July 26: "Save the Mangroves" day

RedManglar, The Mangrove Network of Latin America, has agreed on a plan of global action to be taken by fisherfolk and NGOs on July 26th, 2003 which has been designated "Salvemos al Manglar", or "Save the Mangroves". There is not much time to organize big events, but can you please help organize something in your areas to show solidarity with our Latin American friends?

The event involves a global protest called for by Latin American NGOs and fisherfolk during the recent In the Hands of the Fishers (IHOF) Workshop held in Fortaleza, Brazil last month. The idea is for each coastal region to stage a protest against shrimp farming and for mangrove conservation by forming small flotillas of fishing boats in the bays and estuaries near the cities and towns where shrimp farming and mangrove loss are problems. The flotillas would involve banners held from the boats and public talks by various speakers/organizers who will draw attention to the problems locally, as well as problems experienced worldwide due to continued expansion of unsustainable industrial shrimp farming. This protest would reach the local and hopefully international media, and will not cost much because it will be locally organized but internationally connected via our various active networks.

Apologizes for this late announcement, but could only announce this today because only yesterday was there confirmation that July 26th was moving forward in Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and Ecuador. We do hope that you can help us prove the power of our networking by acting in short notice to join us in support of this important call for action!

Please contact MAP if you will organize something related to this date, July 26th. If we can announce similar events planned along the Asian ad African coasts, so much the better! Perhaps we can get something going in the US, Canada and Europe around this issue?

Please send a message to mangroveap@olympus.net if you can help organize something to coincide with the actions planned in Latin America.

Please find more information (in Spanish) at :
Campaña "SALVEMOS AL MANGLAR"
Coordinadora Nacional para la Defensa del Manglar - Ecuador
http://www.galeon.com/salvemosalmanglar/docs/archivos/index.htm

Source: CEE Bankwatch Network/Friends of the Earth International
Date: July 4

Below is a letter to the EIB President Maystadt drafted by German organisation Urgewald on the issue of new project for a huge pulp mill in Brazilian state of Bahia.

The EIB is already financing there a huge eucaliptus plantation. The letter urges the EIB not to finance the project (pulp mill) due to huge environmental and social impacts.

Please send your name and organisation to lydia@urgewald.de the latest at July 22 if you believe you'd like to sign the letter on behalf of your organisation.

President Philippe Maystadt p
maystadt@eib.org
fax: +352 43 79 44 74 100
boulevard Konrad Adenauer
L-2950 Luxembourg

Dear Mr. Maystadt,

The undersigning NGOs are very concerned about the possible EIB funding of the Veracel pulp mill in the Brazilian state of Bahia. This letter provides you with information on the potential risks of the new pulp mill due to its negative impacts on people and nature. We urge you not to approve finance for this project.

This joint venture of Aracruz Cellulose and Stora Enso would be the largest single line bleached eucalyptus pulp mill in the world. A lot of environmental and social problems already existing in the region, will be increased with the construction of another large pulp factory. Aracruz is already one of the world's largest producers of bleached eucalyptus pulp (2 million tons/year) and, unfortunately, is well-known for causing land rights conflicts, occupying a large area of fertile agricultural lands in the state of Espírito Santo, preventing the land reform process and exacerbating the land concentration issue. We would like to illustrate this by drawing your attention to the following facts:

- Last year, a parliamentarian commission was established in order to investigate irregularities in the licensing process of the new third factory of Aracruz in Espírito Santo. In May this year, a public hearing was held by the Brazilian Human Rights Commission of the National Parliament dealing with the problems caused by eucalyptus plantations in Espírito Santo. During the meetings of the parliamentarian commission and also of the public hearing, witnesses accused Aracruz of excessive pesticide use and described how eucalyptus plantations have threatened or destroyed small-scale agriculture. Other witnesses described how Aracruz has occupied the lands of local afrobrazilian "quilombolas" as well as of the Guarani Indians. As one result of these public events, a working group was established investigating the problems associated with Aracruz's plantations.

- In 1999, Aracruz applied for a certification for sustainable forestry from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the only independent third party certification scheme. But due to the company's lack of consultation with local communities and the high number of unsolved land conflicts, Aracruz was forced to withdraw its application. This is an example of the extent of Aracruz plantation management's failure to guarantee sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible forestry.

- Aracruz has also received negative publicity for its long conflict with the Tupinikim and Guarani indigenous peoples in Espírito Santo. The company is still occupying 10500 ha lands with its eucalyptus plantations, which are officially recognized as indigenous lands. Only parts of the indigenous lands have been given back to the Tupinikim and Guarani after years of struggle.

- Between 5000-10000 families have been removed from the areas occupied by Aracruz in the 70s. Several thousands of these people received no compensation.

- The fast-growing eucalyptus plantations on Aracruz's land have already caused serious environmental impacts on water, soil and biodiversity. Previous studies show how drinking water has been polluted and streams and soil have dried out as a result of the large-scale plantations. Through the use of enormous quantities of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and agro toxics for growing the non-native eucalyptus, Aracruz is responsible for polluting the soil, groundwater and streams, and therefore damaging the surrounding environment as well.

Due to these facts and the negative experiences with Aracruz in the past, a broad coalition of NGOs, indigenous peoples, peasants, fisherfolk, academics and many others who are opposed to the further expansion of eucalyptus plantations have formed the "Movement against the Green Desert" in Espírito Santo and neighboring states, that is now also struggling against the construction of the Veracel pulp mill in Bahia.

The proposed Veracel pulp mill in Bahia will increase the already existing social and environmental problems in the region. The proposed 900000 tons per year - mill will increase the demand for eucalyptus. Aracruz already depends on pulp from Veracel in Bahia to feed its own mills in Espírito Santo. The proposed project will not have any positive effects on the regional local economy, because large-scale monoculture plantations have serious consequences and add to the unsolved problems concerning the violation of land rights, the land concentration process, the displacement of small scale agricultural use, loss of native "mata atlantica" forest, unsustainable development and environmental pollution. Besides this, it is also important to note that almost 95 percent of the pulp from Veracel's pulp mill will be exported. Monoculture tree plantations in Brazil serve only the interests of multinational companies and the global "needs" of the pulp and paper industry at the cost of sustainable development. The Veracel project also ignores political pressure within Brazil for genuine land reform. Veracel is thus threatening the livelihoods of local communities and farmers in the region.

Due to the above-mentioned socially and environmentally negative impacts of large-scale eucalyptus plantations we, again, strongly urge you not to approve finance for the Veracel pulp mill.

Yours faithfully,

This letter will be sent on August 4th, so please send any endorsements (name, organization, country) no later than August 2nd to: wvansant@nature.berkeley.edu . For more information, including documents that are referred to in the letter to Wolfensohn, go to http://www.narmada.org

The situation is tense, because this year's monsoon rains have started, and the height of the Sardar Sarovoar dam was raised again this year. At this level, the reservoir will start to inundate the fertile Nimad plains. As noted in the letter, thousands of families face submergence this monsoon season, and there has been no meaningful or effective resettlement and rehabilitation.

__________________________________

International Accountability Project / International Rivers Network

DRAFT -- FOR SIGN-ON

James D. Wolfensohn,
President The World Bank
1818 H Street Washington, DC 20433

Dear Mr. Wolfensohn:

On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we are writing to you to register our concerns about serious human rights violations in the Narmada Valley and to call on your intervention in a project that is badly out of compliance with World Bank policy requirements and the terms of the loan and credit agreements.

The conditions of the World Bank's loan and credit agreements continue to apply to a project until it is repaid. The Bank has supervision and monitoring requirements to ensure that Bank policies are complied with during project preparation and implementation, and it has an obligation to assist and oblige the borrower to bring troubled projects into compliance with Bank policies.

In the case of the Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project, Mr. Ibrahim Shihata, then-General Counsel, in March 1993 advised Vice President for South Asia Joe Wood as follows:

In the brief Board discussion today of the cancellation of the Bank's loan for the Narmada Project, the impression was left that the Government of India was no longer legally obligated to carry out its obligations under the loan agreement. . . .this is not the case. Section 6.06 of the General Conditions applicable to all Bank loans . . . provides that "[n]otwithstanding any cancellation or suspension, all the provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Guarantee Agreement shall continue in full force and effect except as specifically provided in this Article."

The loans have not been repaid, and the policies and loan and credit agreements therefore continue to apply. The situation in the Narmada Valley is, once again, reaching a point of crisis as this year's monsoon rains begin to fall and thousands of families face submergence from the rising Sardar Sarovar reservoir. There is nowhere for people facing submergence to go. The resettlement colonies are not prepared. There is not enough arable land available even to replace that which has already been submerged. There is not an accurate and comprehensive survey of the numbers of people to be displaced or of their assets, including land that they own or utilize, nor is there a comprehensive and realistic resettlement plan.

In the case of Sardar Sarovar, the Bank has largely failed to exercise its supervision and monitoring obligations. We submit that the World Bank must require and assist the borrowers -- the government of India and the three state governments -- to bring the project into compliance with the terms of the resettlement policy, the indigenous/tribal peoples policy, the credit and loan agreements signed by the World Bank and the government of India and the three state governments, and the terms of the National Water Disputes Tribunal Award (which is incorporated by reference in the loan and credit agreements).

In particular, the safeguard policies require that involuntary resettlement is avoided and minimized, that indigenous people's rights are respected, and that an adequate and comprehensive resettlement and rehabilitation plan is in place and is being properly implemented -- and here it is important to caution about the disparity between words on paper and the reality on the ground. The Bank must ensure that people who have been displaced receive assistance to regain and improve their standard of living, and, according to the specific terms of the Sardar Sarovar Project, it must ensure that all people who face the risk of submergence must be moved, resettled, and fully rehabilitated at least six months before the monsoon that threatens them with submergence. Those requirements are being flagrantly violated in the Narmada valley.

The Bank must utilize its ongoing relationship with the Government of India and the state governments of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra to call for full and fair resettlement and rehabilitation in compliance with the law and policy framework. This relationship was described in a letter from Country Director Edwin Lim to Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan as follows "Through our engagements in different sectors, including in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, we continue to work to strengthen Governments' and other agencies capacities to address social and environmental impacts of development projects." (Letter dated March 7, 2002).

We are enclosing for your information a report on the human rights violations in the Narmada Valley issued by the Delhi-based Habitat International Coalition. We also enclose a copy of a recent letter from Dana Clark to all members of the Bank's Board on behalf of the International Accountability Project. The letter summarizes the ways in which this project is in violation of international human rights law, World Bank policies, and the requirements of national and state laws and policies. In addition, the letter urges the Board to call on Management to report to the Board on the content of its supervision and monitoring of the Sardar Sarovar Project, including the present status of dam construction, resettlement and rehabilitation, and whether the project has received the proper environmental clearances. (Both of these documents, along with additional information about the situation in the valley, are available at www.narmada.org.)

The specific demands of the people of the Narmada Valley are that there be a moratorium on any further increase in the dam height leading to arbitrary displacement of affected people until such time as the project is brought into compliance with all applicable laws and policies.

In addition, we are calling for the Bank to initiate a Development Effectiveness Remedial Team (DERT) to improve supervision and monitoring and to implement remedial measures and problem solving. The DERT should include experts from outside the World Bank Group and should have community representatives, including people who have directly experienced development-induced displacement. The DERT should report to the Board, and be independent of Management. Reports of the DERT should be made publicly available in the project area, on the web, and through the Bank's InfoShop.

The objective of the team would be to develop and oversee the implementation of appropriate remedial measures worked out in consultation with local affected people, their designated representatives, and other stakeholders. It would work to ensure that the Sardar Sarovar Project was brought into compliance with the Bank's policies, and foster greater understanding of and respect for those policies by Bank staff and borrowers. The DERT could help the Bank address its own apparent lack of capacity in providing proper guidance and institutional support to the resettlement components of projects with which it is involved.

Activities of the DERT could be financed out of the Bank's net income, which in fiscal year 2002 was $2.78 billion. Local people have long borne the brunt of the costs of noncompliance, including hunger, drowning, lost lands, lost livestock, lost livelihoods, arrest and imprisonment, homelessness, beatings, and other violations of their rights. The costs of assessing and implementing lagging R&R provisions and in conducting needed environmental and baseline socio-economic studies for Sardar Sarovar should be recognized as a cost of the failure to ensure that the project was designed in accordance with Bank policies or to provide effective supervision to date.

We thank you for your prompt and timely interest in this matter, and look forward to the courtesy of a reply.

Sincerely,

Source: Survival International
Date: July 23

'We don't want to lose our traditional land because our ancestors lived here.'
Gabide, Totobiegosode leader.

The last uncontacted Indians south of the Amazon basin are being squeezed from all sides. With their last refuge being gradually overrun, they have nowhere left to hide. But if the Paraguayan government acts, the Indians can keep hold of their land and avoid the diseases that threaten to decimate their population.

The Indians are members of the 5,000-strong Ayoreo tribe which once occupied much of north Paraguay and south-east Bolivia. This region is part of the Chaco, a sparsely-populated expanse of scrub forest, grasslands and swamp. The Ayoreo are hunter-gatherers, living off the abundant natural resources of their homeland; they hunt wild pigs and armadillo, collect wild honey, and plant squash, corn and beans in the rainy season.

During the last century most of the Ayoreo's land was taken over by outsiders. In Paraguay ranchers cleared the forest of valuable timber, and set up vast cattle ranches. From the 1920s, thousands of European Mennonites established colonies in the Chaco; their ranches and dairy farms in turn attracted land speculators, whose companies now hold title to much of the Ayoreo's territory.

More recent arrivals to the Ayoreo's land are the fundamentalist missionaries of the American New Tribes Mission (NTM). The NTM has tried to convert many Ayoreo, and established a colony at a place called Campo Loro.

In 1979 and 1986 'evangelised' Indians, with the backing of the NTM, went into the forest to bring out uncontacted Ayoreo, from a group known as the Totobiegosode – 'people from the place of the wild pig'. At least five of the 'evangelised' Ayoreo died during these expeditions, as the uncontacted Indians tried to defend themselves from capture. Several of those brought to Campo Loro died soon after through ill-health. Campaigns by Survival and others brought a halt to these 'manhunts'.

An unknown number of Ayoreo-Totobiegosode remain in the forest, actively resisting contact with outsiders. From evidence such as footprints and abandoned huts, there are known to be several distinct family groups living in a wide area.

In 1993, those Ayoreo-Totobiegosode who had been forced out of the forest submitted a land claim to the government on behalf of their relatives still in the forest. With the assistance of a local NGO, the Totobiegosode Support Group, the Indians requested title to, or protection over, 550,000 hectares of their land – less than a fifth of their ancestral territory of 2.8 million hectares.

Since the claim was submitted the government has titled 67,400 hectares to the Indians, with another 116,000 hectares promised. Injunctions have also been placed on the whole 550,000 hectares, preventing landowners, ranchers and other settlers from clearing forest or carrying out any other work on the land. But despite these injunctions, there has recently been a frightening wave of incursions, some of them causing the Totobiegosode in the forest to flee, abandoning their huts, which have been found empty.

In June, bulldozers cleared paths into forest in the south-east of the Indians' territory on land owned by the Veragilma and Falabella companies. The paths were cut to give access to stands of palo santo, a valuable hardwood. At the same time, the authorities in the regional government of Alto Paraguay are pushing for new colonisation of these lands. A huge track has also been bulldozed by Mennonite settlers on an estate called Yvy Pora: this disturbed the Totobiegosode in the area, who fled. Still other paths have been cleared on the Nieto and Gorostiaga ranches in the south and west of the Ayoreo territory.

The Ayoreo-Totobiegosode have been fleeing incursions onto their land for decades, and have made it abundantly clear they do not want contact: in 1994 and 1998 arrows were fired at bulldozers operating on their land. The clearing of their land is illegal – and if it continues, puts the isolated Ayoreo at great danger of being caught up in violent conflicts or again falling victim to disease.

Please send a letter or fax to Paraguay President expresing your concern about this situation. Your letter really can make a difference to the Ayoreo. (Click here for sample letter in Spanish)

Send your letter to:

S.E. Luís Angel González Macchi
Presidente de la República
Palacio López
Paraguaya Independiente e/ Ayolas y O'leary
Asunción Paraguay
Fax: +595 21 493 910