KARACHI: Mega-projects opposed

KARACHI, March 7: Hundreds of people from coastal communities and activists of civil society observed hunger strike in front of the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday to protest against the proposed coastal projects of the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

They also slammed these international institutions for failing to address the key problems of the Indus Delta communities and for preparing their projects’ documents without consultation with the coastal community.

The hunger strike was organized by the Save Indus Delta Network (SIDN), a conglomerate of more than 50 civil society organizations of Sindh’s coast.

The participants of the hunger strike included men, women and children who had come from the remote areas of Thatta, Badin, Keti Bundar, Kharo Chhan and other coastal areas. They were carrying banners and placards and were chanting slogans in favour of their demands.

Talking to journalists, the protesting communities alleged that the ADB’s proposed project “Sindh Coastal and Inland Community Development Project” and the World Bank’s “Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Thatta and Badin” had completely neglected the key issues of the coastal areas.

They further alleged that the WB and the ADB were equally responsible for eaths and disaster that had occurred in Badin and Thatta districts as a result of the wrong design of the tidal link of the Left Bank Outfall Drain, deaths of more than 300 people, displacement of more than 5,000 people, and degradation of thousands of acres of land.

It was the moral and legal responsibility of the 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 documents of the coming projects of both the institutions have not addressed the LBOD tidal link issue and neither have they suggested any rehabilitation programme for those affected by the LBOD project in Badin and Thatta.

They alleged that the said new projects mainly emphasised on so-called institutional reforms in the Coastal Development Authority, Sindh Fisheries Department and other departments while ignoring basic community needs.

More than 20 disasters had hit the region since the last 16 years inflicting heavy losses on the lives and livelihoods of the coastal communities. However, the projects’ documents had completely ignored this key issue of the coastal areas, they added.

Those participated in the hunger strike included Sikander Brohi of PDI , Pir Sikander Shah of Delta Development and Welfare Association, Abdullah Gandro,Keenjhar Fishmen Welfare Society , Abdullah Sabro of the Kainat Welfare Organization, Ahmed Ajeeb of Mehran Social Welfare Organization, Ghulam Qadir Gandro of Fishermen Cooperative Society – District Thatta, Naveed Kaihar of Adabi Sangat and others.­PPI