(1) Anger at dam corruption growing
(2) Most farmers to stay near Three Gorges
(3) Three Gorges officials arrested for smuggling construction equipment
(4) Irregularities in the Three Gorges bidding procedures

(1) Anger at dam corruption growing
Sept. 29, 2000 – The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that repeated clashes between Three Gorges residents and police in recent months is part of a growing wave of local protest against government corruption in relation to the Three Gorges dam.
Related news story: Anger at dam corruption growing

(2) Most farmers to stay near Three Gorges
Sept. 25, 2000 – South China Morning Post reports that the majority of farmers displaced by the Three Gorges dam will have to be resettled within the project area, according to resettlement officials quoted in an official Xinhua News Agency report. Officials from the Chongqing Migration Office responsible for the resettlement of 350,000 farmers told Xinhua that 190,000 farmers were to be resettled in the Three Gorges area and, of those, 120,000 would be allowed to continue farming while the rest will have to find work in factories or start their own businesses. Xinhua also said that enough farm land will be available through rezoning and the upgrading of low-yield land to provide each farmer with one mu of land a fifteenth of a hectare.
Related news story: Most farmers to stay near Three Gorges

(3) Three Gorges officials arrested for smuggling construction  equipment
Sept. 15, 2000 – Guangzhou Daily reports that two officials working for China’s Gezhouba Corporation, the largest contractor for the Three Gorges dam, have been arrested for smuggling imported construction equipment worth more than US$3-million.

(4) Irregularities in the Three Gorges bidding procedures
Aug. 17, 2000 – Guangzhou-based Southern Weekend reports that there are irregularities in the bidding procedures for Three Gorges dam. According to Southern Weekend — China’s best-read weekly with a circulation of 500,000 and renowned for its coverage of sensitive issues — a high-priced bid for a chemical additive used in concrete mixing was rejected by the Three Gorges Corporation while three other lower-priced bids of a similar quality were accepted. Says Southern Weekend it became apparent in June that the rejected additive was, in fact, in use at the dam site, meanwhile, the three bids that were accepted have been stalled.

Three Gorges Probe welcomes submissions. However, it is not a forum for political debate. Rather, Three Gorges Probe is dedicated to covering the scientific, technical, economic, social, and environmental ramifications of completing the Three Gorges Project, as well as the alternatives to the dam.

Publisher: Patricia Adams
Executive Editor: Mu Lan
Assistant Editor: Lisa Peryman

October 12, 2000
ISSN 1481-0913