Burmese civil society groups send open letter to ADB on the SPU
5 March 2008
Burmese civil society groups have sent an open letter to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stating that the ADB's weak Safeguard Policy Statement draft will cause not only social and environmental harms but may also lead to human rights violations.
Civil society groups from Burma (Myanmar) sent an open letter to the Asian Development Bank's (ADB)Director of Environment and Social Safeguard Division yesterday expressing their concern over the ADB's weakened safeguard policy consultation draft.
The letter states:
"The Consultation Draft is a matter of concern not only for countries with active loans from the ADB but also for Burmese people who will stand to lose if the powerless and regressive provisions of the Consultation Draft were to be applied to Burma. After all, the ADB, along with the other multilateral development banks (MDBs), has not totally disengaged from the country. The Bank continues its dealing with the Burmese military junta through its Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Program and other non-direct lending services. For this reason, we would like to suggest that the ADB improves and expands its accountability by strengthening – not weakening – its safeguard policies."
The letter concludes:
"We reiterate that if ADB significantly weakens its safeguard policies, not only will it avoid its accountability but also encourage military and repressive governments, such as the military regime in Burma, to commit more human rights abuses. However, if the Bank will provide leadership to ensure the rights of the weakest and most marginalized citizens of the ADB's Developing Member Countries are not violated by ADB operations, we will see it as a sign that the Bank is serious with its mandate of reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development. Strengthening your Safeguards and improving your accountability will signify that you are truly following your mission."
Read the full text of the letter
Open letter to ADB on the SPU from Burmese civil society groups, March 4, 2008 (Acrobat pdf, 37 KB)
Resources
A full list of ADB funded RETAs that include Burma, by Earthrights (Adobe pdf, 48 KB)
Development by Decree: The politics of poverty and control in Karen State , by Karen Human Rights Group, April 2007. (Adobe pdf, 10 MB)
Warning Signs: An update on plans to dam the Salween in Burma's Shan State, by Shan Sapawa Environmental Organization, 2006. (Acrobat pdf, 888 KB)
Asian Development Bank, "Technical Assistance for Regional Indicative Master Plan on Power Interconnection in the Great Mekong Subregion," Asian Development Bank, July 2000. (Acrobat pdf, 48 KB)