[sacw] sacw dispatch #1 | 18 July 00

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch #1
18 July 2000

_____________________

#1. Letter from Pakistani Mother whose son died during the Kargil Conflict
#2. South Asian Initiative for Human Rights formed
#3. Pakistan: Letter of Protest on Kalabagh Dam
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#1.

Hindustan Times Magazine
16 July 2000

[Excerpts from:]
Pakistan Diary

by Bharat Bhushan

I pick up a copy of a local newspaper in my hotel room. I start reading a
letter from a mother whose son died in the Kargil conflict: "... I am a
mother who has carried a child in my womb. I am proud of myself for
bringing into the world the most beautifulcreation of God, Man. I know the
discomfort of the sleepless nights, the tossing and turning, the cramps,
the feel of another being inside me. The occasional stir of an arm or a
sudden kick from within. I was awe-struck, intimidated by the role of a
mere mortal like me giving birth, playing the most important role in the
creation of a being.

"I thought to myself as I looked upon my new-born, please don't let
anything happen to my baby. I will endure any amount of pain, but please
let him be unharmed. I have nurtured him for nine months.

"He grew up. 'No, you cannot take out your father's car. You are still too
young.' Oh God, don't let anything happen to him, let me take his pain.
'You want to join the army. Son, I am proud of you. Go ahead, serve your
country. May Allah be with you.' Liar, I was a liar. I was petrified; the
mother inside me was in anguish. I wanted him to be anything but that. I
didn't bring him into this world to throw him into a war. 'Ammi, I have
been posted to Kargil. Don't worry Ammi. I'm going to be all right. I'll
see you soon, I promise. Look after yourself Ammi, don't worry.'

"Oh my son, you broke your promise. There you are lying dead, 26 years of a
mother's work, down the drain in a pointless war. Who won? Who lost? I
don't care. My son is gone. All I have of him is his Aqiqa hair, the
umbilical cord, the uniform and a few pictures."

Nothing that anyone says can bring back Sheema Shinwari's son or that of
any other mother who lost a son in Kargil. As Mrs Shinwari says in her
letter =96 the dead lad's name could have been "Ahmad, Mohammad, Abdul, Vija=
y
or Vikram" and that it makes no difference which side of the LoC he came
from.

I am in Lahore, holding a copy of The Friday Times in my hand =96 exactly a
year after Kargil.
[...]
=2E
______

#2.

Asian Age
16 July 2000

Gujral, Asma form a S. Asia forum

By Our Correspondent
New Delhi, July 15

Several South Asia social activists have joined hands to form a common
platform against human rights abuses in the subcontinent, one of the
poorest region in the world. The forum includes former Prime Minister
Inder Kumar Gujral, former Bangladesh minister Kamal Hussain and
Pakistani human rights champion Asma Jehangir.

After toying with an idea of forming an umbrella organisation, the group
is getting shape and will formally be launched on July 21 at Neemrana on
Delhi-Jaipur highway in Alwar district of Rajasthan. Named as South
Asian Initiative for Human Rights, the idea was first floated by Ms Asma
Jehangir.

She had discussed it Mr Gujral and others during a meeting in Sri Lanka
recently. The idea subsequently developed and took the shape of SAIHR.
The first session of SAIHR is expected to be attended by at least 100
activists from all across the sub-continent with largest number from
India.

One of the organisers, Dr Syeda Hameed said that SAIHR is going to work
on a task oriented basis. It has identified some common areas where
human rights abuses are witnessed in all the countries in the
sub-continent. To begin with, the emphasis will be on trafficking of
women and children, smuggling and stone cutting.

Rajya Sabha MP Kuldip Nayar, who is also associated with SAIHR, said
that some sort of co-ordination was required to bring together everyone
working with the same cause. He said that only specific issues will be
taken up by the group. Mr Nayar said that the group was only in the
initial stages and several modalities have to be worked out like setting
up of the office, the framework and the objectives.

As for funds, the Indian chapter is sustaining itself on funding by
individuals which include people like Nirmala Deshpande and Justice
Leela Seth besides several others. The SAIHR has also invited other NGOs
working for the human rights to join the efforts and share experiences
with groups from other South Asian countries. Mr Gujral is at the
forefront of the effort. In fact, the organisation work is being managed
from his house in New Delhi.

An informal meeting of the group has already been held in Nepal. The
formal launch at Neemrana will see birth of the organisation where for
the first time all the activists share their views on the growing menace
in a region which finds itself at the bottom of human development index.

______

#3.

Letter of Protest on Kalabagh Dam

Dear Colleagues:

We invite you to join us in urging Pakistani Government, WCD and
International Donors to shelve out the environmentally disastrous Hydro
power Dam Kalabagh and to promote fundamental human rights and sustainable
development in Indus Basin by protecting the indigenous people from this
controversial project in their region. One simple, concrete action you can
take in solidarity with the people of Indus valley: Please sign, post and
forward / distribute to any and all individuals and groups that support
environment, ecology, democracy and Human Rights.

TEXT OF THE LETTER

To,

The President of Pakistan, Mr. Rafik Tarar
The Chief Executive of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf
The President World Commission of Dams (WCD), Dr. Kader Asmal

CC.
Mr Omar Asghar Khan
Mr. Javed Jabbar
All concerned Donors
International Rivers Network (IRN)

Dear Sir,

We are deeply concerned with the intentions of Federal Government of
Pakistan and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) regarding
proposed construction of controversial mega hydropower dam at Kalabagh. It
appears that in spite of rejection of the Kalabagh Dam Project by the
environmental and irrigation experts and by the people of three out of four
provinces (Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan) of Pakistan through their duly elected
Provincial Assemblies, your government and Ministry of Water and Power are
planning to start with this environmentally and ecologically disastrous
project. You know that during the last 15 years Sindh and NWFP
(Pakhtunkhwa) and Balochistan Provinces have been erupting in protest and
millions of people have come to streets in different cities and towns
raising slogans against this disastrous decision. Six complete general
strikes have taken place, an Anti-Kalabagh Dam Front (AKDF) and PONM
(Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement) have been formed and different
political, social, religious and environmental organizations have started
protest marches, hunger strikes and demonstrations.

Sir, The area of present-day Sindh province was the center of the ancient
Indus Valley / Mohen-jo-daro Civilization (2300 BC-1750 BC), it was named
after Indus, the great Trans-Himalayan river of South Asia and one of the
world's longest rivers, with a length of 2,900 km. Therefore the threat to
Indus valley and Indus river is a threat to the ancient Indus /
Mohen-jo-daro Civilization.

The proposed Kalabagh dam will not only store 6.7 MAF water of Indus but
12.8 MAF water will be diverted to left bank and right bank canals for the
irrigation in Mianwali, Khushab, Jhelum and Dera Ismail Khan districts.
Therefore the KB dam will be consuming 19.5 MAF water of Indus and the
quantity of 10 MAF which has been provisionally earmarked for out flow to
sea under the provisions of Water Accord of 1991, will not be available
after storage at Kalabagh dam. There is already a deep distrust created
between Sindh and Punjab on the two irrigation links. Chashma-Jhelum link
(21000 cusecs) and Taunsa-Panjnad link (12000 cusecs) have been kept open
for the last several years without prior consent and permission of the
Sindh provincial government in flagrant violation of the inter-provincial
agreement. Due to their past malpractice's and breaches of trust people of
Sindh do not trust WAPDA and Punjab irrigation department. People believe
that the aim of Punjab regarding building a dam is to keep a life and death
grip on the life line of Sindh, in this way the ruthless and unscrupulous
ruling coteries would be able to control the very existence of four crore
(40 million) Sindhis. As far as the environmental and ecological aspects
and threats are concerned the shortage of water for out flow to sea has
already caused reduction in the volume of silt. Indus River once brought
down 600 million tones of silt out of which half reached the sea and half
fertilized the alluvial plain. Today, just 36 million tones pass the
upstream barrages and dams. The Indus delta was spread over in 350 sq. km
before the partition, it also had more than nine perennial streams, now it
has only two perennial streams and covers just about 25 sq. km. This
reduction has resulted in the erosion and degradation of the delta,
elimination of 0.6 million acres of riverine forests and destruction of
mangrove forest area, which has reduced from 263,000 hectares in 1977 to
158,500 hectares in 1990. From aquatic conservation point of view the
famous Palla fish, Bulahan (Indus dolphin), Khagga (Sea cat) and other
aquatic species have become nearly extinct due to water shortage. The
annual production of Palla has been reduced from 5000 tons to just 500
tons. Further reduction of fresh water flows below Kotri will be a disaster
for the common people & fishermen (Munhanas) who depend upon agriculture
and fisheries in coastal Sindh.

Sir, Indus River plays a vital role in the formation of psyche, society and
culture of the Sindhi people. The construction of the dam is likely to keep
Indus below Sukkur dry most of the year. Many fishermen living on the Indus
will become homeless and the Indus that is the Darya Shah (living legend)
for Sindhis will be polluted and reduced from once mighty river to mere
expanse of shallow water. This is equal to the cultural invasion and
devastation of the thousands year old cultural heritage of Sindhi people.
Kalabagh Dam will be a grave threat to the fertile Peshawar valley and
thousands of acres of NWFP's most fertile agricultural land will be
destroyed. According to govt.'s own figures a total of 35,000 acres of land
will be inundated/submerged by the Dam, out of which 3,000 acres are
irrigated while 27,000 acres are barani. As a result of rise of water level
due to pounding up at Kalabagh, the water level in Kabul river will rise
due to back water effect, thus posing serious threat to the Nowshera (a
city of about 200,000 people) which will be fully waterlogged within few
years. Water quality will be polluted by salinity due to nearness of Khewra
and Kohat salt formations. As the KB Dam will cause the displacement of
250,000 people, there will be an issue of implementing compensation and
resettlement of the thousands of men, women, and children who will lose
houses and lands submerged by KB. The province of Balochistan has been
irrigating about 300,000 acres with the supply from Pat feeder of Guddu (a
barrage of Indus), which will be affected by the shortage of water. The
destruction of wildlife/bird sanctuaries, riverine forests and natural
lakes like Manchar, Kinjhar, Hadero, Haleji and Chotiari will affect
biodiversity, specially the migratory birds of Siberia and Kazakhstan and
endangered aquatic as well as terrestrial species. KB Dam will trap an
estimated two-thirds of the sediments of the Indus River, which has the
fifth highest sediment load in the world and the Dam will increase salinity
and water logging and will further degrade the soil and agricultural
productivity of the Indus Basin. Shortage of water near, and in, the
river's estuary would cause a lot of environmental degradation in the
coastal areas, destroying Tamar (mangroves) and marine life as well as
causing considerable ecological damage to the Indus in its lower reaches.
Reduced river discharge, combined with raised sea levels due to global
warming, will enable the estuarine salt wedge to extend much further
upstream than it previously did at the river mouth. The resultant
salinisation/salinity will have a disastrous effect on the ecology and
agricultural productivity and Arabian Sea water might travel upwards for
considerable distances submerging/immersing large regions of lower Sindh.
As far as the irrigation of Punjab's Seraiki areas are concerned, the lands
along the proposed canal sites are already owned/purchased by the settlers
and absentee landlords and it will result in adverse demographic change in
Seraiki belt, starting a powerful process of reducing the Seraiki-speaking
people to a tiny minority in their thousands year old homeland.

As far as the existing water position is concerned, the province of Sindh
needs adequate water for April/May period to ensure initial irrigations for
major Kharif crops. But despite that fact that province's share for April,
according to water accord of 1991 is 121,400 cusecs, it just received only
30,275 cusecs for April 2000. In fact there is no shortage of water in the
country. The only shortage is of fairness. The Chashma-Jhelum and
Taunsa-Panjnad link canals were built under Indus Water Treaty to supply
dry beds of eastern rivers, surrendered to India in a disastrous accord and
it was agreed that the canals would operate only under surplus flows in
Indus and with prior permission of Sindh government. But the agreement has
been continuously violated since late seventies. It is this catastrophic
situation that forced the minister of irrigation and power, government of
Sindh Mr. A.N.G. Abbasi to say that it is not a matter of simply "choree"
(theft) but it is "seena zori". Before this the then Governor of Sindh Mr.
Daudpota also complained that Punjab is stealing 11000 cusecs water of
Sindh 's share.

The construction of Kalabagh Dam may offer prospects of lucrative kickbacks
for our rulers and may bring some land under cultivation in Punjab but only
at the cost of inundation and displacement in NWFP, ecological and
environmental disaster in Indus basin and at the cost of destruction &
desertification of green and fertile lands of Sindh, some parts of
Balochistan and NWFP . Ultimately there will not only be a net loss of food
production in Pakistan but many areas of Sindh will even be deprived of
drinking water. Therefore, we urge you to halt all the planning,
preparations and surveys of Kalabagh Dam. We further urge you to take
immediate action to save the lives, livelihood and habitats of millions of
the people of Indus Basin and terminate this project at once forever.

Name--------------------------- Org-------------------------------- City /
Country

1. Ayaz Latif Palijo Sindh Research Council (SRC) Hyderabad
Pakistan
2. Mir Atta Md. Talpur Sindh Society (SSRD) Mirpurkhas, Pakistan
3. Jami Chadio Editor Daily Ibrat Hyderabad Pakistan
4. Inam Shaikh Journalist Kawish Hyderabad Pakistan
5. Rasul Bux Palijo Awami Tahreek Hyderabad Pakistan
6. Dr. Qadir Magsi Sindh Tarqi Pasand Party Hyderabad
Pakistan
7. Bashir Khan Qureshi Jeay Sindh Qoumi Muhaz Larkana Pakistan
8. Noor ul Huda Shah Writer Hyderabad Pakistan
9. Professor Gul Agha Professor USA
10. Sassui Palijo Law Student London UK
11. Malsi Dias Colombo Sri Lanka
12. Saviri Goonesekere Colombo
13. Swana Jayaweera Colombo Sri Lanka
14. Razk Sarohi Tameer Sindh Hyderabad Pakistan
15. Jaffar Memon Tameer Sindh Hyderabad
Pakistan
16. Action for Global Justice USA
17. Abdul Aziz Buriro Pakistan Peoples Party Karachi
Pakistan
18. Shaheen Khan Writer Hyderabad
Pakistan
19. Arab Malah Tarqi Passand Mallah Hyderabad Pakistan
20. Yury Urbonsky National Ecological Centre Ukraine
21. Dr. Qamar Wahid Professor JAmshoro
Pakistan
22. Dr. Shams Siddiqui Writer Hyderabad Pakistan
23. Hafeez Kunbhar Writer Hyderabad
Pakistan
24. Hasan Dars Writer Hyderabad Pakistan
25. Ibrahim Munshi Writer Hyderabad
Pakistan
26. Qamar Shahbaz Writer Karachi
Pakistan
27. Rafik Mustafa Abbasi NGO Activist Hyderabad
Pakistan
28. Magnus Linder Sweden
29. Peter Olofson Umea, Sweden
30. Caroline Evenbo Sweden
31. Jesica Bjark Grimsas, Sweden
32. Naseer Sarang Memon NGO Activist Hyderabad Pakistan
33. Imdad Husaini Poet Hyderabad
Pakistan
34. Malik Nadim Poet Khairpur
Pakistan
35. Lian Greff Environmentalist South Africa
36. Mukhtiar Malik Sindhi Adabi Sangat Khairpur
Pakistan
37. Nusrat Lashari Writer Karachi
Pakistan
38. Sahar Imdad Poetess Jamshoro Pakistan
39. G=F6rann Ekward Conservationist Sweden
40. Robert Gardet Paris, France
41. Claude Villard Activist France
42. Freis Montpellier France
43. Sobho Gianchandani Writer Larkana Pakistan
44. Taj Joyo Lib Sidhi Language Authority Hyderabad
Pakistan
45. Third World Network Malaysia
46. Sohail Kalhoro IT Professional London UK
47. Nadeem Jamali Univ. of Illinois at Urbana Champaign USA
48. Paulene Wiliams Australia
49. Tricsh Kent Perth, Australia
50. Debbie Kersloke Sydney
Australia
51. Rubina N Shaikh World Sindhi Congress Cardiff, Wales UK
52. Arif Arrman Jakarta, Indonesia
53. Jijee Zarina Baloch Writer Hyderabad Pakistan
54. Asia Resource Center (ARC) Tokyo, Japan
55. Mahfooz Ursani PNRDP Hyderabad Pakistan
56. Ali Ahmad Joyo Engineer Hyderabad
Pakistan
57. Doe Toshiyuki Forum on the ADB Japan
58. Murtaza Malik Consultant Peshawar
Pakistan
59. M. Grunbohal Austria
60. Chainarong Sretthachau Southeast Rivers Network Thailand
61. Supacha Charnwong Legal Aid Thailand
62. Naseer Mirza Writer Hyderabad
Pakistan
63. Somcha Sirchai Farmers Network Thailand
64. Farhan Soomro Florida USA
65. SHAHBAZ VAKA Pakistan
66. Hussain Uqaili SANA Toronto Canada
67. Nazia Memon Medical Student Hyderabad/Pak
68. FARAH ALI Karachi / PAK
69. Fazal Nizamani Sindhi Sangat Sydney
/Australia
70. Nizamuddin Nizamani
71. Nazia Junejo Arizona, USA
72. Michiya Kumaoka Japan
73. Makoto Sataka Japan
74. Makoto Sato Japan
75. Hisae Sawachi Japan
76. Masumi Sirakawa Japan
77. Kojiro Sho Japan
78. Jinzaburo Takagi Japan
79. B K Shar UK
80. Anna Bassol Barcelona, Spain
81. Mireia Dunac Ecologist Spain
82. Ameer Ali Qadri Professor Tando Jam
Pakistan
83. Rajab Memon Professor Tando Jam Pakistan
84. Siraj Siyal Ast. Professor Tando Jam Pakistan
85. Asif Baladi Writer Hyderbad Sindh Pakistan
86. Nasim Thebo Writer Jamshoro Pakistan
87. Haider Mallah STP Hyderabad
Pakistan
88. Dodo Maheri Badin Pakistan
89. Shabana Mangi Sindh University Jamshoro
90. Moona Thebo Sindh University Jamshoro
91. Mahmooda Mangi Aero Asia Pakistan
92. Razak Rind Al Khair University Hyderabad Pakistan
93. Dr. Rukhsana Fazal Karachi Sindh
94. Ashfaq Azar Daily Kawish Hyderabad Sindh
95. Shabir Nizamani Daily Ibrat Hyderabad
Pakistan
96. Jam Saqi Writer Hyderabad
97. Sana Ayaz Doctor Hyderabad
98. Deedar Baloch Advocate Mirpurkhas
Sindh
99. Nazir Naz Lecturer Hyderabad
100. Maqsood Memon writer Pakistan
101. Salim Channa Writer Hyderabad
Pakistan
102. Ashraf Baloch Artist Hyderabad
Pakistan
103. Abid Shah Environmentalist Australia
104. Dr. Aziz Talpur Awami Tahreek Tando Mohd Khan Sindh
105. Mohd Khan Bhurgri Awami Tahreek Hyderabad
106. Wishnoo Mal Awami Tahreek Badin Sindh
107. Akbar Sagar Writer Karachi
Pakistan
108. Parwano Bhatti Journalist Hyderabad
Pakistan
109. Yusif Leghari SDP Hyderabad
Pakistan
110. Tasleem Zanoor Writer Kawish Hyderabad Sindh
111. Akash Mallah JSQM Sindh
112. Mir Allam Maree JSQM Sindh
113. Nazeer Kamal Writer Hyderabad
Pakistan
114. Mansoor Qadir Junejo Writer Sindh
115. Aijaz Mangi Journalist Tameer Sindh Jamshoro Pakistan

Sign and send your protests to
The Chief Executive of Pakistan <CE@p...>
and endorse a copy to <talpur@m...>

Thanks,
Mir Atta Muhammad Talpur
http://surf.to/indus

______________________________________________
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_________________________
Harsh Kapoor
SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex
e.mail: aiindex@m...