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Forum Annual Meeting 2004

FORUM ANNUAL MEETING 2005(FAM) of the NGO FORUM ON ADB held in Sulo Hotel, Quezon City, Philippine from 15-18 March 2004. Participants presented numbre of On-Going Campaigns. Presenters were provided the following guidelines: Description of project (impacts, status, community demands) How has ADB responded to the problems of it all? Have they obstructed or facilitated potential solutions? How? What do communities need to more effectively campaign against the ADB?

 

Sundurbans Biodiversity Conservation Project- by Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu
- Extractive forest management system; degradation of the forests
- people living within the area seen as major cause of disaster, reality is opposite
- project design not acceptable to the people; people employed had no idea of the Sundurbans
- ADB agreed to re-design but suddenly the project was suspended blaming implementing organizations
- needing international support to interpret people’s language to the ADB

Kali Gandaki Hydroelectric Project -by Gopal Siwakoti
- largest power project ; completed 1997-2003; 18 months delay; to be officially closed in May 2004; 70% cost over-run in construction work
- payment issues unresolved, one case fought and won in Milan, one case pending in supreme court;
- some interventions needed before closing in May; challenging/rejecting FIDIC framework; ensuring post-project impact compliance
- conclusions: ADB relatively open, responsive, appreciative, dialogues, visits, communications

Melamchi Water Supply Project- by Gopal Siwakoti
- the first inter-basin river diversion project
- main political issue: “Is it the best option for drinking water supply for Kathmandu Valley, capital of Nepal?”; several other options including groundwater resources, rainwater harvesting and best management practices over existing river and stream source
- rejection by local people; failure of proponents to define amount of water required for Melamchi livelihood and ecosystems, no adequate study for income generation, people damand for major share in the profits, need for effective and guaranteed provisions for skill development training and employment for the locals

Chasma Right Bank Irrigation System- by Shannon Lawrence
- supposed to have closed in 2000, not moved to December 2004
- complaints in: salt deposition, drinking water schemes, etc….
- actions: lobbying through government; submitted inspection request, status: ADB sent GRSC, completely rejected by people, representation not acceptable
- concerns raised, rejected again, delayed until the committee has completed the report
- never developed a social plan, management plan, comprehensive survey to assess socio-economic impact
- most villagers have little knowledge of the measures
- inspection process has begun a month ago, currently monitoring it
- initiatives: a strong national and local campaign (i.e. people’s tribunal- stories of people affected by the project, forum with eminent persons to hear these stories, strikes

Water Privatization In Metro Manila, Philippines-by Ana Maria Nemenzo
- at the time, Asia’s largest privatization project
- water as rights, impact of privatization to the consuming public, challenge local agencies
- privatization scheme failed, ADB requiring guarantee from government and in turn raising water fees for consumers to pay
- need to raise issues for broader understanding of water as not only potable water but water as a resource; develop comprehensive framework to look at water

Southern Transport Development Project-by Heather Mundy
- loan signed in 1999, joint JBIC and ADB
- issues raised from start and no responses so far; ADB brought in their own project designers, viability at 12.2%
- agreed design, specifications, and track changed and no viability study conducted
- failure to follow process of consultation, etc.
- SC EIA not conducted, damage to communities, lack of information; project continues, government fear petitioners on spending of money
- Current status: resettlement proceeding (compensations are astronomical, value of land has increased; government being asked extraordinary amount of compensation; people will not give up their properties for lower cost); resettlement not part of the study, viability questionable
- What is needed: stress and force ADB to follow its guidelines; project needs to be studied and put back in track

A Review of the ADB Environment Policy as Applied to the Marcopper Project- by James Esguerra
- Marcopper: managed and owned by PDI Pacific, (Australian subsidiary of Canadian PDI), Third largest mining company (Phil.), among top Au and Cu world producer
- issues raised by PRRM: full payment: damage compensation, immediate clean up: Boac & Mogpog, complete rehab: all 3 sites, establish health trust fund, permanent closure; conversion study
- Community demand: acknowledge that the project was detrimental to Calancan; impact, continued leaching; compensate livelihood loss (1975<=); rehabilitate bay

Oil Palm in PNG- by Ruth Pune
- nucleus agro-enterprises scheme: access to land, cheap labour, outsourcing of risks, growers share repayment of loan
- government-export-driven economy; little civil society participation
- problems: project is 2-year behind schedule; revised completion date November 2003; originally April 2004; environmental monitoring not possible at this point in time
- what is needed: a list of selected projects, Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) checklists, Initial Environmental Examination report for each of the selected projects, clarification as to which guideline/s is/are applicable, analysis of ADB agriculture or related projects

Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources between China and South/Southeast Asia- by Kevin Li
- major issues of sustainable utilization: slope farming speeds up environmental deterioration, rapid ecosystem changes due to infrastructure interruption
- issues to be addressed
• Achieve sustainable management of transboundary water resources
• Allocate transboundary resources equitably among riparian countries
• Prevent and solve transboundary conflicts
• Assess transboundary impact of upstream development on the downstream countries
• Develop flexible and compatible models to simulate hydrological changes and a mechanism of information disclosure among the riparian countries
• Assess the environmental water demand of international watercourses
• Facilitate participation at multiple levels from riparian countries, communities to international organizations, to promote regional cooperation
• Build up linkages between communities and civil society groups from riparian countries, and bridge the gap in understanding among them
- conclusion
• China is the headwaters of major transboundary rivers in Asia, the reasonable utilization and conservation of its abundant transboundary water resources will greatly affect regional water utilization and regional security
• Water systems in southwest China present distinct changes which are closely related to local human activities and global climate changes
• Human activities (highway construction, dam cascade development, slope cultivation, and urbanisation) is increasing changes of water systems and worsening of water quality
• Lack of hydrological and water quality monitoring networks in the international rivers of Southwest China
• It is necessary to strengthen the cooperation for study and management of transboundary water resources

Existing Dams in Laos- by Susanne Wong
- affected 57 villages with 20,000 people
- difficulty in accessing drinking water, transportation and flooding
- mitigating impacts of dams
- ADB’s failures to learn lessons in hydropower projects
- need to push ADB to hold financing unless projects are thoroughly studied and underwent ADB guidelines

Public Communications Policy Road Rehabilitation, Kyrgvstan- by Natalia Ablova
- Public communications not the same as disclosure
- Information success largely in its own initiative
- Behavior of foreign contractors; ADB to pay serious attention to the project cost overrun + loan servicing

Participants also participated number of ADB Lobby meetings organised by the NGO Centre at the request of the NGO Forum on ADB.

Forum members decided to boycott the 37th ADB Annual General Meeting which will be held in Jeju in May 2004. They also decided to send a strong boycott statement to the Media and the ADB.

More information on ADB Boycott

New International Comittee for April 2004- March 2006 was elected at this meeting

Gopal Siwakoti WAFED- South Asia( International Convenor)
Ana Maria Nemenzo FDC- Philippine Working Group( Treasurer)
Ruth Pune CELCOR- Pacific region
Henneke Brink Both Ends- Europe
Yuki Tanabe JACSES - Japan
Natalia Ablova Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law- Central Asia
Sanjai Bhatt,PAIRVI- South Asia
Arimbi Hareoputri DebtWatch Indonesia-South East Asia
Sameer Dossani( Ex-Officio)

Participants List

South Asia
1. Roy Laifungbam India CORE Manipur
2. Praveen Mote India Labour and Mining groups
3. Zakir Kibria Bangladesh Bangla Praxis
4. Gopal Siwakoti Nepal WAFED
5. Suranjan Kothidawakku Sri Lanka Green Movement
6. Ashraf ul Alam Tutu Bangladesh Coastal Development Partnership
7. Sanjai Bhatt India PAIRVI
8. Heather Mundy Sri Lanka
9. Cyril Mundy Sri Lanka
10. Hemantha Withanage Sri Lanka Forum IC Convenor

Mekong
11. Mak Sitirith Cambodia FACT
12. Charm Tong Burma SWAN
13. Tara Buakamsri Thailand Greenpeace
14. Naing Htoo Burma Earth Rights

South East Asia
15. Fabby Tumhiwa Indonesia Power coalition
16. Muhammad. Riza Indonesia Duta Awan
17. Heine Nababan, Indonesia Water coalition

China
18. Kevin Li China (HK) (Environment Research group and IRN)

Central Asia
19. Natalia Ablova, Kyrgyztan Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law

Korea
20. Moon Chang Shik Korea KFEM/FOE Korea

Pacific
21. Ruth Pune, PNG CELCOR

Philippines
22. Ana Maria Nemenzo Philippines Freedom from Debt Coalition
23. Minnie Degawan Philippines Minority Rights Group, Intl.
24. Isagani Serrano Philippines PRRM
25. Athena Ronquillo Philippines Greenpeace
26. Roger Birosel Philippines ALNI
27. Danilo Walo Philippines ALNI
28. Luz Indah Abayan Philippines LRC
29. Cristina Barraquias Philippines SEARICE
30. Almo Huela Philippines ANGOC
31. Joan Carling Philippines CPA

Participants from Northern Countries
32. Yuki Tenabe Japan JACSES
33. Toshiyuki Doi Japan and Thailand Mekong Watch
34. Shannon Lawrence USA Environmental Defense
35. Susanne Wong USA IRN
36. Henneke Brink Netherlands Both Ends
37. Mishka Zaman USA BIC

Previous Forum Annual Meetings

FAM 2007 Markina, Philippines
FAM 2006 Hydarabad, India
FAM 2005 Manila, Philippines
FAM 2004 Manila, Philippines
FAM 2003 Manila, Philippines
FAM 2002 Manila, Philippines
FAM 2001 Subic, Philippines