture on the Nu River in China plan to approve the construction of a major dam at Liuku in Yunnan Province and that Huadian Group is seeking construction contracts. We are deeply concerned that this decision is being made without consultation with downstream countries and communities.

The Nu River, also known as the Salween River, is the last free-flowing international river in the region, and is shared by China, Thailand, and Burma. The Nu River in the Three Parallel Rivers area is the epicenter of Chinese biodiversity. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Three Parallel Rivers area is known to be one of the richest temperate regions of the world. The area contains over 6000 different plant species and is believed to support over 50% of China's animal species. Forests and wetlands along the river are home to many diverse species of flora and fauna and contain areas of high ecological value. Nine of the thirteen dams proposed would be located in the World Heritage Area.

Millions of people of over twenty ethnicities depend on the Nu/Salween River watershed for their livelihoods. Along the river, fisheries are a major source of dietary protein. Nutrients carried down by the river also sustain vegetable gardens in the dry season and fertilize large areas of farmland. Dam projects risk drastic impacts to all of these resources. 

We respectfully ask that the Chinese government suspend the project plans immediately in the World Heritage Area. 

If the Chinese government wants to construct dam projects on the Nu River outside of the World Heritage Area, we request that comprehensive environmental and social impact studies are completed before construction and implementation, to determine if the projects are economically, socially and environmentally acceptable. Proper consultation with riparian neighbors and all affected communities should be conducted according to international standards. Reports and assessments should be publicly disclosed in regional languages.

We look forward to understanding how the Chinese government is going to work to protect this important international river.

Sincerely,

Doris Shen

International Rivers Network
This letter is endorsed by the following 76

organizations:
Australia
Tim O'Connor, AID/WATCH , Australia

Bangladesh
Zakir Kibria, BanglaPraxis, Bangladesh

Belize
Candy Gonzalez, Belize Institute of Environmental
Law and Policy

Brazil
Julianna Malerba, Projeto Brasil Sustent?vel e
Democr?tico/FASE Rede 
Brasileira de Justi?a
Ambiental, Brazil
Sociedade de Prote??o e Utiliza??o do Meio
Ambiente/PUMA, Brazil
Ing. Frans J. Leeuwenberg, City of Goi?s, Brasil.
World Heritage City by UNESCO
Alcides Faria, Rios Vivos Coalition - Executive
Secretariat, Brazil

Burkina Faso
Dr. Moses K. Kambou, SYNADEC, Burkina Faso

Burma
K'nyaw Paw, Karen Women's Organization, Burma

Canada
Karen Hawley, Ontario Public Interest Research Group
(OPIRG), Canada Marty 
Bergoffen,

China
Dr. Howard Liu, Greenpeace China

Croatia
Helena Hecimovic, The Drava League, Croatia

El Salvador
Juan N. Rojas, Coordinadora Nacional Anti-Represas,
El Salvador
Angel Maria Ibarra, Unidad Ecologica
Salvadore?a-UNES- El Salvador

France
Martin Arnould, WWF, Living Rivers Programme, France
G?rard Borvon, Association S-EAU-S, France
Jean-Claude, OLIVAACME France
Meredyth Ailloud, IDS, France
Laetitia Desmarez, Energy Campaign, Greenpeace
France
Benoit Ducasse, Confederation Paysanne, France
Rapha?lle Gauthier, Climate Action Network France
S?bastien Godinot, Friends of the Earth France
Danielle Mitterrand, France Libert?s Fondation
Jean-Luc Touly, L'ACME France (Association pour le
Contrat Mondial de l'Eau)

Germany
Heike Drillisch, WEED, Germany
Heffa Sch?cking, Urgewald, Germany
Ulrike Bey and Dorothy Guerrero, Asienhaus

Ghana
Richard Koranteng Twum Barimah, Volta Basin
Development Foundation

India
Pawan Rana, SAROKAAR
Ashish Fernandes, Ecologist Asia
Dr. A.Latha and S.Unnikrishnan, Chalakudy River
Protection Council

Indonesia
Mia Wastuti, Yayasan Tanah Air/YATANI, Indonesia
Ar Wahab, Serikat Petani Jawa Barat/West Java
Peasant Union, Indonesia

Italy
Jaroslava Colajacomo, Campagna per la Riforma Della
Banco Mondiale

Japan
Yuki Tanabe, Japan Center for a Sustainable
Environment and Society (JACSES)
Yoko Monoe, A SEED JAPAN
Setsuko Kudo, Jubilee Kansai Network Japan
Shoko Iijima , MSc Development Studies, School of
Oriental and African Studies
Satoru Matsumoto, Mekong Watch
Yu Terashima , Jubilee Kyushu on World Debt and
Poverty
Chushi Kuroiwa, MD, PhD, Department of Health Policy
and Planning, School 
of International
Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of
Tokyo
Chiyoko Iwami, World Ecology Network, Japan
Fukuoka NGO forum on Asian Development Bank (FNA)
Hitomi Tono'ka ,WWP
Yasushi Fujibayashi, Center for the Study of
Cooperative Human Relations, 
Saitama University

Korea
Moon Chang-Shik, Daegu Korean Federation for
Environmental Movement, Korea

Mexico
Rodolfo Chavez, La Parota, Acapulco, Mexico

Mozambique
Anabela Lemos, Livaningo, Maputo, Mozambique

Netherlands
Henneke Brink, Both ENDS, Netherlands

Pakistan
Naeem Iqbal, Pakistan Network for Rivers, Dams, and
People, Islamabad, 
Pakistan.

Philippines
Tignayan dagitti mannalon a mangwayawaya ti agno 
(Peasant movement to free 
the Agno River),
Philippines
Clemente G. Bautista Jr.,Kalikasan-People's Network
for the Environment, 
Philippines
Joan Carling, Cordillera Peoples Alliance,
Philippines
Anna Pinto, Centre for Organization Research and
Education, Philippines

Slovakia
Roman Havlicek, Friends of the Earth Slovakia
Juraj Zamkovsky, Center for Environmental Public
Advocacy, Slovakia

South Africa
Lianne Greef, Environmental Monitoring Group

Sweden
Ann-Mari Karlsson, Swedish Society for Nature
Conservation, Sweden

Switzerland
Nathalie Barbancho, Swiss Coalition of Development
Organizations, Switzerland

Taiwan
Meinung People's Association, Taiwan

Tanzania
Benedict Chacha, Foundation HELP, Tanzania

Thailand
Keiko Nakao, Burma Relief Center, Thailand
David J.H. Blake, Agroecology Researcher, Thailand

United Kingdom
Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UK
Nick Hildyard, The Corner House UK

United States
Zar Ni, Free Burma Coalition, USA
Dr. Arif Gamal, University of California, Berkeley
Edith Mirante, Project Maje, USA
Tashi Tsering, Tibet Justice Center, USA
Megan Anderson, Glen Canyon Institute, USA
Paula Palmer, Global Response, USA
Dominic J. Nardi, Jr, Georgetown University's
ECO-Action Environment Club, USA
Mishka Zaman, Asia Program Manager, Bank Information
Center, USA
Campaign Coordinator, Southern Appalachian
Biodiversity Project, USA

Uruguay
Teresa Perez, World Rainforest Movement, Uruguay
Cc: Mr. Li Zhaoxing, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the People’s 
Republic of China

Mr. Francesco Bandarin, Director, UNESCO World
Heritage Centre
Mr. Achim Steiner, International Union for the
Conservation of Nature

Embassy Of Peoples Republic of China, Washington
D.C., USA

Mr. Peng Keyu, Consul General of the People's
Republic of China,

Chinese National Commission for UNESCO

Mr. Zhang Xinshang, Chairperson, World Heritage
Committee

UNESCO Beijing Office