Activists support move to form anti-dams alliance

Anti-dam activists, struggling for the restoration of rivers and protecting Indus Delta supported the move to form broader 'People's Alliance against Dams and for Restoration of Rivers. They said the River Indus which linked the South Asian nations through benefiting the people presently is being deprived of water share by building mega water projects on it.
They vowed to flourish the idea to the entire region for 'Water Pact' and similarly the water distribution to the provinces should be resolved through similar pacts within the people, who depend on river water. They were speaking at a 'Peoples Assembly', organised by Pakistan Fisher folk Forum (PFF) at Al-Manzar Jamshoro on the occasion of International Rivers Day.
PFF Chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah, Karamat Ali, Director Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Suleman G Abro, Head of Sindh Agriculture Forestry Workers Co-ordinating Organisation (SAFWCO), Professor Ismail Kumbhar of Agriculture University Tando Jam, Researcher Aly Ercelan, Nasir Panhwar of Friends of Indus Forum, Fatima Majeed, Tahira Ali, Saeed Baloch, Zulfiqar Halepoto, Sami Memon, Mir Hassan Mari and Azad Mirwahi spoke on the occasion.
The idea of formation of broader alliance on water was floated by PFF chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah, the leading campaigners endorsed it. In this regard, a meeting of small growers, fishermen, political activists, civil society leaders and trade unions will be convened in the next month in Hyderabad for making strategy Mohammed Ali Shah said now there is need to launch joint struggle and for this he announced people's alliance to strengthen the Keep Rivers free movement and stop dam's construction. Shah linked the keep rivers free movement to the land reforms and said growers and sharecroppers should join hands to save the river and fertile land. He said no piece of land should be utilised for commercial purposes, because the recent threats to food security may cause further destruction in Sindh. He said the development of dams and barrages in the name of green revolution has benefited only landlords, rich people and deprived the poor of their share. He warned that the sea intrusion is increasing and may engulf three districts Thatta, Sujawal and Badin, which are already experiencing devastating situation. "No dam and barrage is acceptable to the communities. There is need of launching well organised movement to ensure share of tail end and save Indus Delta," he said. He also announced to initiate three-month Long March from Jamshoro to Islamabad from December 2015 to March 14, 2016 to celebrate the International Rivers Day, which was also endorsed by the community activists. The participants travelled from Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, Umerkot, Sanghar, Jamshoro and Hyderabad districts.
Karamat Ali of PILER said the movement for the restoration of the river will bring all the forest, peasant and fishermen communities together to protect their resources. He said it is the call of entire region to be united and come to a joint water pact for protecting natural resources. He said the poor people in Thar Desert are facing hunger because of unequal distribution of resources. Their rights to Thar resources are not being accepted therefore they are facing devastation. Nasir Panhwar of Friends of Indus Forum said 10 major rivers in the world are under threats to be dead, because their streams cannot reach their tail end areas due to shortage of water.