From ramani@saathi.ncst.ernet.in Mon Feb 12 12:40:54 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 12 Feb 96 12:40:17 -0600; AA22718 Received: from cdp.igc.apc.org by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 12 Feb 96 12:40:02 -0600 Received: from igc3.igc.apc.org (igc3.igc.apc.org [192.82.108.33]) by cdp.igc.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.214 ) with SMTP id KAA22927; Mon, 12 Feb 1996 10:31:41 -0800 Received: from [198.94.4.8] (patrick@ppp4-8.igc.org [198.94.4.8]) by igc3.igc.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.9 ) with SMTP id KAA18767; Mon, 12 Feb 1996 10:31:13 -0800 Message-Id: <199602121831.KAA18767@igc3.igc.apc.org> X-Sender: patrick@pop.igc.apc.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 10:32:28 -0700 To: pchatterjee@igc.apc.org (Pratap Chatterjee), akothari@unv.ernet.in, appa@vax.lse.ac.uk, anandp@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in, L.Mehta@sussex.ac.uk, ecologist@inbb.gn.apc.org, kamal@imsc.ernet.in, 0005614754@mcimail.com, educserv@sojourn.com, gautam@qchem.kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp, fv016@cleveland.freenet.edu, narmada@lucy.cs.wisc.edu, ashah@dc.asce.org, budaraju@luther.che.wisc.edu, srrajan@violet.berkeley.edu (Ravi Rajan), jvaidya@netcom.com, johna@uclink2.berkeley.edu, alau@sirius.com, anitapd@aol.com, mdharmaw@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca, ae140@traverse.lib.mi.us, barot@violet.berkeley.edu, sudayagi@nature.berkeley.edu, jagdish@igc.apc.org, twn@unv.ernet.in, AniD@aol.com, sw7153a@american.edu (Shashikla Warrier), morarjik@elwha.evergreen.edu (Karuna Morarji) From: ramani@saathi.ncst.ernet.in (S.Ramani) (by way of patrickirn@igc.apc.org (Patrick McCully)) (by way of patrick@irn.org (Patrick McCully)) Subject: Press clip: Medha defends anti-KFC campaign Sender: patrick@igc.org Courtesy: S. Ramani, NCST, Bombay Madras, Feb 6 (PTI): Noted environmentalist and leader of the Narmada bachao andolan, Ms Medha Patkar, today put up a staunch defence for the attack on the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha activists at Bangalore recently and condemned the arrest of the KRRS leader, Prof M D Nanjundaswamy. Ms Patkar, currently on a tour of the country to build up support for the national alliance of people's movement (NAPM), told newsmen here that she met Prof Nanjundaswamy in prison at Bangalore yesterday and conveyed her support to the KRRS stir against the entry of multinationals into the country. He had also been invited to address a meeting of the NAPM to be held in Maharashtra later this month to build up a national movement against the entry of MNCS, she said. Replying to a question, Ms Patkar justified the attack saying that farmers in Karnataka had been agitating against KFC's entry for a long time and the state goverment had done little to stop it from setting up its outlet in Bangalore. While the national leadership of the Janata Dal had given her the assurance that they would join her in opposing the entry of MNCs, the Dal government in Karnataka had 'let loose repression' against the people who resisted the entry of KFC. This showed that those of the opposition parties which had been opposing the government's liberalisation policies had finally joined the mnc bandwagon,she said. From bwref@gn.apc.org Fri Feb 16 10:48:53 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Fri, 16 Feb 96 10:48:06 -0600; AA29031 Received: from cdp.igc.apc.org by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Fri, 16 Feb 96 10:47:58 -0600 Received: from igc3.igc.apc.org (igc3.igc.apc.org [192.82.108.33]) by cdp.igc.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.214 ) with SMTP id IAA27342; Fri, 16 Feb 1996 08:46:48 -0800 Received: from [198.94.4.60] (patrick@ppp4-60.igc.org [198.94.4.60]) by igc3.igc.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.9 ) with SMTP id IAA10686; Fri, 16 Feb 1996 08:45:57 -0800 Message-Id: <199602161645.IAA10686@igc3.igc.apc.org> X-Sender: patrick@pop.igc.apc.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 08:47:57 -0700 To: ecologist@gn.apc.org, bwref@gn.apc.org, lee@peg.apc.org, urgewald@gn.apc.org, eprobe@web.apc.org, fmartone@gn.apc.org, evb@access.ch, bothends@gn.apc.org, foejapan@igc.apc.org, fisher@isr.harvard.edu, fivas@nn.apc.org, survival@gn.apc.org, ern@globenet.gn.apc.org, wrm@gn.apc.org, iucnnethcomm@gn.apc.org, ssmaul@uta.fi, ngowg@gn.apc.org, gunnel.nycander@ett.se, foeitaly@gn.apc.org, eaip@gn.apc.org, olammers@igc.apc.org, glenirn@igc.apc.org, julietteirn@igc.apc.org, irndc@igc.apc.org, christairn@igc.apc.org, irn@igc.apc.org, pamelam@igc.apc.org, leonard@moray.berkeley.edu From: Alex Wilks (by way of patrick@irn.org (Patrick McCully)) Subject: Asian Development Bank Funds for SSP? Cc: pchatterjee@igc.apc.org (Pratap Chatterjee), akothari@unv.ernet.in, appa@vax.lse.ac.uk, anandp@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in, L.Mehta@sussex.ac.uk, bittu@ecologist.ilbom.ernet.in, kamal@imsc.ernet.in, 0005614754@mcimail.com, educserv@sojourn.com, gautam@qchem.kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp, fv016@cleveland.freenet.edu, narmada@lucy.cs.wisc.edu, ashah@dc.asce.org, budaraju@luther.che.wisc.edu, srrajan@violet.berkeley.edu (Ravi Rajan), jvaidya@netcom.com, johna@uclink2.berkeley.edu, alau@sirius.com, anitapd@aol.com, mdharmaw@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca, ae140@traverse.lib.mi.us, barot@violet.berkeley.edu, sudayagi@nature.berkeley.edu, jagdish@igc.apc.org, twn@unv.ernet.in, AniD@aol.com, sw7153a@american.edu (Shashikla Warrier), morarjik@elwha.evergreen.edu (Karuna Morarji) Sender: patrick@igc.org Action AlertAction AlertAction AlertAction AlertAction AlertAction Action AlertAction AlertAction AlertAction AlertAction AlertAction >From : Shripad Dharmadhikary, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Currently in N.Delhi. To : All the Friends of the Narmada Action Committee and all Supporters Date : February 7, 1996 Dear Friends, There is some disturbing news on the Narmada front with international ramifications. I have already conveyed this to some people, (Lori, Carol and Tony at Legal Rights and Natural Resource Centre, Philippines). The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has just announced a massive aid to Gujarat State, of over 3500 crore rupees. With 1 crore equal to 10 million, and about 36 rupees to a dollar, this aid works out to be almost a billion (thousand million) US dollars ! The news was broken on 21 January 1996, when all the papers in the State (Gujarat) carried front page stories on the loan. I am quoting verbatim the report which appeared in the "Indian Express", Baroda Edition dated 21 January 1996. This report conveys all the available information. "Rs 3,500 cr ADB aid for State" - Heading Express News Service : Gandhinagar, Jan 20 : The Gujarat Government has accepted in principle a proposal by the Asia Development Bank (ADB) to extend financial assistance of Rs. 3,500 crore to strengthen the State's economy. The proposal will be formally okayed at the next Cabinet meeting. "The proposal was made to the Government when a three member team of the ADB met the Chief Minister, Mr. Suresh Mehta. The team was led by its programme director, Mr. J Morita, here on Saturday. " The ADB's programme director said that the State was selected for the financial assistance keeping in view its "progressive policies". "He discussed with the Chief Minister other proposals for providing financial assistance to the State for improving infrastructure and the development of energy sector. "He informed Mr. Mehta that the ADB's public sector restructuring programme was aimed at reducing the budgetary burden the State Government has had to shoulder due to its loss making public sector units. The delegation also gave details of how the premier financial agency of Asia was providing technical expertise to restructure loss-making public undertaking units." Other reports in the press give details of how the money is to be used. It is stated that out of Rs. 3,500 crores, about 2000 crore rupees (roughly 570 m US $) are to be used for the energy sector. Out of the remaining 1500 crores, 1000 crore (285 million US $) are for "budgetary support" - which would mean that these go into the State's general pool of money, and Rs. 500 crore ( 142 m US $) are for "infrastructure development". Considering that the Sardar Sarovar Project is the biggest single item on the State's annual budget (this year it is about 365 crore rupees) and that the SSP is the biggest infrastructure development in the State, it is sure that part of this money is going to fund the SSP. This is further confirmed from the fact that the State's new Minister for Narmada Development, Mr. Jay Narayan Vyas has time and again reiterated his intention to go to the International agencies for funding the project. In a recently released edition of the Gujarat Government publication called "Facts : the Sardar Sarovar Project", the Minister has stated (Pg 33) : "9. All efforts would be made to get the financial assistance for the implementation of canal network from the WB, Asian Development Bank and..." This is a very serious development. Since the SSP was finding it difficult to raise money internationally, the Gujarat Government has chosen this route, getting the money for the general budget of the State. So far, we don't have any other information on the loan - whether it has been signed, what are the conditions of the loan, in how many installments is it to be paid, the interest rate, whether it has been signed and started or in the process of final sanction, and whether the loan is meant for any specific projects in the state. The new loan is sure to provide much needed -but entirely undeserved - relief to the SSP, which was finding it very difficult to raise finances even in the domestic bond/other markets. (See the Narmada International Update of Jan. 1996). In fact, the serious financial crisis had drastically slowed down the pace of even those works which had not been stopped by the Supreme Court's directions. The new loan will not only make it possible for the disastrous project to be kept alive, but will also give it a new legitimacy - and of course, adversely affect the people's struggle. In these circumstances, we appeal for urgent action from all the NAC groups. While we are writing to the ADB directly on behalf of NBA, asking for information as well as expressing our concern, we feel that it is important that many other groups, especially those working on ADB issues, and regularly in touch with ADB also write to the ADB. We appeal to all to write immediately, at least a letter expressing concern at this development and urging the ADB not to fund the SSP directly or indirectly. Also, the letter should ask for information about this loan. Further strategy will have to be decided after getting more information. Since it may be difficult for us to get information from the ADB, we also appeal to those who have access and possibility of doing so to try and do this. We would appreciate copies of any letters to replies of ADB. Meanwhile, the date of the next hearing of the Andolan's case in the Supreme Court will be decided on 13 Feb. 1996. I will be in N.Delhi till 14 Feb. 1996, and can be contacted at Phone : +91- 11-642 6783 and Fax & Phone +91-11-642 6914 till 13th Feb. only. After the 13th Feb. the contact point will be as usual, NBA's office at Baroda, which remains the main contact point. NBA, B13 Shivam Flats, Ellora Park Baroda India 390 007. Phone +91-265- 340168 Fax: c/o +91-265-330430 Attention NBA 340168. From mathew@genius.rider.edu Sun Feb 18 12:30:22 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Sun, 18 Feb 96 12:30:19 -0600; AA06508 Received: from genius.rider.edu by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Sun, 18 Feb 96 12:30:17 -0600 Received: from genius.rider.edu by genius.rider.edu (PMDF V5.0-4 #10460) id <01I1CZDU5Y0G8ZL5HG@genius.rider.edu>; Sun, 18 Feb 1996 13:29:38 -0500 (EST) Date: Sun, 18 Feb 1996 13:29:37 -0500 (EST) From: mathew@genius.rider.edu Subject: Info Needed: Latest Fax Numbers/Email addresss for P.M's office/State Ministry in India To: sec-dem-sa@mit.edu, narmada@lucy.cs.wisc.edu Cc: mathew Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Hi folks, Does anybody have the fax numbers/email addresses for the Prime Minister's office and the Ministry of State in New Delhi. We are in the midst of preparing a Call for Action on a matter of great importance - a hunger strike currently on in Delhi by a coalition of tribal groups under the banner of Bharat Jan Andolan - and need these numbers urgently... Could u pls. send me ASAP the numbers that u may have. Thanx in advance Biju From swa2@cornell.edu Mon Feb 19 03:13:20 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 03:08:46 -0600; AA04848 Received: from POSTOFFICE3.MAIL.CORNELL.EDU by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 03:08:44 -0600 Received: from CU-DIALUP-0014.CIT.CORNELL.EDU (CU-DIALUP-0014.CIT.CORNELL.EDU [132.236.102.28]) by postoffice3.mail.cornell.edu (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id EAA10543; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 04:05:08 -0500 Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 04:05:08 -0500 Message-Id: <199602190905.EAA10543@postoffice3.mail.cornell.edu> X-Sender: swa2@postoffice3.mail.cornell.edu X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.1.2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: ramani@saathi.ncst.ernet.in, patrickirn@igc.apc.org, patrick@irn.org, pchatterjee@igc.apc.org, akothari@unv.ernet.in, appa@vax.lse.ac.uk, anandp@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in, L.Mehta@sussex.ac.uk, ecologist@inbb.gn.apc.org, kamal@imsc.ernet.in, 0005614754@mcimail.com, educserv@sojourn.com, gautam@qchem.kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp, fv016@cleveland.freenet.edu, narmada@lucy.cs.wisc.edu, ashah@dc.asce.org, budaraju@luther.che.wisc.edu, srrajan@violet.berkeley.edu, jvaidya@netcom.com, johna@uclink2.berkeley.edu, alau@sirius.com, anitapd@aol.com, mdharmaw@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca, ae140@traverse.lib.mi.us, barot@violet.berkeley.edu, sudayagi@nature.berkeley.edu, jagdish@igc.apc.org, twn@unv.ernet.in, AniD@aol.com, sw7153a@american.edu, morarjik@elwha.evergreen.edu From: "Sanjay W. Anand" Subject: Help Dear Friends I recently received the following appeal and am trying to circulate it and create some kind of response. I have not been able to ge t fax nos., addresses, phone nos. etc. for the PM's office, the Indian embassy in Delhi, and possibly other relevant ministries. If any of you have this information I would appreciate it if you could forward it to me and at the earliest. Multiple copies of the same information are not a problem so, rather than assuming somebody else will do it, just do it yourself. Thanks. Sanjay Anand >Date: Sat, 17 Feb 1996 10:04:11 +0530 (IST) >X-PH: V4.1@cornell.edu (Cornell Modified) >From: Vivek Anand >To: Sanjay Anand >Subject: Pradip message 2 > > 15th. January 1996 > sub Appeal for Support and Solidarity to Fasting Adivasis and >their Supporters Dear Friend, > Tribals representatives from all over the country have assembled >in Delhi to begin an indefinite dharna from 15th. February 1996 to demand >extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments concerning Panchayati Raj to the >Scheduled Areas in line with the recommendations of the Bhuria Committee. >And not without reason. > In 1947, the tribal people of Independent India felt intensely >betrayed. What they had fought and laid down their lives for nearly 18 >decades was systematically subverted. The transfer of power from the >Colonial Regime did not result in the resolution of the structural >conflict between the community and the state apparatus resulting from the >imposition of a formal administrative structure on a self governing people >by the British administration. The Rulers had changed, their minions were >the same. Azadi was won, Swaraj was denied. > The Constitution tried to resolve this structural conflict through >the arrangements provided in the Vth and Vth Schedules. These principles >were accepted by the political executive and articulated by the First >Prime Minister in his Policy of Panchsheel. But while the Governors >refused to throw off the shackles of a colonial administrative structure, >the President remained a silent spectator. History repeated itself, the >tribals were twice betrayed in less than a decade. The situation remained >unresolved, the contradictions sharpened, while legitimate aspirations >were suppressed. > In the wake of the avowed policy of the state to devolve authority >to the people under the 73rd. and 74th. Amendments, Article 243(M) of the >Constitution was introduced as a saving clause. In restraining the >automatic extension of the 73rd. and 74th. Amendments to the Scheduled >Areas without suitable modifications, a fresh attempt was being made to >resolve the age old conflict. The Article enjoined on Parliament the duty >to promulgate the legislation. The logic behind this article, we were >given to understand, was that tribal societies, were, by and large, the >last vestiges of community self governance and would be the first to >re-activate the process of popular self-rule. > The High Level Committee of tribal MPs under the Chairmanship of >Dileepsingh Bhuria MP, constituted to recommend suitable modifications for >the new legislation, took up the responsibility to resolve the conflict >between the community and the state apparatus and give it a concrete form >in the context of the tribal area. The Committee submitted its report on >17/1/1995, an important benchmark in the history of democratic India as it >brought within the scope of village governance, the stress on >participatory democracy, community command over resources, management of >conflict, administration of law and order, planning and implementation of >development, accountability of the bureaucracy et alia. In short it >provided the people the chance to govern their own lives and the space for >the common man to intervene in the processes that shape his destiny. In >the short history of the nation, this was the first time that an >opportunity had arisen and we were excited to be at a historic moment when >our intervention could make or unmake history. Hopes were raised only to >be betrayed again. > The High Courts of Hyderabad and Patna have declared the extension >of the state Panchayati Acts to the Scheduled Areas unconstitutional, >while the Bombay High Court has stayed its application. But both >Parliament and the Government have remained strangely silent and somnolent >on this vital issue. So much for the claim of the 'revolutionary >character' of the 73rd. Amendment. The ensuing legal vacuum has denied >the tribals the right to village self governance as envisaged in the >Constitutional Amendment. It appeared that the tribals would be betrayed >for the third time. It was time the tribal people undertook the challenge >themselves. > All over the country, tribals are agitating for the right to self >rule and implementation of the Bhuria Committee Report. The Civil >Disobedience Movement is continuing since October 2nd 1995. But >Parliament seems to be oblivious to their anxiety over the legal vacuum >existing in the scheduled areas. On the other hand, while political >parties are beginning preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, the issue >of tribal self rule does not appear on their agenda. > Tired of the Government's and Parliament's refusal to legislate in >accordance with the recommendations of the Bhuria Committee Report and to >resolve the conflict and restore the patent rights to democratic self >governance to the tribal people, the tribal leaders of the National Front >for Tribal Self Rule have decided today on incisive action to bring the >issue on the national agenda and force the politicians to sit up and take >notice. Consensus was reached on 1. indefinite dharna to commence from >15th. February 1996 at Samta Sthal (near Raj Ghat, Delhi) 2. indefinite >fast to follow immediately after two days. 3. indefinite solidarity fast >by Dr.B.D. Sharma, Chairman of Bharat Jan Andolan, Adv. Pradip Prabhu, >National Convener of Front and Dr. Vinayan, Gen. Secretary Bharat Jan >Andolan and others 4. relay fasts and demonstrations in support of the >fasting tribals in state capitals. > We extend this appeal to you for support and solidarity to the >fast of the tribal leaders. We would appreciate if you would: 1 Request >your friends and contacts to send letters/telegrams/faxes to the PM and >President. "Demanding Promulgation of Legislation based on Buria >Committee Report" 2. Request your friends and contacts to join the >fasting tribals in a solidarity chain fast. > Please let us know your response at the office of the Front in >Delhi > A 37, Nangli Rajapur, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013, Tel: >4643997. > Thanking you. Yours in the struggle, Pradip Prabhu National >Convener > > > > > > Sanjay W. Anand Department of Anthropology McGraw Hall Cornell University Ithaca, New York 14853 Ph: (607) 253-5420 E-mail: swa2@cornell.edu Fax: (607) 255-3747 From mathew@genius.rider.edu Mon Feb 19 13:20:55 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 13:20:50 -0600; AA00658 Received: from genius.rider.edu by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 13:20:43 -0600 Received: from genius.rider.edu by genius.rider.edu (PMDF V5.0-4 #10460) id <01I1EFDNC9QA8ZVUBO@genius.rider.edu>; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 14:18:24 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 14:18:23 -0500 (EST) From: mathew@genius.rider.edu Subject: CALL FOR ACTION! URGENT!!-TRIBAL PROTEST IN INDIA-WRITE TO THE PM NOW To: sec-dem-sa@mit.edu, narmada Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT URGENT!! CALL FOR ACTION!!! Friends, Most of us are aware of tribal peoples struggles in India only via the anti-dam struggles that have unfolded over the past two decades. However, the tribal peoples struggle is much broader and has a longer history. The struggle has entered a crucial phase now where tribals are agitating to ensure the implementation of many hard fought victories -- which the government is bent on stalling. Currently in Delhi the Bharat Jan Andolan (Indian Peoples Movement) has undertaken an indefinite hunger strike and needs our support. Attached below is a letter from the convener of Bharat Jan Andolan requesting for your support. To extend your support to the hunger strikers in Delhi and elsewhere in India SEND YOUR FAXES/LETTERS ASAP!!! to the Prime Minister of India. If you can afford to fax directly to Delhi please do so. Else send a fax addressed to the Prime Minister at the Indian Embassy in D.C. Also, please send an email to this account confirming your fax so that we can pass the information onto the Bharat Jan Andolan office in Delhi. 1. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, Prime Minister of India --- Fax: (011) 91 11 3013817 or 3019817 2. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, PM of India , c/o The Indian Embassy, D.C. --- Fax: 202-939-7027; 202-265-4351; Fax directly to the Ambassador: 202-483-3972. Attached below is the call for support from the Bharat Jan Andolan and a letter we drafted to the Prime Minister that you could use. Please modify it any way you want or write your own letter. The important thing is send a FAX. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15th. January 1996 Sub: Appeal for Support and Solidarity to Fasting Adivasis and their Supporters Dear Friend, Tribals (adivasi) representatives from all over the country have assembled in Delhi to begin an indefinite dharna from 15th February 1996 to demand extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments concerning Panchayati Raj to the Scheduled Areas in line with the recommendations of the Bhuriya Committee. And not without reason. In 1947, the tribal people of Independent India felt intensely betrayed. What they had fought and laid down their lives for nearly 18 decades was systematically subverted. The transfer of power from the Colonial Regime did not result in the resolution of the structural conflict between the community and the state apparatus resulting from the imposition of a formal administrative structure on a self governing people by the British administration. The Rulers had changed, their minions were the same. Azadi was won, Swaraj was denied. The Constitution tried to resolve this structural conflict through the arrangements provided in the Vth and VIth Schedules. These principles were accepted by the political executive and articulated by the first Prime Minister in his Policy of Panchsheel. But while the Governors refused to throw off the shackles of a colonial administrative structure, the President remained a silent spectator. History repeated itself, the tribals were twice betrayed in less than a decade. The situation remained unresolved, the contradictions sharpened, while legitimate aspirations were suppressed. In the wake of the avowed policy of the state to devolve authority to the people under the 73rd. and 74th. Amendments, Article 243(M) of the Constitution was introduced as a saving clause. In restraining the automatic extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Scheduled Areas without suitable modifications, a fresh attempt was being made to resolve the age old conflict. The Article enjoined on Parliament the duty to promulgate the legislation. The logic behind this article, we were given to understand, was that tribal societies, were, by and large, the last vestiges of community self governance and would be the first to re-activate the process of popular self-rule. The High Level Committee of tribal MPs under the Chairmanship of Dileepsingh Bhuriya MP, constituted to recommend suitable modifications for the new legislation, took up the responsibility to resolve the conflict between the community and the state apparatus and give it a concrete form in the context of the tribal area. The Committee submitted its report on 17 January 1995, an important benchmark in the history of democratic India as it brought within the scope of village governance, the stress on participatory democracy, community command over resources, management of conflict, administration of law and order, planning and implementation of development, accountability of the bureaucracy et alia. In short it provided the people the chance to govern their own lives and the space for the common man to intervene in the processes that shape his destiny. In the short history of the nation, this was the first time that an opportunity had arisen and we were excited to be at a historic moment when our intervention could make or unmake history. Hopes were raised only to be betrayed again. The High Courts of Hyderabad and Patna have declared the extension of the state Panchayati Acts to the Scheduled Areas unconstitutional, while the Bombay High Court has stayed its application. But both Parliament and the Government have remained strangely silent and somnolent on this vital issue. So much for the claim of the 'revolutionary character' of the 73rd. Amendment. The ensuing legal vacuum has denied the tribals the right to village self governance as envisaged in the Constitutional Amendment. It appeared that the tribals would be betrayed for the third time. It was time the tribal people undertook the challenge themselves. All over the country, tribals are agitating for the right to self rule and implementation of the Bhuriya Committee Report. The Civil Disobedience Movement is continuing since October 2nd 1995. But Parliament seems to be oblivious to their anxiety over the legal vacuum existing in the scheduled areas. On the other hand, while political parties are beginning preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, the issue of tribal self rule does not appear on their agenda. Tired of the Government's and Parliament's refusal to legislate in accordance with the recommendations of the Bhuriya Committee Report and to resolve the conflict and restore the patent rights to democratic self governance to the tribal people, the tribal leaders of the National Front for Tribal Self Rule have decided today on incisive action to bring the issue on the national agenda and force the politicians to sit up and take notice. Consensus was reached on 1. indefinite dharna to commence from 15th. February 1996 at Samta Sthal (near Raj Ghat, Delhi) 2. indefinite fast to follow immediately after two days. 3. indefinite solidarity fast by Dr.B.D. Sharma, Chairman of Bharat Jan Andolan, Adv. Pradip Prabhu, National Convener of Front and Dr. Vinayan, Gen. Secretary Bharat Jan Andolan and others 4. relay fasts and demonstrations in support of the fasting tribals in state capitals. We extend this appeal to you for support and solidarity to the fast of the tribal leaders. We would appreciate if you would: 1. Request your friends and contacts to send letters/telegrams/faxes to the PM and President "Demanding Promulgation of Legislation based on Bhuriya Committee Report" 2. Request your friends and contacts to join the fasting tribals in a solidarity chain fast. Please let us know your response at the office of the Front in Delhi: A-37, Nangli Rajapur, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013, Tel: 4643997. Thanking you. Yours in the struggle, Pradip Prabhu National Convener ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DRAFT LETTER FOR PRIME MINISTER ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17th February 1996 Dear Mr. Prime Minister, We write in condemnation of your government's passive and active blockage of the right to autonomy of the tribal peoples of India. Your and other State governments have not only tried to ignore the recommendations of the Bhuriya Commission which has developed concrete legislation for extending the provisions of the 73rd Amendment Act 1992 to the Scheduled Tribe Areas, but they have also, through the judiciary, deemed the 73rd Amendment unconstitutional. The tribal peoples of India, as elsewhere in the world, have always been sacrificed for the cause of the nation, and it is time that the nation accord them their constitutional guarantees in the interests of justice and democracy. The demands of the Bharat Jan Andolan are by no means unique in the present era, where similar struggles for autonomy and self-governance are being carried out in different parts of the world. Nor are these demands extraordinary given the long history of exploitation and oppression of tribal peoples by the government, bureaucracy and elites of the country. Everywhere, tribal and indigenous peoples are saying "Enough", that they will not tolerate anymore the social and economic injustices done to them. We are in solidarity with their struggle, and urge you to implement the Bhuriya Commission Report in its fullness immediately. Sincerely, xxxxx Once again the fax numbers for Prime Minister Rao are: 1. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, Prime Minister of India --- Fax: (011) 91 11 3013817 or 3019817 2. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, PM of India , c/o The Indian Embassy, D.C. --- Fax: 202-939-7027; 202-265-4351; Fax directly to the Ambassador: 202-483-3972. For more information and updates contact Sanjay Anand at swa2@cornell.edu (607 - 253-5420) or Sangeeta Kamat at kamat@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (212-690-7145). From adve@cs.rice.edu Mon Feb 19 13:30:25 1996 Received: from nacho.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 13:30:23 -0600; AA01214 Received: from cs.rice.edu by nacho.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 13:30:21 -0600 Received: from una.cs.rice.edu (una.cs.rice.edu [128.42.1.160]) by cs.rice.edu (8.7.1/8.7.1) with ESMTP id NAA15665 for ; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:30:19 -0600 (CST) From: Vikram Adve Received: (from adve@localhost) by una.cs.rice.edu (8.7.3/8.7.3) id NAA03617 for narmada@nacho.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:29:44 -0600 (CST) Message-Id: <199602191929.NAA03617@una.cs.rice.edu> Subject: victory for Indian fishers (fwd) To: narmada@nacho.cs.wisc.edu (narmada) Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:29:44 -0600 (CST) X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL25] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Aparna Sundar Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:25:00 -0500 (EST) To: adve@cs.rice.edu Subject: victory for Indian fishers Indian Fishers Win Victory of Sorts On January 18 this year, Indian fishers, fish merchants, exporters, and workers in processing and allied industries, with the support of the central trade union federations, shut down the fishery and blocked major ports and harbours. This was their latest action in a two-year campaign against the Government of India's new Deep Sea Fishing policy which licenses foreign vessels in joint ventures with Indian companies to fish in the deep seas. On February 6, the Murari Committee, constituted under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries a year ago to review the policy, recommended the cancellation of existing deep sea fishing licences and the scrapping of future permits and extensions. The 22 recommendations of the 41 member committee of bureaucrats, experts, politicians and representatives of fishworkers include: Those aimed directly at revoking the policy: - the immediate cancellation of all permits issued to fishing vessels operating under joint venture, charter, test or lease, subject to legal processes as may be required. - no renewal or extension for such vessels. - prohibition on deep sea vessels, or vessels exceeding 20 metres in length, exploiting coastal waters, but giving Indian vessels of this kind three years to move out. Those aimed at protecting and encouraging the small and medium scale indigenous fishery: - reservation of a distance of 50 nautical miles from the shore or a depth zone of less than 100 metres on the east coast and 100 natuical miles or less than 150 metres depth on the west coast exclusively for traditional fishermen and mechanised boats less than 20 metres in length. (This recommendation marks a sharp increase in the area reserved for small boats.) - enactment of deep sea fishing regulations by Parliament in consultation with the fishing community. - concessional financing for upgradation of technological skills and equipment used by traditional fishermen, medium sized mechanised boats and Indian deep sea fishing fleets. - provision of the same fuel subsidies and supplies currently being given to export oriented foreign vessels, to traditional and small mechanised vessels engaged in deep sea fishing for export. - training for fishermen and fisherwomen in handling new equipment, larger vessels and new fishing techniques. Those ensuring the sustainability of the fishery: - fixing of the permissible fleet size for different fishing grounds on the basis of the maximum sustainable yield and the need for conservation of the resources. - taking of effective steps to check effluents and sewage waste at points where it affects marine life adversely. Those addressing Govt fisheries management capabilities and infrastructure - - declaring fishing licences public documents and making them available for inspection in the office of the registered authority. - strengthening and technical upgradation of the coast guards to enable monitoring of violation of zone restrictions by indigenous vessels and poaching by foreign vessels. - bringing all aspects of marine fishery under one Ministry (currently four ministries deal with different aspects of the marine fisheries) and the setting up of a Fishery Authority of India to regulate all aspects of the fishery. - technological upgradation of the Fishery Survey of India to improve its ability to map species and the impact of technological and ecological changes. The National Fisheries Action Committee Against Joint Ventures which organised the strike is not entirely satisfied with the recommendations. They fear that making cancellation of licences subject to legal processes provides a loophole for the Government to avoid such cancellation, and they see no reason for Indian vessels to be given a three year grace period for withdrawal since, as far as competition with the traditional sector and depletion is concerned, it is the technology that is problematic, and not the ownership of the vessels. The dissent note submitted by their representative on the Committee suggests that legal impediments be removed by a change in the law if necessary. It also recommends the use of Optimum Social Yield (OSY) as a measure of sustainability rather than Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), the latter increasingly being recognised as allowing for overly optimistic targets, while the former represents a socially sustainable target. Finally, it recommends that fishery legislation be modelled after the 1995 UN Convention on Straddling Stocks which urges governments to protect the interests of artisanal and subsistence fisheries. The Government has up to six months to implement the recommendations. However, they are not binding upon it. To ensure implementation, the fishers have to continue to press the Government's hand. The NFACJV is planning to do this through state level conventions of concerned groups in the months to come. Each state committee of the NFACJV will send monthly telegrams to the Prime Minister demanding implementation. If the Government fails to implement all the recommendations within six months, the National Convenor of the NFACJV, Thomas Kocherry, will go on Indefinite Hunger Strike in Bombay beginnning 7th August. After four days of the hunger strike, an Indefinite Port and Harbour Blockade will begin all over India. The monthly telegrams may be an action outside supporters can also take up. The telegrams should be addressed to: The Prime Minister of India Parliament House New Delhi - 110011 India and should have the following text: IMPLEMENT ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE ON DEEP SEA FISHING POLICY OF THE GOI TOGETHER WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NFACJV. For anyone interested, I can send them the entire text of the recommendations and the dissent note. aparna sundar From adve@cs.rice.edu Mon Feb 19 13:38:11 1996 Received: from nacho.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 13:38:08 -0600; AA01694 Received: from cs.rice.edu by nacho.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 96 13:38:06 -0600 Received: (from adve@localhost) by cs.rice.edu (8.7.1/8.7.1) id NAA16744 for narmada@nacho.cs.wisc.edu; Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:38:05 -0600 (CST) From: Vikram Adve Message-Id: <199602191938.NAA16744@cs.rice.edu> Subject: CALL FOR ACTION! URGENT!-TRIBAL PROTEST IN INDIA-WRITE TO THE PM NOW (fwd) To: narmada@nacho.cs.wisc.edu (narmada) Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:38:05 -0600 (CST) X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL25] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Forwarded message: >From swa2@cornell.edu Mon Feb 19 12:47:39 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 13:45:19 -0500 (EST) From: Sanjay W Anand Subject: CALL FOR ACTION! URGENT!-TRIBAL PROTEST IN INDIA-WRITE TO THE PM NOW (fwd) To: adve@cs.rice.edu Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Mr. Adve, Thank you for posting the last message although I suppose it was a bit pre-mature. Here is one that gives more background and allows for some action with appropriate fax nos. and the like. My apologies for the trouble and for overlap. Sanjay Anand Dept. of Anthropology Cornell University ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Subject: CALL FOR ACTION! URGENT!-TRIBAL PROTEST IN INDIA-WRITE TO THE PM NOW ------------------------------------------------------------------------ URGENT!! CALL FOR ACTION!!! Friends, Most of us are aware of tribal peoples struggles in India only via the anti-dam struggles that have unfolded over the past two decades. However, the tribal peoples struggle is much broader and has a longer history. The struggle has entered a crucial phase now where tribals are agitating to ensure the implementation of many hard fought victories -- which the government is bent on stalling. Currently in Delhi the Bharat Jan Andolan (Indian Peoples Movement) has undertaken an indefinite hunger strike and needs our support. Attached below is a letter from the convener of Bharat Jan Andolan requesting for your support. To extend your support to the hunger strikers in Delhi and elsewhere in India SEND YOUR FAXES/LETTERS ASAP!!! to the Prime Minister of India. If you can afford to fax directly to Delhi please do so. Else send a fax addressed to the Prime Minister at the Indian Embassy in D.C. Also, please send an email to this account confirming your fax so that we can pass the information onto the Bharat Jan Andolan office in Delhi. 1. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, Prime Minister of India --- Fax: (011) 91 11 3013817 or 3019817 2. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, PM of India , c/o The Indian Embassy, D.C. --- Fax: 202-939-7027; 202-265-4351; Fax directly to the Ambassador: 202-483-3972. Attached below is the call for support from the Bharat Jan Andolan and a letter we drafted to the Prime Minister that you could use. Please modify it any way you want or write your own letter. The important thing is send a FAX. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15th. January 1996 Sub: Appeal for Support and Solidarity to Fasting Adivasis and their Supporters Dear Friend, Tribals (adivasi) representatives from all over the country have assembled in Delhi to begin an indefinite dharna from 15th February 1996 to demand extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments concerning Panchayati Raj to the Scheduled Areas in line with the recommendations of the Bhuriya Committee. And not without reason. In 1947, the tribal people of Independent India felt intensely betrayed. What they had fought and laid down their lives for nearly 18 decades was systematically subverted. The transfer of power from the Colonial Regime did not result in the resolution of the structural conflict between the community and the state apparatus resulting from the imposition of a formal administrative structure on a self governing people by the British administration. The Rulers had changed, their minions were the same. Azadi was won, Swaraj was denied. The Constitution tried to resolve this structural conflict through the arrangements provided in the Vth and VIth Schedules. These principles were accepted by the political executive and articulated by the first Prime Minister in his Policy of Panchsheel. But while the Governors refused to throw off the shackles of a colonial administrative structure, the President remained a silent spectator. History repeated itself, the tribals were twice betrayed in less than a decade. The situation remained unresolved, the contradictions sharpened, while legitimate aspirations were suppressed. In the wake of the avowed policy of the state to devolve authority to the people under the 73rd. and 74th. Amendments, Article 243(M) of the Constitution was introduced as a saving clause. In restraining the automatic extension of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Scheduled Areas without suitable modifications, a fresh attempt was being made to resolve the age old conflict. The Article enjoined on Parliament the duty to promulgate the legislation. The logic behind this article, we were given to understand, was that tribal societies, were, by and large, the last vestiges of community self governance and would be the first to re-activate the process of popular self-rule. The High Level Committee of tribal MPs under the Chairmanship of Dileepsingh Bhuriya MP, constituted to recommend suitable modifications for the new legislation, took up the responsibility to resolve the conflict between the community and the state apparatus and give it a concrete form in the context of the tribal area. The Committee submitted its report on 17 January 1995, an important benchmark in the history of democratic India as it brought within the scope of village governance, the stress on participatory democracy, community command over resources, management of conflict, administration of law and order, planning and implementation of development, accountability of the bureaucracy et alia. In short it provided the people the chance to govern their own lives and the space for the common man to intervene in the processes that shape his destiny. In the short history of the nation, this was the first time that an opportunity had arisen and we were excited to be at a historic moment when our intervention could make or unmake history. Hopes were raised only to be betrayed again. The High Courts of Hyderabad and Patna have declared the extension of the state Panchayati Acts to the Scheduled Areas unconstitutional, while the Bombay High Court has stayed its application. But both Parliament and the Government have remained strangely silent and somnolent on this vital issue. So much for the claim of the 'revolutionary character' of the 73rd. Amendment. The ensuing legal vacuum has denied the tribals the right to village self governance as envisaged in the Constitutional Amendment. It appeared that the tribals would be betrayed for the third time. It was time the tribal people undertook the challenge themselves. All over the country, tribals are agitating for the right to self rule and implementation of the Bhuriya Committee Report. The Civil Disobedience Movement is continuing since October 2nd 1995. But Parliament seems to be oblivious to their anxiety over the legal vacuum existing in the scheduled areas. On the other hand, while political parties are beginning preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, the issue of tribal self rule does not appear on their agenda. Tired of the Government's and Parliament's refusal to legislate in accordance with the recommendations of the Bhuriya Committee Report and to resolve the conflict and restore the patent rights to democratic self governance to the tribal people, the tribal leaders of the National Front for Tribal Self Rule have decided today on incisive action to bring the issue on the national agenda and force the politicians to sit up and take notice. Consensus was reached on 1. indefinite dharna to commence from 15th. February 1996 at Samta Sthal (near Raj Ghat, Delhi) 2. indefinite fast to follow immediately after two days. 3. indefinite solidarity fast by Dr.B.D. Sharma, Chairman of Bharat Jan Andolan, Adv. Pradip Prabhu, National Convener of Front and Dr. Vinayan, Gen. Secretary Bharat Jan Andolan and others 4. relay fasts and demonstrations in support of the fasting tribals in state capitals. We extend this appeal to you for support and solidarity to the fast of the tribal leaders. We would appreciate if you would: 1. Request your friends and contacts to send letters/telegrams/faxes to the PM and President "Demanding Promulgation of Legislation based on Bhuriya Committee Report" 2. Request your friends and contacts to join the fasting tribals in a solidarity chain fast. Please let us know your response at the office of the Front in Delhi: A-37, Nangli Rajapur, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013, Tel: 4643997. Thanking you. Yours in the struggle, Pradip Prabhu National Convener ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DRAFT LETTER FOR PRIME MINISTER ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17th February 1996 Dear Mr. Prime Minister, We write in condemnation of your government's passive and active blockage of the right to autonomy of the tribal peoples of India. Your and other State governments have not only tried to ignore the recommendations of the Bhuriya Commission which has developed concrete legislation for extending the provisions of the 73rd Amendment Act 1992 to the Scheduled Tribe Areas, but they have also, through the judiciary, deemed the 73rd Amendment unconstitutional. The tribal peoples of India, as elsewhere in the world, have always been sacrificed for the cause of the nation, and it is time that the nation accord them their constitutional guarantees in the interests of justice and democracy. The demands of the Bharat Jan Andolan are by no means unique in the present era, where similar struggles for autonomy and self-governance are being carried out in different parts of the world. Nor are these demands extraordinary given the long history of exploitation and oppression of tribal peoples by the government, bureaucracy and elites of the country. Everywhere, tribal and indigenous peoples are saying "Enough", that they will not tolerate anymore the social and economic injustices done to them. We are in solidarity with their struggle, and urge you to implement the Bhuriya Commission Report in its fullness immediately. Sincerely, xxxxx Once again the fax numbers for Prime Minister Rao are: 1. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, Prime Minister of India --- Fax: (011) 91 11 3013817 or 3019817 2. P.V. NARASIMHA RAO, PM of India , c/o The Indian Embassy, D.C. --- Fax: 202-939-7027; 202-265-4351; Fax directly to the Ambassador: 202-483-3972. For more information and updates contact Sanjay Anand at swa2@cornell.edu (607 - 253-5420) or Sangeeta Kamat at kamat@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (212-690-7145). From sen@eddy.me.utexas.edu Thu Feb 22 14:59:18 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Thu, 22 Feb 96 14:59:16 -0600; AA15210 Received: from cs.utexas.edu by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Thu, 22 Feb 96 14:59:13 -0600 Received: from eddy.me.utexas.edu (eddy.me.utexas.edu [128.83.157.57]) by cs.utexas.edu (8.7.1/8.7.1) with SMTP id OAA00823 for ; Thu, 22 Feb 1996 14:59:05 -0600 (CST) Date: Thu, 22 Feb 96 14:48:41 CST From: sen@eddy.me.utexas.edu (Basav Sen) Posted-Date: Thu, 22 Feb 96 14:48:41 CST Message-Id: <9602222148.AA10215@eddy.me.utexas.edu> Received: by eddy.me.utexas.edu (5.52/5.51) id AA10215; Thu, 22 Feb 96 14:48:41 CST Apparently-To: narmada@cs.wisc.edu Hi all (Especially any list manager types out there!) I got the same message 6 times today- what's going on? Just wonderin' -B From evb@access.ch Fri Feb 23 22:58:18 1996 Received: from lucy.cs.wisc.edu by sea.cs.wisc.edu; Fri, 23 Feb 96 22:58:11 -0600; AA18538 Received: from cdp.igc.apc.org by lucy.cs.wisc.edu; Fri, 23 Feb 96 22:58:07 -0600 Received: from igc3.igc.apc.org (igc3.igc.apc.org [192.82.108.33]) by cdp.igc.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.215 ) with SMTP id UAA21115; Fri, 23 Feb 1996 20:37:13 -0800 Received: from [198.94.4.27] (patrick@ppp4-27.igc.org [198.94.4.27]) by igc3.igc.apc.org (8.6.12/Revision: 1.9 ) with SMTP id UAA16719; Fri, 23 Feb 1996 20:36:52 -0800 Message-Id: <199602240436.UAA16719@igc3.igc.apc.org> X-Sender: patrick@pop.igc.apc.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Fri, 23 Feb 1996 20:38:44 -0700 To: narmada@lucy.cs.wisc.edu, pchatterjee@igc.apc.org (Pratap Chatterjee), akothari@unv.ernet.in, appa@vax.lse.ac.uk, anandp@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in, L.Mehta@sussex.ac.uk, bittu@ecologist.ilbom.ernet.in, kamal@imsc.ernet.in, 0005614754@mcimail.com, educserv@sojourn.com, gautam@qchem.kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp, fv016@cleveland.freenet.edu, narmada@lucy.cs.wisc.edu, ashah@dc.asce.org, budaraju@luther.che.wisc.edu, srrajan@violet.berkeley.edu (Ravi Rajan), jvaidya@netcom.com, johna@uclink2.berkeley.edu, alau@sirius.com, anitapd@aol.com, mdharmaw@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca, barot@violet.berkeley.edu, sudayagi@nature.berkeley.edu, jagdish@igc.apc.org, twn@unv.ernet.in, AniD@aol.com, sw7153a@american.edu (Shashikla Warrier), morarjik@elwha.evergreen.edu (Karuna Morarji) From: evb@access.ch (Erklaerung von Bern) (by way of patrick@irn.org (Patrick McCully)) Subject: ADB assistance to Gujarat Sender: patrick@igc.org Dear friends, You have all been informed by Shripad Dharmadikary about the alarming news of a possible large program loan from ADB for the government of Gujarat. Attached is a letter which we just sent to the ADB. Feel free to adapt and use it. (Hermann Escher is the Swiss representative at the ADB, so you obviously would want to replace him with your own representative.) Regards, Peter Bosshard (Attachment) Mr. Yoshihiro Iwasaki Acting Program Manager India Division Asian Development Bank P.O. Box 789 0980 Manila, Philippines February 23, 1996 Re: Assistance to the Government of Gujarat Dear Mr. Iwasaki, The Berne Declaration is a public-interest group with 18,000 individual members. Through research, popular education and advocacy work it has supported more equitable relations between Switzerland and the countries of the South for more than 25 years. Monitoring the activities of of multilateral development banks is one of its current program activities. Please find enclosed a (German) booklet on the role of the regional development banks which it published in 1995. The Berne Declaration has for many years monitored the development of the Sardar Sarovar project in India. It is the Swiss representative of the international Narmada Action Committee. I personally had the chance to visit the project area in February 1993. According to the of January 21, 1996, the Asian Development Bank recently announced a massive aid package to the State of Gujarat. According to the newspaper, the package is supposed to amount to over 35 billion rupees, or close to 1 billion dollars. It is supposed to support the energy sector, the state budget at large, and infrastructure development in Gujarat. You will be aware that the Sardar Sarovar project is the biggest single item in the state budget (with about 100 million dollar in the current budget), and is also the single biggest infrastructure project in Gujarat. Any program assistance to the government of Gujarat will necessarily support the further execution of the Sardar Sarovar project. The severe social and environmental impacts of this project have been widely documented, and have aroused strong opposition from mass movements and NGOs both in India and internationally. Reportedly, a recent confidential report to the government of Gujarat also concluded that Sardar Sarovar was "not a financially viable project". The Berne Declaration has been encouraged by the recent efforts of the ADB to strengthen the sustainability of its project portfolio, and to intensify the dialogue with the NGO community. ADB President Mr. Sato stressed the "integration of environmental and social dimensions into (the Bank's) programs and projects" and the "need for a closer focus on people" in his letter to the Freedom from Debt Coalition (representing a large coalition of Asian NGOs) of July 25, 1995. We believe that any direct or indirect support for the Sardar Sarovar project would not be compatible with such a commitment. ADB assistance to the Sardar Sarovar project, which is a symbol of the dark winter of development projects, would be a sad irony especially after the Bank's "spring cleaning" efforts. We therefore wish to express our deep concern about the possibility of direct or indirect support of the ADB to the Sardar Sarovar project. At this stage, we would like to ask you for more information on the following questions: Can you confirm the abovementioned report in the "Indian Express"? What is the size of the respective project? Will it be funded from ADB or ADF resources? Has the project been appraised yet? When will it be presented to the Executive Board? Thank you for your attention to our concerns. We look forward to your early reply. Sincerely yours, Peter Bosshard Berne Declaration cc: Mr. Hermann Escher, Alternate Executive Director, ADB