Archived press release

Uk company told to quit malaysian dam scheme

1 February 1997

LOCAL PEOPLE AND RAINFOREST FACE RUIN

PHOTOCALL

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH WILL BE 'DAMMING' NEW STREET, BIRMINGHAM (NEAR DILLONS BOOK SHOP), SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST, 11.00AM

Friends of the Earth is calling upon Bucknalls, a Birmingham company [1], to cease its collaboration with the Malaysian Government on the destructive Bakun Hydroelectric Power Project (HEP) which will lead to the forced evictions of thousands of indigenous peoples[2].

The Bucknall Group has secured a contract to provide housing for nearly 10,000 indigenous people in Sarawak, eastern Malaysia, who are to be forcibly removed from their native land to make way for a reservoir which will flood over 69,000 hectares of rainforest.Many tribes people have said that they will resist relocation as they have not been fully consulted, nor sufficiently compensated [3].

This week the Bakun Region Peoples' Committee wrote to Bucknalls and urged them to withdraw from the resettlement scheme. In the letter which outlined their concerns with the scheme [4], the Chairman of the Bakun Region Peoples' Committee, Bato Bagi, said, "..we appeal to your company to withdraw immediately from the Bakun resettlement scheme or else you will only be guaranteeing the inevitable extermination of our very livelihood..".

Sarah Tyack of Friends of the Earth said:

"As well as the terrible environmental impacts, the Bakun hydroelectric project will be nothing short of a nightmare for thousands of Sarawak's rainforest people. Under the resettlement scheme, those affected will be deprived of the most basic of needs such as adequate land on which to continue their traditional agricultural activities. Bucknalls must listen to the plea of these people and stop their involvement in this project immediately".

Louise Molloy of Birmingham Friends of the Earth said:

"The residents of Birmingham and the Midlands will be very concerned to learn of Bucknall's involvement in this project. Any involvement in a scheme which will mean the forcible resettlement of nearly 10,000 indigenous people is unacceptable and Bucknalls should respect the wishes of the affected communities"

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The Bucknall Group Birmingham office address is 5 Scotland Street, Birmingham, B1 2RR tel: 0121 200 2282.

[2] The Bakun HEP, which is due for completion in 2002, will be constructed across the Balui River in Sarawak. It will supply electricity to the Malaysian Peninsular 650 km away. The Bakun HEP is a highly controversial project which has been criticised for its potential environmental and social impacts by human rights, indigenous and environmental groups in Malaysia and worldwide since it was first proposed in 1962. The project was revived in the 1980s, but was shelved in 1990, a decision which the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir,said was "proof that Malaysia cares about the environment". The Prime Minister then supported the move to take it forward again in 1992.

[3] The Bakun HEP has been characterised by a consistent lack of community consultation and government secrecy has denied those who are to be affected an opportunity to have their views heard. The High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled on June 19th, 1996 that the Malaysian Government had failed to meet legal environmental impact assessment requirements after representations by three indigenous people from the area.

[4] Concerns outlined by the Bakun Regional People's Committee in the letter dated 16 January 1997 include:

• The Malaysian government has consistently failed to provide the Bakun residents with information or to hold an open dialogue with them about the resettlement scheme;
• The land at the resettlement site belongs to other indigenous communities, therefore communal conflicts are likely due to increased competition for less land and resources;
• The government has 'advised' the people of Bakun to accept jobs as labourers in the oil palm plantations which are to be set up by the Bakun HEP developers;
• The Bakun residents consider the 'gift' of one million chicks to rear on their new resettlement site as an insult;
• No compensation figure has been set and the residents have been told that the army and police will be used to remove residents who refuse to leave.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust