Bangladesh | India | Pakistan | Sri Lanka

Bangladesh

Citizen's Gatherings

Jatyo Nadi Raksha Andolon or JNRA (National River Saving Movement) and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon or BAPA (Bangladesh Environmental Movement) organized "Citizen's Gatherings" on March 14^th. They held events and gatherings at about thirty places, in the capital city of Dhaka and around it:

In Dhaka, a press conference was held, demanding a total ban on the discharge of untreated wastes into rivers all over the country.

People's Rivers Defenders (PRD) and BAPA organized a mass gathering on the bank of the Karnaphyly River for saving the river from encroachment and pollution.

Sylhet Poribesh Andolon (SYPA) formed a human chain on a beautiful tourist spot called Jaflong, located next to the Mari River.

Another human chain, demanding removal of a dam, was formed by Chalan Beel Uddyog Society and JNRA, at the Chatmohor River.

Contact

Dr. Mohd Abdul Matin
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)
Phone: +880-2-8128024
Email: memory14@agni.com
Web: www.bapa.org.bd

Children's Gathering in Khulna

Samaj Progoti Sangstha (SPS) collaborated with Environmental Journalist Network and River Protection Committee to hold a children's gathering and paper boat floating at the Rupsha Riverbank area near Rupsha Bridge in Khulna, Bangladesh. The importance of the vital role of rivers was stressed and students expressed their love and commitment to rivers through paper boat floating. The event was attended by fishermen, boatmen, community members and over 300 students.

Contact

Alamgir Islam Lablu
Email: sps@bttb.net.bd
Lablu71@yahoo.com

India

Ethnic Kuki's Protest

The Kuki Students Democratic Front (KSDF) collaborated with the Burma Rivers Network (BRN) to organize a mass rally in India's capital city of New Dehli on March 14^th. Ethnic Kukis marched a to protest the construction of the Tamanthi Dam in Burma, demanding the Indian government and its company, NHPC, stop ties with the SPDC regime of Burma in implementing the Tamanthi Dam, which continues to displace the Kuki's.

Read KSDF's Statement Against the Tamanthi Dam

Contact

Lulun Kuki
Phone: +91-9899278511
Email: lulun12002@yahoo.com
Web: www.ksdf.org

Celebration on the Subansiri River

A group of activists in India celebrated the Day of Action for Rivers on a small island on the Subansiri River. They started the festivities on March 8^th to coincide with International Women's Day.

Contact

Monoj Gogoi
Email: gmonoj@yahoo.com

"Janki- Panei Khetra", Subsansiri Valley

The People of People's Movement for Subsansiri Brahmaputra Valley (PMSBV) joined with over 30 organizations and 500 villagers to observe the International Day of Action for Rivers with a day-long programme on a small river island near the Subsansiri Pakki Bridge to oppose the illegal construction of the 2000MW Lower Subsansiri Hydroelectric Power project. During the gathering, activists burned down a model of the project. A memorandum was also sent out to the chief minister of Assam to advise him to take necessary action to conduct an investigation of environmental, social and cultural aspects of all proposed projects and stop construction of the Lower Subsansiri Hydroelectric Power project until downstream communities are declared as affected people and a final report of impacts is submitted.

Contact

PMSBV
Email: pmsbv_subsansiri@yahoo.com

Organizations in Manipur Come Together

Several groups in Manipur came together to express solidarity and strengthen their movement to protect and restore rivers and other bodies of water, as well as to fight for justice for communities affected by dams. At a gathering at the Press Club, they had presentations and discussions focusing on the relation of water to indigenous people.

Contact

Citizens Concerned for Dams and Development
Email: wramd@yahoo.com

Letter to the Prime Minister

The All Idu Mishmi Students Union and the Idu Mishmi Cultural and Literary Society sent a letter to the Prime Minister of India demanding that mega projects, such as dams, be banned in the ecologically sensitive Dibang Valley.

Read the Letter

Contact

Souparna Lahiri
Phone: 91 11 29541502
Email: souparna.lahiri@gmail.com

Pakistan

Save the Indus River

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) held various activities for restoration of the Indus River. The Indus River has the world's sixth largest and richest delta, a source of livelihood for millions in Pakistan. However, the construction of dams and canals on the Indus River has resulted in a reduction of freshwater flows downstream and into the Indus Delta, depleting resources such as fertile land and fish stock and threatening these livelihoods. PFF has been advocating for the "Save the Indus River" movement and continued their struggle in coordination with the Day of Action for Rivers.

Hundreds of men and women joined the Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum in a colorful celebration at the middle of a waterless and deserted sandy embrace of the Indus River, near the closed gates of the Kotri Barrage. PFF held a press conference and a seminar/public gathering which was attended by water experts, researchers, politicians, civil society organizations and the affected communities. Following a moving speech, hundreds of men and women, wearing multi-colored clothing, made a long zigzag human-chain across inside of the waterless river to demonstrate their solidarity, tribute and love with their beloved Indus River. The event also included discussions, music and dancing.

Read PFF's Report of the Event

Read PFF River's Day Special

Contact

Mohammad Ali Shah
Phone: 0092 21 50 90 92 5
Email: pakistanfisherfolk@hotmail.com
Web: www.pff.org.pk

Drama and Art Competition

Shehersaaz, with the support of the Pakistan Institute for Environment-Development Action Research (PIEDAR) and World Wide Fund (WWF), organized a "Drama and Art Competition in Schools" near the Sawan River in Rawalpindi.

Contact

Nousheen Ashraf
Email: nosheen@shehersaaz.org.pk

Sri Lanka

Book Launching
To coincide with the International Day of Action for Rivers, the Sri Lanka Nature Forum held a book launching event as well as a campaign planning workshop for the Uma Oya, a displaced community.

Contact

Thilak Kariyawasam
Email: slnf@sltnet.lk