The community organizations, civil society activists, researchers and experts of Coastal Sindh (Indus Delta) have rejected the Asian Development Bank Sindh Coastal & Inland Community Development Project document and constituted ‘ Save Indus Delta Action Committee’ to launch struggle against the negative aspects of the project.
This was decided in a consultative workshop on ADB Sindh Coastal & Inland Community Development Project on Monday at Sonehri House Thatta. The workshop was jointly organized by Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) and Keenjhar Fishermen Welfare Society (KFWS). More than 40 participants of the workshop including civil society organizations, political leaders, elected representatives and local experts jointly decided to mobilize the local communities and protest against the negative aspects of the project through out the coastal region organizing protest rallies, hunger strikes and protest marches. The participants also decided that the Save Indus Delta Action Committee members would also hold meetings with the government officials and provincial and federal elected representatives to inform them about the concerns of the coastal communities on the negative aspects of ADB Sindh Coastal and Inland Community Development Project. The committee members include Adam Gandro Chairman Keenjhar Fishermen Welfare Society, Pir Sikander Shah, President Coastal Development and Welfare Society, Ms Hina Shahid Actionaid Pakistan, Sikander Brohi, Participatory Development Initiatives, Qadir Lashari Wahdat, Ismail Memon RADO, Nazeer Jakhro HRCP, Ms Nazli WIADO, Ms Marvi Abbasi, PML( Q) , Mohammed Juman Samo Sindhi Adabi Sangat and Abdullah Sabro KAINAT.
Earlier , the participants of the workshop expressed their concern on the fact that Asian Development Bank’s proposed project “ Sindh Coastal & Inland Community Development Project” has completely ignored the key issues of Coastal Sindh especially the issues of continuing degradation of the fertile lands, growing seawater intrusion and drastic reduction in fisheries livelihoods as a result of reduction in Indus flows downstream Kotri Barrage and has suggested no remedial or policy measures for properly addressing those issues. The project document has also not addressed the key issue of the water rights of the lower riparian especially the water right of downstream Kotri Barrage [ Indus Delta] which is being denied to the region despite acknowledgement of the same right in Water Accord 1991. In place of ensuring Indus flows downstream Kotri Barrage the project document has emphasized on water management which shows complete deviation from the key issues.
The participants of the workshop were of the view that WAPDA, World Bank and Asian Development Bank are equally responsible for deaths and disaster occurred in Badin and Thatta districts as a result of wrong design of the Tidal Link of Left Bank Outfall Drain [LBOD] and announce compensation for the deaths of more than 300 communities, displacement of more than 5000 people and degradation of thousands of acres of land. It was the moral and legal responsibility of ADB to address the negative impacts of the LBOD and suggest measures for the rehabilitation of the affected communities and their resources in this coastal project. However, the project document has completely ignored the dilemma of LBOD tidal link and has suggested no rehabilitation measures.
The participants of the workshop also criticized on the major emphasis of the project on the so-called institutional reforms in Coastal Development Authority (CDA) and Sindh Fisheries Department. They said that the past experiences of the so-called institutional reforms on the behest of World Bank and Asian Development miserably failed in Pakistan further deteriorating the condition of the institutions. In this regard, they cited the example of National Drainage Program under which irrigation departments were to reformed and replaced with Irrigation and Drainage Authorities. However, now the World Bank has practically withdrawn from the process leaving the whole reform process nowhere. The participants of the workshop emphasized the need of investing the project budget on the community development in place of wasting the money in so-called reforms.
The participants of the workshop also criticized the project document on completely ignoring the problems and needs of fresh water wetlands / lakes of coastal Sindh, which are facing worst degradation. They said that the project document has ignored almost all the needs and has come up with its own activities. The project activities in place of addressing the issues of threats to the livelihoods / growing reduction in the livelihoods tilt towards the increasing efforts for the exploitation of the resources. The project activities suggest privatization of the institutions and land when it talks about restructuring the Fisheries Department and establishment of Land Company to hold title to Government Land to make the same available to a group of farmers . The coastal region has been disaster prone. More than 20 disasters have hit the region since last 16 years inflicting heavy losses to the lives and the livelihoods of the coastal communities. However, the project document has completely ignored this key issue of the coastal area, the participants of the workshop added.
The participants of the workshop also alleged that the project document was prepared without proper community participation and consultation and even the local coastal communities and their representatives were not invited to participate in the final workshop on the project document held on February 18, 2006 in Karachi.
The workshop participants demanded of the ADB to reject the existing project document and prepare a new project document with a meaningful participation of the coastal communities and their representatives giving priority and importance to the real problems of the coastal communities.
Ends
LIST OF THE PARTICIPANTS
- Pir Sikander Shah, Coastal Development and Welfare Association
- Adam Gandro Chairman Keenjhar Fishermen Welfare Society
- Sikander Brohi, Director, Participatory Development Initiatives [PDI]
- Allah Warayo Coastal Development and Welfare Association
- Javaid Ali President Sindh Graduates Association
- Ali Hassan , Keenjhar Fishermen Welfare Society
- Safar Samoo, Fish Market Labour Union Thatta
- Shabir Ahmed , SRWCO [ SIK PREET]
- Nazli Hillay WIADO
- Marvi Abbasi SAFWCO
- Hina Shahid Actionaid International Pakistan
- Abdul Qadir, WHDT
- Naveed Kehar, Sindhi Adabi Sangat Thatta
- Mohammed Umer Serai Fishermen Cooperative Society District Thatta
- Nazir Jakhro HRCP
- Israr Ahmed Bhutto AWF
- Abdul Jabbar Memon DO Fisheries Thatta
- Sultan Ahmed Hashmani Social and Environmental Welfare Association Thatta
- Sufi Gul Hassan Gandro PPP Unit Sonda UC
- A.M Aslam Jarwar, Sindh Fisheries Department Chilya Hatchery Thatta
- Ali Hassan Keenjhar Fishermen Welfare Society
- Ghulam Qadir , Sajanwari
- Mohammed Qasim Keenjhar Fishermen Welfare Society Sonehri Mian
- Abdul Jaleel Sonehri Mian
- Punhoon KFWS UC Jhirk
- Piar Ali KFWS PO Makli Thatta
- Ismail Memon, Rural Awareness and Development Organization [RADO]
- M. Ayub Malah, Press Secretary KFWS Thatta
- Mansoor Thallo Thatta
- Abdullah Sabro Kainat Thatta
- Mohammed Urs Mirbahar , KFWS Gujjo
- Abdul Jaleel Fishermen Keenjhar
- Amir Bux Khaskhelly Fishermen Keenjhar
- Ghulam Fareed Baloch , Lecturer FTC College
- Hafiz Mustafa PPI Press Club Thatta
- Mohammed Hamid Gandro Fisherfolk Sonehri
- Ghulam Rasool Jatti
- Ali Mohammed Samoo Branch Mori Thatta
- M. Siddique , Coastal Development Authority
- Hanif Sindhi Journalist
- Anwar Brohi PDI Thatta
- Zafar Ali, PDI Thatta
- MaulanA Abdul Wahab Baloch President Mutahida Majlis-e- Amal [MMA] Thatta