Decision Maker
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides monetary assistance to developing countries to help improve their economies and reduce poverty. It offers financial products and policy advice to help countries overcome challenges and achieve sustainable development. The World Bank consists of two institutions, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Its initiatives range from building essential infrastructure, enhancing human capital, to supporting environmental sustainability. The World Bank works to accomplish its mission through partnerships with stakeholders, such as governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
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World Bank, Lebanese Government, Ministry of Energy and Water, Council for Development and Reconstruction
English /عربي
The Bisri Valley in Lebanon is threatened by a World Bank-funded dam project that is proven costly, inefficient and harmful. If implemented, the project will destroy 6 million square meters of natural areas and agricultural lands, and will result in the dismantling of more than 50 historical sites. Additionally, the dam is planned to be built on an active seismic fault, posing risks of reservoir-induced earthquakes.
Instead of addressing water problems with affordable solutions by allocating financial resources to sustainable water management, the government is taking a 600 million dollar loan to build the destructive, land-greedy Bisri Dam to convey water to the Greater Beirut Area. And on top of the violations of the Lebanese regulations, the project does not comply with the World Bank’s goals of fighting poverty, mitigating Climate Change and promoting sustainable development.
We ask the World Bank to withdraw its financial support for the Bisri Dam. We also ask the Lebanese government to abort the project and adopt sustainable water management solutions instead.#SaveTheBisriValley(You can find below more details about the project's harms and alternatives)
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REASONS TO STOP THE BISRI DAM:
1. Threats to Natural Habitats
The Bisri Valley is considered one of the most important Landscapes in Lebanon, according to the National Physical Master Plan of the Lebanese Territory (2005). The valley encompasses a variety of natural habitats including a distinctive pine forest. With its widespread shallow water, the valley is an important habitat for migratory birds, especially the Black Stork, the Sparrow White, the Crane, the White Swan, the White Pelican (all protected by the AEWA Agreement signed by Lebanon) and the Dalmatian Pelican (Near Threatened species according to IUCN).
2. Threats to Cultural Heritage
This valley is abundant with historical sites (83 sites upstream and 29 downstream) that date back to the Bronze Age, the Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Mameluke and Ottoman Periods. Studies conducted by local and international survey teams (University of Warsaw, Lebanese University, and others) confirmed the exceptional historic value of the valley. The historical remains include: a Roman temple, bridges, tombs, a historical church, a convent, traditional houses and others.
3. Threats to Agriculture and local economy
Agricultural activities are prevalent throughout the area of the Bisri Reservoir, upstream and downstream, and on the adjacent hillsides. They include fruit orchards and open fields variously tilled, cropped, lying fallow or under poly-tunnels. Around 57% of the impacted area holds a productive agricultural activity, with an estimated 125 million USD of annual revenue.There is a perfect harmony between the local community and its natural environment.
4. Threats to SafetyThe Bisri dam and corresponding lake will directly overly a major active fault, the Bisri Fault, which can pose a serious problem from the seismic point of view.According to experts, the dam’s water infiltration into the subsurface is inevitable and will naturally induce a seismic activity. Geologists say that the Roum Fault - Bisri Fault intersection is probably the source of the destructive 1956’s earthquake, and that any future change of the delicate stress regimes around these faults can lead to a swarm of seismic activity that cannot be predicted neither in extent nor in magnitude. The weight of the water column of the future lake can have similar effects as well.
5. Better Alternatives Exist...The National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) recommended the consideration of alternative solutions for the transport of fresh water to Beirut, given the fact that the Mount-Lebanon area is dominated with karstic rock formations that are subject to unavoidable water infiltration. Similarly, The Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Water Sector Strategy recommended the scaling-back of the dams’ program considering its social, economic, and environmental constraints. It recommended the adoption of alternative solutions. ALTERNATIVES INCLUDE:1 - Fixing networks' physical failures: More than 40% of the water currently provided to Beirut is lost through uncontrolled leakage (the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, 2014)2 - Reforming the Groundwater sector: According to the Assessment of Groundwater Resources of Lebanon (UNDP 2014), natural groundwater recharge amounts to 53% of the total renewable water resources. The assessment confirms that most of the groundwater basins are not under stress. They are however subject to corruption and mismanagement. The government must control and monitor wells, establish groundwater protection zones, adopt a polluter-pays principle, implement Groundwater Artificial Recharge and Aquifer Storage and Recovery, etc.3 - Investing in submarine springs: The Strategic Environmental Assessment for the New Water Sector Strategy for Lebanon (2015) proposed submarine springs as a viable option to consider. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of some of these springs have already been conducted by the National Centre for Scientific Research in Lebanon (CNRS) and yielded very positive results. An estimated 650 Mm3/yr of fresh water (6 times the capacity of the Bisri Dam) can help ensure water security for many years to come.4 - Investing in Nature-Based Solutions for Water: The United Nations World Water Development Report (2018) made it clear that nature-based solutions, as opposed to dams, are essential to meet the Goal 6 of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report emphasized on the need for water management solutions that deliver co-benefits such as ensuring food security, reducing disaster risks, and boosting decent work. The report provided clear evidence that the costs of nature-based solutions can compare favorably with alternative grey-infrastructure options. ---Documents:- The Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Water Sector Strategy (MoEW 2014): https://bit.ly/2qXxLpu- Nature-Based Solutions for Water (UNESCO 2018): https://bit.ly/2HTF1cF- Assessment of Groundwater Resources of Lebanon (UNDP 2014): https://bit.ly/2KM7Mhq- Beyond Dams: Options and Alternatives (American Rivers and International Rivers 2004): https://bit.ly/2FkH1KvRead more
Roland NassourBeirut, Lebanon
141,691
11/19/18
United Nations, World Bank, European Commission
Lebanon is in an extremely urgent and dangerous humanitarian crisis. Its government is failing its people. Besides the direct damages from the deadly August 4th explosion that displaced 300k people, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is plunging into an internal economic and humanitarian downfall.
People have no access to electricity for most hours of the day. Which means businesses cannot operate, and neither can hospitals. The food people buy at prices they can no longer afford has to be thrown out, because they can't store it in their fridges.
There is no more fuel to power cars for people to get around, or to operate generators.
There is an extreme shortage of basic medicine in pharmacies and hospitals because of the inability to import anything from abroad.
People cannot access the money they have in banks because banks have illegally seized people's savings. The value of the Lebanese pound has deteriorated and has lost 90% from its price 2 years ago, while prices are rising. More and more Lebanese people are not able to feed themselves.
Politicians have failed to take any accountability for the situation the country is in today, and for the explosion that could have been avoided. They have failed to form a government or make any reform that can relieve people’s living conditions. Where the country is today is the fruit of +40 years of political incompetence and corruption. Today, this leads us to declare that Lebanon is a failed state.
According to the World Bank, Lebanon’s economic crisis could be among the top 3 most severe crises globally since the 1850s. And it’s getting worse by the day.
We demand that Lebanon be urgently placed under the guardianship of an international humanitarian task force under the aegis of the United Nations and the World Bank to respond to the current emergencies of the population in the face of drug shortages and allow development and access to water, electricity, sanitation and basic human needs. This task force should work hand in hand with the initiatives taken by civil society and local/international NGOs. It will therefore be up to to this task force and its partners to guarantee the holding of legislative, municipal and presidential elections on time.
Photo credit: Rami Rizk.Read more
Youmna ChamchamCypress, CA, United States
107,949
8/14/21
United Nations, World Bank, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, South Sudan President Salva Kiir
Peter Biar Ajak was arrested in South Sudan on July 28, 2018. He is a youth advocate for peace and a friend and inspiration to many who know him around the world. He has been held without charge for more than six months at the notorious South Sudanese prison known as the ‘Blue House’ – and he hasn’t seen his wife, children, and lawyers for months. His friends at universities, human rights institutions, media organizations and others around the world are calling for his release. Just recently, Peter’s international human rights lawyer has petitioned the United Nations to take action.
The huge international outcry for Peter’s release has been noticed by key people in South Sudan’s government, especially President Salva Kiir. But more pressure is needed to show South Sudan government that the best option it has is to immediately release Peter – not just for Peter’s sake, but for the sake of South Sudan’s peace implementation.
Peter’s arrest comes amid a worrying trend in arbitrary detentions due to a crackdown on freedom of expression by the South Sudanese government. Amnesty International reports numerous recent arrests without charges. This goes against South Sudan’s constitution which states no one can be held without charge for more than 24 hours.
Peter was one of ‘the Lost Boys of South Sudan’. Displaced during the war when he was young, he lived in refugee camps before being taken to the United States by humanitarian charities. Once in the US he learnt English and studied hard, securing a place at La Salle University, then completed a masters at Harvard before studying for a PhD at Cambridge University in the UK. His inspirational story was recognised when he became an Atlantic Council Millennium Fellow and Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow. In June, Peter was awarded the Crans Montana Forum’s New Leader for Tomorrow Award by H. E. Moussa Traoré, former President of Mali.
Peter has always kept his focus on South Sudan and his hope for a peaceful future for his country. He has worked in think tanks, his national government and institutions working for development and peace. He has dedicated himself to creating opportunities for dialogue among South Sudanese youth, running wrestling tournaments across the country to bring young people together and to celebrate South Sudan's unique culture. He founded the South Sudan Young Leaders Forum (SSYLF) bringing together young leaders, both men and women, from across ethnicities and politics to encourage youth throughout the countryside to embrace peaceful dialogue.
Peter’s leadership was tested when prisoners took up armed protest on October 7, 2018, at the ‘Blue House’ were Peter is being held. The standoff was peacefully resolved because of Peter’s initiative to negotiate with the government officials and to convince the armed prisoners to surrender their guns, which saved a lot of lives.
Since Peter’s arrest, there has been amazing support from friends he has made around the world. His detention serves to highlight the systematic abuse and arbitrary detention of innocent people in South Sudan who do not have the same platforms, connections and international support as Peter.
Peter has a wife and two young children. We are asking for him to be released and allowed home to his family.Read more
Linda JamesWashington, DC, United States
99,588
7/29/18
United Nations, World Bank, World Health Organisation
The Situation that is being seen in Syria is very very very Inhuman stuff,heart breaking and something that can pinch anyone to the core.We have seen many many pictures of Syrian Crisis that has made us cry instantly.This petition is to seek help from various leaders of the world,the United Nations,The WHO,The world bank,the billionares to spare a thought and come forward to rebuild Syria and also restore the peace out there.THIS WOULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT BECAUSE IF VARIOUS LEADERS AND ORGANISATIONS COME FORWARD AND ARE ABLE TO REBUILD SYRIA,HUMANITY WOULD CLEARLY BE PRESERVED AND WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA IN SMILING Read more
roshan vmHyderabad, India
94,521
2/27/18
Human Rights Campaign, United States Department of Health and Human Services, World Bank, Dan Ahlers, Papa Francesco Bergoglio, Michelle Obama, Michael F. Bennet, Bernie Sanders, Red Por la Infanci...
What I will like to achieve with this petition is a: final recognitions for those left out and behind in Syria, and for that is the, I need you to focus and believe it can only do good on those kids in Idlib, Aleppo, Homs in Syria. Save, help, call, do anything for the one who is still breathing, please, I feel is my obligation to ask for help. It should be yours too. I am putting myself in the situation, and I can't imagine my family under the rubbles, thus my only purpose in doing this is to finally help them, the kids in Syria, at the war zones. DO ANYTHING PLEASE, IT WILL BE OF HELP.- If we could all do a few sacrifices, the world is looking away different today.Please do help me to help them and to organize a humanitarian chain so they don't feel alone, and believe they still have a chance to win a decent life. PLEASE SHARE AND THINK ABOUT IT. SYRIA NEEDS YOUHELP ME TO HELP THEM SIGN IN AND SHARE
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Maria Yolanda GARCIA OlavePanamá, Panamá
75,911
8/22/19
United States Fish & Wildlife Service, International Primatological Society, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, African Wildlife Federation, Freeland, WildAid, Conservation Interna...
Hallo, mein Name ist Jane Goodall und ich möchte Sie um Ihre Unterstützung bitten, den illegalen Handel mit Wildtieren zu beenden. Ich verbringe jedes Jahr rund 300 Tage auf Reisen und spreche mit Menschen darüber, wie wir den Tieren am besten helfen können. Aber ich weiß, dass die Kraft der sozialen Medien sehr viel mehr Menschen sehr viel schneller vernetzen kann, als es eine einzelne Person zu tun vermag. Bitte helfen Sie mir den illegalen Handel mit Wildtieren zu beenden.
Gier und das Verlangen nach zunehmend seltener werdenden “Trophäen” lassen den illegalen Handel mit wildlebenden Tieren boomen. Dieser grausame Handel treibt die gefährdeten Arten dieser Welt rasant auf ihre Auslöschung zu. Ich treffe in diesem Jahr mit einigen der führenden Vertreter von Artenschutzorganisationen zusammen und ich brauche dringend Ihre Unterstützung, um ihnen deutlich zu machen, dass es Ihr Wunsch ist, dass die internationale Gemeinschaft den illegalen Handel mit Wildtieren mit höchster Priorität behandeln muss.
Meine Kollegen und ich vom Jane Goodall Institut haben die schrecklichen Wunden gesehen, die den Opfern durch Wilderei zugefügt wurden. Wir wissen als Vertreter einer gemeinnützigen Artenschutzorganisation, die gemeinsam mit großen internationalen Partnern in vielen afrikanischen Ländern vor Ort zusammenarbeitet, dass die Abschlachtung dieser wunderbaren Tiere grausam und unentschuldbar ist. Wir haben auch den heroischen Einsatz von Rangern unter Verlust ihres Lebens gesehen, die die Tiere gegen Wilderer verteidigt haben: wir dürfen nicht zulassen, dass ihr Tod umsonst war.
In unserem Tchimpounga Schimpansen Rehabilitationszentrum sehen wir Affen, die durch tödliche Schnappfallen verstümmelt wurden, Affen, die an Schusswunden leiden und Schimpansen im Kindesalter, die ihren Müttern entrissen wurden, nachdem diese von Wilderern erschossen wurden. Sie werden auf Märkten angeboten, wo Menschen illegal Schimpansenfleisch kaufen können.
Die kleinen Schimpansen kommen oft mit schweren Verletzungen zu uns, sind sehr krank und leiden an schweren psychologischen Störungen, die vielleicht nie mehr heilen werden. Und trotzdem gehören sie zu denen, die Glück gehabt haben. Die Kleinen, die es nicht bis Tchimpounga schaffen, werden oft im illegalen Handel für exotische Haustiere oder für den Unterhaltungssektor verkauft, wo ihr Schicksal ein kurzes, einsames Leben voller Schmerz und Misshandlung ist.
Dies ist kein einfaches Thema und voller Beispiele dafür, was der Druck der Armut, fehlende Möglichkeiten des Vollzugs von Schutzrechten, staatliche Korruption und die unreflektierte Nachfrage nach wildlebenden Tieren oder deren Produkten durch Konsumenten in aller Welt anzurichten imstande sind. Der unmenschliche Brauch, in das natürliche Habitat von geschützten Tieren einzudringen um sie zu fangen oder zu töten, um bestimmte Teile zu verwerten, zerstört die kostbarsten Arten unserer Erde, und er muss aufhören.
Die Fakten, die die Dringlichkeit dieser Krise verdeutlichen:
35.000 Elefanten werden jedes Jahr für ihr Elfenbein getötet.
Die Wilderei von Nashörnern ist zwischen 2007-2014 um 9.000% gestiegen.
73 Millionen Haie werden jedes Jahr ihrer Flossen wegen getötet.
Eine Studie von 2014 zeigte, dass es wahrscheinlich nur noch 3.200 wilde Tiger in Asien gibt.
Jährlich werden 3.000 Menschenaffen (auch Schimpansen) illegal getötet oder aus der Wildnis gestohlen.
Diese Zahlen sind Schätzungen, die auf Populationsgrößen basieren, die es nicht einmal mehr gibt, denn jährlich sind es weniger und weniger Tiere, die überhaupt gejagt werden können.
Das Jane Goodall Institut hat nun die großangelegte Jane’s Traffic Stop Kampagne gestartet, um diesen Handel zu beenden. Bitte seien Sie ein Teil davon! Es ist unsere Hoffnung, dass wir einen Beitrag leisten werden, der Wilderei endgültig ein Ende zu setzen, indem wir eine riesige Gemeinschaft von Unterstützerinnen und Unterstützern in den sozialen Medien aufbauen, die im Kampf gegen die Gewalt kontinuierlich die Entscheidungsträger in die Verantwortung nehmen.
Ich glaube fest daran, dass wir - vom majestätischen Elefanten bis hin zum kleinsten Schmetterling – vom Aussterben bedrohte und gefährdete Arten wertschätzen und zelebrieren sollten, damit sie in Ruhe leben können... wild und frei.
Das kann nicht eine Person allein erreichen. Und wir brauchen Unterstützung. Diese Bewegung braucht Sie!
Erheben Sie sich gegen den Handel mit wildlebenden Tieren, indem Sie diese Petition zeichnen und so Ihre Unterstützung zeigen. Und helfen Sie mir dabei diese hoffnungsvolle Botschaft weiterzuverbreiten und z.B. an die IUCN beim World Conservation Congress, an die International Primatological Society auf ihrem zweijährlichen Kongress und vor allem an CITES bei der CoP17 Konferenz in South Africa im September diesen Jahres, zu überbringen.
Wir müssen der Welt erzählen, dass wilde Tiere nicht auf der Erde sind, um bis zu ihrer Auslöschung gejagt zu werden und stückweise als Beute oder Trophäen verkauft zu werden. Wir dürfen das Geschäft mit der Wilderei nicht unterstützen, wir müssen bewusster einkaufen und es vermeiden, illegale Tierprodukte zu kaufen oder Unternehmen zu unterstützen, die das tun. Jeder und jede von uns ist nur eine Stimme in dem Kampf um die Beendigung der Wilderei, aber wenn Sie mir alle kollektiv beistehen und Ihre Stimme erheben, dann wird unsere Botschaft unmöglich zu überhören sein.
Ich werde eng mit unseren Partnern zusammenarbeiten, um sicherzustellen, dass die Unterschriften dieser Petition weiteren Druck und Erfolg in diese internationale Bewegung bringen, um die Wildtiere zu retten. Unterschreiben Sie jetzt diese Petition und werden Sie Teil meiner Kampagne. Wir werden Sie mit Informationen über weitere Aktionen in den kommenden Wochen und Monaten auf dem Laufenden halten.
Ich danke Ihnen.
-Dr. Jane Goodall
www.janegoodall.deRead more
Jane GoodallUnited States
319,429
8/25/16
United Nations, Council of the European Union, World Bank
Government policing free speech is never a good sign. It represents a descent into anarchy, autocracy, dictatorship and all the other kinds of ideologies that have always been associated with creating bad conditions where the human rights of citizens is trampled upon without having the ability to speak up against it which makes us less human.
Recently the National Assembly of Nigeria started discussing a bill which they called Protection from Online Falsehoods & Manipulation. This bill is merely masquerading itself with the facade of a bill that would protect the rights of citizens to not be maligned intentionally online, when in fact it is a ploy by the Nigerian government to introduce a bill that will make it possible for them to legally arrest and prosecute outspoken dissenters. A real analysis of this bill shows it was plagiarized off the government of Singapore which ranks 151/180 in the World Press freedom index.
Combine this with the government's penchant for disregard of the Rule of Law and violation of court orders and we have a situation whereby citizens can be whisked away at the wish of the government for expressing their displeasure with any of its actions or policies. This is unacceptable.
The Nigerian government has always feared international backlash and to an extent, this has helped keep it at bay when it comes to issues regarding mass violations of the human rights of its citizens.
It once sponsored a smear campaign against AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL because they represented a mouth piece for those whose rights were continually trampled upon by different agencies of the government. Simply put, the government hates anyone and anything speaking up against it.
We have also recently witnessed a string of arrests of journalists and protesters including but not limited to Agba Jalingo, Omoyele Sowore, Olawole Bakare, Ibrahim Dan-Halilu, Samuel Ogundipe, Jones Abiri. Numerous unarmed protesters have been met with lethal force by the police and other security services who should protect the rights of individuals instead.
When we look at the full picture, as will be compounded by the citizens inability to express their dissatisfaction with the government if the bill is signed into law, this will create an authoritarian environment which is a danger to our basic human right as citizens of a democratic nation. A democracy well won and fought for with the blood of our heroes who died so we might have the same rights that the government is now attempting to take away.
We must all come together to reject this abhorrent bill. It is inimical to our safety and right to Freedom of Speech which is guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 Article 19 and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states that "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Our rights to free speech is non-negotiable.
#SayNoToSocialMediaBill Read more
Youths Lead NowNigeria
45,310
11/22/19
World Bank, European Parliament, International Criminal Court, United Nations, the federal government of Uganda, International Monetary Fund
Uganda is set for general elections early next year. After 35 years of ruling, the incumbent President Museveni is contesting for a 5th term in office. President Museveni took power in 1986 in a military coup. Since then Uganda has been under military rule and besides everything else wrong going on in Uganda, the government has been using the police and army to arrest, kidnap, torture and kill its citizen especially those with opposing views to the President. In the coming elections, the level of violence has increased immensely, Ugandans demand the brutality to end and allow a free and fair general election.
The world will never respect Africa. Our brothers and sisters are being killed all because they want their basic human rights. The government cannot get away with this.
All of this because people want change?? It’s not fair but we are not powerless. We have the power to change this! Every little helps! So even if its just sharing the hashtag or spreading awareness, use your power to help someone who needs you. Please don’t be silent, all this pain and suffering our people are experiencing should not be for nothing.
#ENDPOLICEBRUTALITYINUGANDA.
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1Kakembo .London, United Kingdom
43,640
11/18/20
United Nations Security Council, United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Facebook, Google, Inc, Google, Twitter, Inc, Twitter, Council of the European Union, Amnesty International,...
In Libya, African migrants are being sold as slaves. This has been infamously confirmed by a CNN undercover investigation in November 2017. The migrants undergo horrible conditions. Sanogo, a 22-year-old migrant from Ivory Coast, said, “we were captured and locked in a small room with 60 other people." He added that they were "not able to wash." He recounted, "they hit you all the time, especially if you're big like me, until the blood flows—with sticks, metal, the butt of a gun." Maxime Ndong, a Cameroonian migrant who spent eight months in Libya, reported, "if you resist, they shoot at you. There have been deaths."
Slavery is contrary to human decency. This must cease immediately and we are calling out to all of humanity to sign this petition in hopes that those in positions of authority, power, or influence will do everything they can to put an end to this barbaric practice.
Aside from signing, please share this petition with your family, friends and followers. And kindly include the following hashtags: #StopSlaveryinLibya #AbolishSlavery
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Sandra NyanchokaLos Angeles, CA, United States
37,387
11/23/17
World Bank, Supreme Court of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest And Climate Change
Dear sir / madam
The farmers and daily wage earners of Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Thiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram, districts of Tamilnadu, India who are in deep distress and anguish due to the proposal of the Tamilnadu government state and national highways department of the Government of Tamilnadu to lay a eight lane green field highway up to a distance of 274 kilometres between Salem and Chennai.
The entire region is an agricultural and ecologically sensitive zone with Eastern Ghats, thousands of water bodies like ponds, small dams, catchment areas, and 10000 s of wells and bore wells used for irrigation. What is baffling is the alignment proposed by the highways department of the state of Tamilnadu ignores the existing two historical highways from Salem to Chennai which can be converted to 8 lane highways with minimum loss of livelihoods, and protect the environment. The existing Salem Ulunderpettai, Chengelpet, Chennai or Salem Dharmapuri, Vellore, Sriperumbedur, Chennai high way or both can be expanded. In fact land has been acquired in advance and lying idle.
Thousands of poor livestock keepers, daily wage earners and farmers will be rendered homeless and loss of livelihoods, not to mention the colossal loss to biodiversity. In the era of climate change and raising temperatures when eco sensitive nations around the world are working in conserving their precious biological resources the bizarre proposal smacks of nepotism and a illogical move. There has been no stake holder consultation which is mandatory under the law of India and the international United Nations Convention to which India is a signatory.
A green field project of this magnitude should have an environmental impact assessment which is also mandatory under national and international funding norms. Without any consultation or environmental impact assessment suddenly now the officials have taken it up and say it will be implemented come what may. We request you to stop funding this project as it is an anti people, anti environment proposal by the government of Tamilnadu.
In the last month alone, the state police have harassed land owners along the alignment of the proposed highway. They have been warned against associating with people opposed to the project or entertaining any opinions critical of the project. Social activists like Piyush Manush and Valarmathi and cine artist Mansoor Ali Khan have been arrested for opposing the project and for highlighting the dangers posed by it. On June 20, a hall meeting organised for farmers by the All India Kisan Sabha in Thiruvannamalai was disrupted by the police. Scores of organisers were arbitrarily taken to the police station for questioning and later released. Barricades were put up to prevent farmers from reachIn the meeting hall. The police have become the only public face of the government. We are wondering if we live in a democratically governed country or a banana republic.
A social assessment is expected to evaluate the social risks of the project in terms of its social impacts and its acceptability among the project-affected persons. Public consultation is paramount to a robust assessment.Indeed, for the 8-lane Highway, the PFR prepared by Feedback Infra Pvt Ltd notes that the scope of work includes: “Public consultation, including consultation with communities located along the road, NGOs working in the area, other stakeholders and relevant government departments at all the different stages of assignment (such as inception, feasibility, prelim The Feasibility Report falsely states that public consultations have been carried out at the village level, including with potential land-losers like myself, and at the district level, as part of the Social Impact Assessment. No data about the consultations, such as the date of consultation or the names of villages where such consultations happened, have been provided.
Neither farmers nor farm workers in the village have never been approached, leave alone consulted, about our response to the project. Had they done so, our objection to the project and the grounds for the same would have reflected in their project report.
Secondly the loss to environment due to the felling of millions of trees in the entire 270 kilometre stretch will be tremendous. The loss to biodiversity and the flora and fauna will have a big impact on the region. Already the world is suffering from the effects of climate change. World Bank should not add to the loss of biodiversity which leads to climate change. The entire stretchOf the canal has lakhs of trees, more than 200 documented varieties of birds which will be lost.
This will also lead to World Bank going against the basic tenets of the United Nations Convention on biological diversity (UNCBD) and United Nations Convention to combat desertification ( UNCCD).We request upon the world bank to call for a independent assessment of the proposal plus prior informed consent and independent opinion seeking from the ryots ,farmers, concernedBeneficiaries and stake holders. Please make sure advertisements are issued in major news papers and opinion called for under a judicial protection involving the three justices of the high court.
The United Nations SDG – Sustainable Development Goals namely
The 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to transform our world:GOAL 1: No PovertyGOAL 2: Zero HungerGOAL 3: Good Health and Well-beingGOAL 4: Quality EducationGOAL 5: Gender EqualityGOAL 6: Clean Water and SanitationGOAL 7: Affordable and Clean EnergyGOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic GrowthGOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureGOAL 10: Reduced InequalityGOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesGOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGOAL 13: Climate ActionGOAL 14: Life below WaterGOAL 15: Life on LandGOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong InstitutionsGOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
Above mentioned UN goals would be impaired by the proposed Salem highway proposal. It would go against the SDG proposed by the United Nations for the betterment of humanity as a whole. The proposal will be directly against the goals marked in yellow.
We hope for justice to prevail in this important livelihood threatening issue of more than half million people directly and indirectly.
Best wishes and sincere regards
Yours sincerely
Karthikeya Sivasenapathy27 06 2018
Ex. Member of the board, Tamilnadu Agricultural University, CoimbatoreManaging Trustee, Senaapathy Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation, an organisation working on in situ conservation of livestock, livelihoods, social justice and environment.Part of the Nagoya Protocol, CoP 10, UNCBD, Nagoya, Japan, 2010.
C.C.
To The Chief Justice of IndiaHonourable Supreme CourtTilak Marg, New Delhi - 110201supremecourt@nic.in
ToMr.C.K.MishraThe Principal SecretaryMinistry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.Indira Parvayaran BhawanJor Bagh, New Delhi-110003
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Mathan Kumar KumaresanIndia
29,816
6/27/18