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Sixteen pressure groups, including Earthrights International, have
raised human rights concerns with the Asian Development Bank over the
projects in Burma in which it is indirectly involved. The groups have
put their points in a joint letter to the bank just as it reviews its
safeguard policies.
The bank has not put new loans into Burma for 20 years but it supports regional projects in which work in Burma plays a part – the Asian Highway component of the East-West Economic Corridor and the Ta Sang Dam, a section of the proposed Mekong Power Grid.
The letter complains that in the Burma stretch of the Asian Highway no social or environmental impact assessments have been completed or made publicly available, communities in the project area have not been consulted, and there have been reports of forced labour.
It says more than 300,000 people have been relocated by force from the dam area, and that if the dam is built it will drive thousands more from their homes, bringing more forced relocations by the Burmese military. It says: ‘Increased militarization has already led to an increase in reports of torture, extra-judicial killing and other human rights abuses in the Ta Sang area.’
The groups say the bank should expand it safeguard policies to cover regional technical assistance grants and assistance not related to projects; include environmental and human rights organizations working for Burma in its consultations; and draw up social and environmental policies with a commitment to protect the rights of all affected communities.
They write: ‘We hope that you will provide leadership to ensure the rights of the weakest and most marginalized citizens of the ADB developing member countries are not violated by ADB operations.’
The bank’s review of its safeguard policies continues until June and a final paper will go to the board for consideration next January. The policies are on involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples and the environment. The bank says they are intended to avoid or minimize environmental impacts, social costs to third parties and marginalization of vulnerable groups. It intends that the updated policies will state the safeguard requirements more clearly and focus more on results.
Inquiries and suggestions from stakeholders are being welcomed during the updating process.
The bank has not put new loans into Burma for 20 years but it supports regional projects in which work in Burma plays a part – the Asian Highway component of the East-West Economic Corridor and the Ta Sang Dam, a section of the proposed Mekong Power Grid.
The letter complains that in the Burma stretch of the Asian Highway no social or environmental impact assessments have been completed or made publicly available, communities in the project area have not been consulted, and there have been reports of forced labour.
It says more than 300,000 people have been relocated by force from the dam area, and that if the dam is built it will drive thousands more from their homes, bringing more forced relocations by the Burmese military. It says: ‘Increased militarization has already led to an increase in reports of torture, extra-judicial killing and other human rights abuses in the Ta Sang area.’
The groups say the bank should expand it safeguard policies to cover regional technical assistance grants and assistance not related to projects; include environmental and human rights organizations working for Burma in its consultations; and draw up social and environmental policies with a commitment to protect the rights of all affected communities.
They write: ‘We hope that you will provide leadership to ensure the rights of the weakest and most marginalized citizens of the ADB developing member countries are not violated by ADB operations.’
The bank’s review of its safeguard policies continues until June and a final paper will go to the board for consideration next January. The policies are on involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples and the environment. The bank says they are intended to avoid or minimize environmental impacts, social costs to third parties and marginalization of vulnerable groups. It intends that the updated policies will state the safeguard requirements more clearly and focus more on results.
Inquiries and suggestions from stakeholders are being welcomed during the updating process.
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