(May 14, 2002) Twenty years ago, May 14, 79 villagers were murdered when soldiers entered the Maya village of the Rio Negro community in Guatemala. This massacre was the 3rd of four "Rio Negro/Chixoy dam massacres", in which over 440 people were murdered.
Vice-minister says 73 small dams a year have collapsed in China
An average of 73 small dams a year have collapsed in China in the past five decades, Zhang Jiyao, the vice-minister of water resources, told a recent national conference on dam safety. Between 1954 and last year, 3,459 dams had collapsed, 3,434 of which were considered small-scale, he said, but gave no indication of fatalities.
Landslides put lives at risk in Three Gorges area
(May 14, 2002) Heavy rain in the Three Gorges dam area this month has triggered half a dozen landslides that have put hundreds of lives at risk and heightened concern about the region’s geological instability.
Repairs begin on Gorges Dam cracks
(May 13, 2002) Engineers on the Three Gorges Dam are working to fix cracks which have appeared in some parts of the wall, the deputy chief of the project said.
Lender accused of breaking rules
(May 13, 2002) The ADB convened an inspection panel, and the bank was found to have violated guidelines for failing to gauge the social or environmental impact of at least five of its development projects including the Samut Prakarn waste water project.
Chino slammed over Samut Prakarn project
(May 12, 2002) The inspection of the Samut Prakarn Wastewater Management Project has sparked criticism of the Bank Management by the Board and led protesters to call for President Chino’s resignation.
ADB revamps project inspection Thai project offshoot
(May 12, 2002) The $750 million waste water management project in Samut Prakarn province in Bangkok has been dogged by allegations of corruption and violation of environmental laws since its launch in 1995.
Odious debt
(May 10, 2002) Some argue that sovereign debt incurred without the consent of the people and not for their benefit, such as that of apartheid South Africa, should be considered odious and not transferable to successor governments.
‘Earthquake risk’ from dams
(May 9, 2002) Large dams in mountainous regions could threaten people living near them by stressing the Earth’s crust to danger levels, a scientist says.
Work begins on road leading to planned hydroelectric plant
(May 7, 2002) A ground-breaking ceremony for the road leading to the planned Son La Hydropower Station in the northern province of Son La, marks the starting point for the country’s biggest hydroelectric project.
ADB-backed waste-water scheme ‘riddled with corruption’ says Thai senator
(May 7, 2002) Thai Prime Minister should not waste time with another committee examining the Klong Dan waste-water treatment project because there is already plenty of evidence of irregularities, says Samut Prakan senator.
Look her in the eyes – PDF
(May 6, 2002) Message to Fortis shareholders: explain why your company wants to destroy rainforest wildlife. (requires PDF viewer)
People’s Declaration to the ADB
(May 5, 2002) We, members of 38 networks of Thai people who have been and are being directly affected by the ADB’s loan projects meet here to declare the following:
Twenty-seven arrested after land protest in Guangdong
Villagers near Guangzhou in southern China have clashed with police in a dispute over land on which housing for Three Gorges dam migrants is planned, the Hong Kong-based Apple Daily (Pingguo Ribao) reports.
Dam casts giant shadow over south-north water project
(May 2, 2002) The many problems that have surfaced with the costly Three Gorges dam must cast doubt on the even more expensive south-north water transfer project, the Hong Kong Sun newspaper (Taiyang bao) has said.
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