Authorities in China are stepping up a massive anti-flood effort, mobilizing tens of thousands of people to shore up the nation’s second biggest freshwater lake which threatens to burst its banks and create a disaster worse than the deadly floods of 1998.
Compassionate debt relief or Paris Club 419?
(December 12, 2005) Some Nigerians refuse to celebrate the recent debt relief granted by the Paris Club cartel of creditors, and its accompanying conditions.
The West, quietly, is pillaging Iraq
(December 10, 2005) When Saddam Hussein grabbed power in 1979, Iraq had no long-term foreign debt. Cash reserves were $36 billion. Iraq had high literacy and public universities; it had extensive socialized health care. It was becoming a "first world" nation. Soon, however, this violent, cunning despot began squandering that wealth.
Volcker issue continues to rock Parliament
(December 8, 2005) The Opposition staged a noisy walkout in the Lok Sabha pressing their demand for the resignation of Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of National Advisory Council, alleging that Rs 528 crore from Iraqi oil deals had been stashed away in foreign banks.
Despotism and corruption in Africa: editorial
(December 8, 2005) Pakistan has not descended to the level where the face of our leaders, past or present, appear on our currency notes, yet many of our problems, political, social and economic, may be attributed to the persistence of a clan mentality: Razi Azmi
Yangtze Power Company switches to coal
(December 8, 2005) ‘Nobody ever said damming the Yangtze River would be profitable,’ writes Probe International’s Grainne Ryder, as the listed arm of the Three Gorges Project Development Corp. diversifies to coal to reduce its exposure to hydro risk.
Environmentalists unhappy about Salween River dams project
(December 7, 2005) Environmentalist warn that a power plant project scheduled to be endorsed by Burma and Thailand on Friday holds financial risks and also poses a threat to the livelihoods of people living in the region.
U.K. urged not to accept debt repayment
(December 7, 2005) G-7 will receive more than it will provide to poor countries in a decade.
Africa’s reform efforts
(December 7, 2005) There is “ample evidence of reasoning dementia on both sides of the African reformation spectrum” claims Charles Kwalonue Sunwabe, Jr., in his analysis of reform progress in Africa for The Perspective – a monthly newsmagazine covering Liberian issues.
Salween Watch Statement on Egat Plc plans to sign MoU on Dams in Burma
(December 7, 2005) Press Statement:The President of Egat Plc announced on December 6, 2005, plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Burmese military regime on joint investment in constructing a series of five hydro-electric dams on the Salween and Tenasserim (Tanao Sri) Rivers.
Environmental awareness and anger grow in China
(December 4, 2005) Much of China watched in horror as work crews struggled to contain the recent benzene spill that polluted the northeastern Songhua River and disrupted drinking water supplies to about 12 million people in the region for more than a week.
Son La hydroelectric project set to begin construction
(December 2, 2005) Construction begins on Southeast Asia’s largest hydro dam which is expected to impoverish more than 90,000 ethnic minority people who will be flooded off their land.
Prime Minister: Son La should narrow development gap with other provinces
(December 1, 2005) Prime Minister Phan Van Khai talks up the Son La hydroelectric power project, expected to be the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia, with a forecast capacity of 2,400 MW.
Applying the Odious Debts Doctrine while Preserving Legitimate Lending
(December 1, 2005) Abstract: Odious debts are debts incurred by the government of a nation without either popular consent or a legitimate public purpose. While there is some debate within academic circles as to whether the successor government to a regime which incurred odious debts has the right to repudiate repayment, in the real world this is not an option currently granted legitimacy either by global capital markets or the legal systems of creditor states.
Environmentalists lose the dam battle in Laos
(December 1, 2005) Opponents argue that little money generated by the dam will reach the poor and much will be pocketed by communist party chiefs. Corruption is rife in Laos and the country’s legal system is renowned for being underfunded with limited powers.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
Lisa Peryman
Probe Media
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