Affected People

Guatemalan activist and community leader Carlos Chen talks about the construction of a dam on the Chixoy River, and its devastating effect on the local people.

Second Gathering of the Mexican Movement of Those Affected by Dams and in Defence of Rivers (MAPDER) The Mexican Movement of Those Affected by Dams and in Defence of Rivers (MAPDER) was born at the 2nd Gathering of the Meso-American Movement Against Dams which was held in La Esperanza, Honduras in 2003. The first MAPDER meeting was held in 2004 in Guerrero where communities are battling against the construction of the La Parota dam. Six months later the Second MAPDER conference was held in the Huentitan ravine where only one woman, Guadalupe Lara remained in resistance against the Arcediano d

Afectados por presas exigen a Fox parar planes Al concluir un recorrido por los proyectos de construcción de presas en Nayarit, Jalisco, Guerrero y Chiapas, integrantes del Movimiento Mexicano de Afectados por las Presas y en Defensa de los Ríos (Mapder), pidieron al gobierno del presidente Vicente Fox dejar de actuar irresponsablemente y generar desplazados internos por dichas obras. Los afectados – la mayoría ejidatarios y comuneros – presentarán sus casos a organismos internacionales y sus testimonios a diversas organizaciones sociales de México porque "el gobierno no pued

The Hindi Version of the International Rivers Action Guide "Dams, Rivers and Rights" Published in New Delhi by South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People Dams, Rivers and Rights is the perfect tool for anyone threatened by dam construction. It tells the stories of people affected by dams and the stories of people who fight for their rights and their rivers. The guide shares lessons and ideas from the growing international anti-dam movement and outlines successful struggles against destructive dams. It tells stories of people all over the world who say no to dams and who demand "Donâ€

Chinese authorities have announced that as many as four million more people may need to be forcibly resettled to address the ever-increasing environmental impacts of the Three Gorges Dam Project. The people would be moved to curb pollution and prevent further erosion of the reservoir banks, which already threatens an environmental catastrophe and the project’s viability. International Rivers Network is extremely concerned about the dam’s human cost, which is spiraling out of control. More than one million people have already been forcibly displaced by the project, which is the biggest

Wang Yongchen, Beijing-based journalist and founder of the environmental group Green Earth Volunteers, reports on her travels to the Nu River valley in Yunnan Province. She discovers what local people have been told about the projects, and how they feel about the prospect of resettlement. 

This paper was submitted by villagers affected by the Manwan Dam to the UN Symposium on Hydropower and Sustainable Development held in Beijing in October 2004. According to the paper, it has been 18 years since the start of construction of the Manwan Dam, yet the living conditions of the resettled people have not yet improved. The government promised affected people that ‘When Manwan Dam generates hydropower resettled people will achieve a rich standard of living". However, the situation of today is that the living tandards are lower than their level before the construction of the dam.

This paper outlines the findings of a social impact assessment conducted for people displaced by the Manwan Dam, the first dam to be built on the Upper Mekong. The SIA findings led the Yunnan Provincial government to allocate an additional $9.7 million in funds to resolve the problems facing the resettlers.

Chapter from Human Rights Dialogue: "Environmental Rights", Published by Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs. Describes the tragedy of the Maya-Achí people of Guatemala, victims of a World Bank-funded hydroelectric dam, and their efforts to reclaim their lives. Download document