Archived press release

Government faces law case in dam row

25 April 2000

Friends of the Earth today warned of court action against the UK Government over the planned Ilisu Dam in Turkey. The move follows publication of a key legal opinion which shows that both the UK and Turkish Government may be breaking the law if the dam goes ahead.

The Ilisu Dam would be built in the Kurdish region of Turkey by a Swiss based consortium including British builders Balfour Beatty, who are seeking up to £200 million in credits from the Export Credit Guarantee Department, an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.Before Christmas, after a direct intervention from No10, Trade Secretary Stephen Byers said he was “minded” to give the credit. The Ilisu Dam would make about 20,000 Kurds homeless and would drown dozens of towns and villages, including the world historic town of Hasankeyf.

Top international lawyers Professors James Crawford (Cambridge University), Phillipe Sands(University of London), and Laurence Boisson de Chazournes (University of Geneva) have advised FOE that Turkey will break international law if it fails properly to consult its neighbours,Syria and Iraq, over the Ilisu Dam, which is part of a scheme which would control the water flow on the Tigris River [1]. FOE argues that the UK Government would itself break both international and national law if it gives an export credit to Balfour Beatty and assists the Turkish Government in committing an unlawful act. (Copy of legal opinion available from FOE)

Commenting, Policy Director Tony Juniper said:

“Our legal advice is that Turkey has binding obligations to consult its downstream neighbours about the planned dam. It has clearly not done that and in our view will not do so. We are committed to ensuring that the law is upheld and will take legal action against the British Government if it is not.

The Ilisu Dam is a disgraceful project which will damage the environment, displace thousands of people and destroy a priceless part of Kurdish and world history. If our Government - and our most senior politicians - want to retain their ethical credibility in the run up to the next Election, it is time for them to find the courage to do what is so obviously right.”

[1] The relevant pieces of international law include the 1992 UN Convention of the Protection of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

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