Call to Action 2009

Date: 
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

International Day of Action Against Dams
and for Rivers, Water and Life
MARCH 14th, 2009

"A river, like a sunset, does not discriminate between gender, ethnicity or class." Rivers provide freshwater and support life. A dam, however, does discriminate, and creates winners and losers in the process. When dams go up and a river's water is turned into a commodity, the losers include those whose communities and farmlands are flooded, and the even greater number impacted by the loss of their natural resources downstream. Because dams are so costly and, in this changing climate, unreliable, those who ultimately pay for the dam through their water or electricity bills are also on the losing end.

But every year, resistance to dams increases around the globe. As alliances are made and individuals and organizations, lend their support, dam-affected people have gained more power to stop dams and influence decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods. The international anti-dam movement is more than just a struggle for rivers; it is a step toward a larger battle for more sustainable and just development practices, for transparency and political accountability.

In March 1997, representatives from organizations and communities around the world gathered in Curitiba, Brazil, to participate in the First International Meeting of People Affected by Dams. This gathering ended with a pact to dedicate March 14 as an International Day of Action for Rivers, to not only celebrate rivers and resist destructive river development, but to inspire the growing movement and strengthen the global network in the struggle against the dam industry's power-grab of the world's rivers. Since then, the movement has expanded to include participants in over 50 countries and hundreds of local groups. But our struggle is not yet over - indeed, more dams are being promoted than ever before, as a misguided solution for addressing climate change. As March 14th approaches, we at International Rivers invite you to join us in celebrating the 12th annual International Day of Action Against Dams and for Rivers, Water and Life.

As in previous years, International Rivers will serve to unify the events of the day through our website, as well as hold our own event in California. Past events around the globe have included protests, celebrations, seminars and conferences. For instance, last year, there was a canoe race in Belize, and in Bangladesh, a riverside meeting and kite flying drew attention to the endangered Shitalakshya of Narayangonj River near Dhaka. In India, over twelve thousand dam affected people marched in protest.

Many communities have already started planning their events for this year's International Day of Action for Rivers. We encourage you to do the same and organize your own event. Please feel free to contact us. We are here to help!

A FEW OF LAST YEAR’S ACTIONS

Brazil: Many events and protests were organized to protest the politics of privatization. In one of the more dramatic actions, women from Via Campesina blocked the rail line of Companhia Vale do Rio Doce in Minas Gerais, in support of families seeking compensation from the company for their being displaced for Aimorés Dam.

South Africa: The Green Network (GN) of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa held a conference to address issues related to e. coli as the result of poor sanitation for riverside residents. Attendees discussed how to put pressure on the municipal government to improve water quality and delivery in the region.

Germany: German activists took action against the controversial Ilisu Dam in Turkey, asking the government to cancel its plans and instead, to develop a "truly participatory sustainable development plan for the region." Also, a "dam wall" was constructed as a visual protest.

Bangladesh: Sylhet Poribesh Andolon (SYPA) organized a human chain at the bank of the Surma River in protest of the Tipaimukh Dam. A similar human chain was formed at the Gollamari Bridge on the Moyur River.

El Savador: The National Movement Against Dams and Mining blocked a national road to warn passersby about the detrimental impacts of the Cimarron and Chaparral dams and of regional mining projects.

WHAT YOU CAN DO (AND HOW WE CAN HELP)!

Plan an Event
We are thrilled to hear about any prospective events. If you are planning an event, please send us any information you have about your event so we can send you resources, information and contacts we may have in order to help you. Specifically, tell us about your event, including: (1) title, (2) location, (3) date and time, (4) contact person, and (5) a brief description (especially be sure to let us know if we should keep your event confidential). We will then post this information, with your permission, on our website, generate a master list and distribute it to others who are interested. Lastly, once your event is over, we encourage you to send us feedback, pictures and summaries of the event. You can email this information to dayofaction@internationalrivers.org.

Need Brochures?
We have a full color one-page brochure, as well as a fact sheet on past Day of Action activities, available to you for inspiration and assistance. These can be downloaded from our website and we encourage you to do so if possible. However, if you need printed copies of any of our materials - brochures, fact sheets, background information, and materials to help promote your event - we will send them to you. Please let us know how many you will need and include your address. You can also download the materials at http://internationalrivers.org/node/2065.

Want to attend an event?
Keep checking our website (http://internationalrivers.org/node/2065) as the Day of Action approaches to find events in your area. Be sure to contact us to double-check information. And please help spread the word!

We look forward to hearing exciting news from you!

For the rivers,


International Rivers
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703 USA
Phone: +1.510.848.1155
Fax: +1.510.848.1008
E-mail: dayofaction@internationalrivers.org