Letter

Re: The World Bank and Electricity of Vietnam Corporation's Failure to Compensate for Damages Caused by Se San River Hydro Development Mr. Jeffrey S. Gutman Director, Strategy and Operations East Asia and Pacific Region The World Bank Washington DC USA Fax: 202 477 0169 Dear Mr. Gutman: Thank you for your response of February 24, 2003 to our letter of October 10, 2002 to Bank President James Wolfensohn, and Executive Directors for Canada and the United States. In response we would like to clarify several points and request further action from the Bank.

This letter urges the Bank to investigate the failure of Electricité de Vietnam to compensate thousands of Cambodians for impacts from Yali Falls Dam. View the Bank's response and NGO's follow-up letter.

Dear Ms. Imhof: Subject: Vietnam: Yali Falls Dam Thank you very much for your letter of October 10, 2002 to Mr. Wolfensohn. We have reviewed your letter and studied the issues with care. We agree with you that projects should address and properly manage environmental and social impacts, including those impacts which occur beyond national borders as a result of the project. At the same time, we should note at the outset that the World Bank is not financing the Yali Falls Dam. Indeed, the Dam's construction began in 1992 and, to our knowledge, since then has been fully finance

Over 80 people's groups in Thailand and Burma spoke out against China's plans for 13 large dams on the Nu River. The groups say that the dams will bring devastating effects for people downstream, and called on China to consult with downstream communities who depend on the river for fishing and farming. Thai-Karen communities have lived along the Salween river and its tributaries for generations. Their lives depend on the richness of the lush ecosystem and natural resources of the Salween river basin. The Southeast Asia Rivers Network has coordinated this petition.

Over 76 environmental and human rights organizations expressed concerns over the impacts of the proposed dams on the Nu River and how the projects are proceeding without consultation with downstream riparian residents, March 2004.

As controversty raged in China around development plans for the Nu River, 90 environmental and community groups in Burma and Thailand lodged their own appeal with Beijing to release the project's environmental impact assessment in September 2005. Open Letter to H.E. Hu Jintao President of the People's Republic of China Dear Sir, We are writing to you with regard to the news that the planning and environmental departments have reviewed the hydropower development plans for the Nujiang River. We are a broad coalition of Thai and Burmese civil society organizations as well

Concerning About 30,000 people in the Brong–Ahafo–Region, Northwest Ghana, are threatened with losing their land and the right to feed oneself due to the construction of the hydroelectricity Bui–dam. Background With the construction of Ghana's third hydroelectricity dam, a population of approximately 30,000 people have to fear relocation or a decline in essential fishing grounds as well as an increase in dangerous diseases. The country's first hydroelectricity dam, the Akosombo–dam in Southeast Ghana, was built in 1966. The disastrous consequences of unfair compensation

International Rivers comments to the ADB noting that its draft Energy Strategy and ADB's project pipeline ultimately convey a "business-as-usual" approach with continued support for large hydropower and fossil fuel projects.

Similar letters to the below were also sent to ECIS (now known as INCIS) members Barclays, Citibank, Fortis, MorganStanley, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Kleinworth and Climate Change Capital. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frans CornelissenSenior Vice President Sustainable Development EuropeAndre AbadieHead Sustainable Business AdvisoryABN AMROVia E-mail: frans.cornelissen@nl.abnamro.com & andre.abadie@nl.abnamro.comRe: Voluntary Offset StandardDear Frans Cornelissen and Andre Abadie,We were very interested to learn of your c

Two recent studies demonstrate major flaws in the ADB's Mekong Power Grid plan. The first, by Canadian power grid expert Dr. Bretton Garrett, raises several questions regarding the economic viability of the scheme and the feasibility of an interconnected grid for the politically and economically diverse countries of the Mekong region. The second study, by Witoon Permpongsacharoen of Foundation for Ecological Recovery, highlights alternative, more sustainable power options for Thailand. Rajat M. Nag Director General Mekong Department Asian Development Bank PO Box 789 0980 Manila Philippine