Friends of the Earth
Action Briefing Feb 2000/Mar 2000
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Birmingham Friends of the Earth Action Briefing Feb 2000/Mar 2000 |
Sneaking out the news in late December 1999, Trade Secretary Stephen Byers said that he was 'minded' - subject to some limited conditions - to give the go ahead for a £200 million export credit for building the notorious Ilisu Dam in the Kurdish region of Turkey. The decision has been slammed by National FOE as 'a disaster for the environment, a tragedy for the Kurdish people and a threat to peace'. FOE understands that the decision to give the go ahead to the dam was taken with the direct involvement of the Prime Minister.
In order to build the dam, the UK member of the consortium - Balfour Beatty - needs a £200 million credit from the Export Credit Guarantee Department, an agency of the DTII.
Construction magazine 'New Civil Engineer' carries a piece in its 6 January edition that reveals that the Consultant ERM, responsible for reviewing the environmental impact assessment reports produced for ECGD (Export Credits Guarantee Department) were forbidden by the Turkish Government from visiting the sites. Even though only reviewing the paperwork, ERM noted that issues such as: accounting for impact of replacement infrastructure for that lost within the reservoir area or of building power transmission lines, and the impact on Syria and Iraq, were not considered.
It was an achievement to have the estimate of the environmental impact made public by the Government, but the campaign to stop the dam is far from over. If you want Balfour Beatty's side, write to them at:
Balfour Beatty
Raynesway
Derby
DE21 7BG
Alternatively, write to:
Stephen Byers MP
House Of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA.