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	<title>karstaceh.com &#187; Flowstone</title>
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		<title>Komentar atas artikel “Karst bukan bahan baku semen”</title>
		<link>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/komentar-atas-artikel-%e2%80%9ckarst-bukan-bahan-baku-semen%e2%80%9d</link>
		<comments>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/komentar-atas-artikel-%e2%80%9ckarst-bukan-bahan-baku-semen%e2%80%9d#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:32:15 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Flowstone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karstaceh.com/?p=319</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Posted on November 24, 2008 by cavernicoles	 				
Ada satu artikel yang buat saya menarik untuk dikritisi dalam salah satu blog yang ditulis oleh EFFNU SUBIYANTO seorang MAHASISWA MAGISTER MANAGEMEN UGM dan PESERTA ISKF I di Yogyakarta, dan tulisannya juga terbit dalam majalah GAPURA pada tanggal 2 September 2008.
Artikel ini sangat perlu dikritisi agar ada “counter [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="postinfo">Posted on <span class="postdate">November 24, 2008</span> by cavernicoles	 				<span id="more-319"></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Ada satu artikel yang buat saya menarik untuk dikritisi dalam salah satu blog<a title="Blog" href="http://effnu.blogspot.com/2008/09/karst-bukan-bahan-baku-semen.html" target="_blank"></a> yang ditulis oleh EFFNU SUBIYANTO seorang MAHASISWA MAGISTER MANAGEMEN UGM dan PESERTA ISKF I di Yogyakarta, dan tulisannya juga terbit dalam majalah GAPURA pada tanggal 2 September 2008.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Artikel ini sangat perlu dikritisi agar ada <em>“counter opinion”</em> terhadap beberapa pernyataan dalam artikel tersebut.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Dari tinjauan judul saja yaitu <strong><em>“Karst bukan bahan Baku Semen” </em></strong> sudah terkesan adanya satu tujuan untuk sebuah pembenaran bagi aktivitas penambangan di kawasan karst. Definisi Karst sendiri menurut salah satu kamus online adalah<strong><em> “An area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns.”</em></strong> Dimana satu kawasan yang menunjukakn ciri-ciri seperti difinisi tersebut layak disebut sebagai karst yaitu adanya proses beberapa sistem perguaan, aliran sungai bawa tanah dan luweng. Nah, di Indonesia mayoritas semua penambangan batu gamping untuk semen di sekitar lokasi penambangan terdapat fenomena yang dapat dikategorikan sebagai karst. Salah satu penambangan di Tuban pun ada di dalam kawasan Karst karena sekitar 500 m dari kawansan penambangan terdapat gua yang dihuni ribuan kelelawar dan ada juga sistem sungai bawah tanah yang penting untuk ketersediaan air. Lantas dimana benarnya Karst bukan bahan baku Semen…, buat saya judul ini adalah sebuah pembelokan atau malah bisa dikatakan penyesatan. Mari kita baca lagi buku-buku tentang arti dan definisi karst dan aspek-aspeknya.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Kalau penambangan dilakukan berdasarkan ketentuan Kepmen ESDM perlu dilakukan kajian yang lebih mendalam baik dari sisi aspek SURFACE maupun UNDERGROUND. Nah dalam kepmen tersebut saja sudah ditentukan KLASIFIKASI KARST, yang ada Karst Kelas 1, 2 dan 3. Penambangan boleh di Karst Kelas 3 dan Karst Kelas 2 dengan AMDAL dll. Lantas, mengapa perlu dibuat klasifikasi KARST, kan untuk tujuan PENGELOLAAN Penambangan untuk bahan baku semen. Terus … kalau Karst bukan bahan baku semen, terus bahan baku semen ambil dari mana, mungkin tiu pertanyaan yang perlu di jawab oleh penulis.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Jadi dari sisi judul saja sebenarnya ada yang kurang pas namun, apapun itu Judul adalah hak prerogratif penulis sesuai dengan apa tujuan penulis.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Ada hal yang masih perlu ditinjau lagi seperti yang terkutip di bawah ini :</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>“Disinilah kekurangan para peneliti ISKF karena tidak memberikan rekomendasi alternatif dua arah secara berimbang dari sudut pandang peneliti dan kalangan bisnis sehingga mengurangi bobot penelitian. ”</strong></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sebenarnya, sebuah bobot penelitian tidak hanya ditinjau dari apakah sebuah penelitian tidak berbobot karena tidak bisa menyelesaikan atau memberikan kontribusi terhadap permasalahan yang ada. Penelitian adalah sebuah proses dimana setiap peneliti ingin mencapai sesuatu yang buat peneliti penting untuk dijawab, sementara peneliti belum menitik beratkan pada permasalah lain yang muncul.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Terkadang banyak orang menuntut sebuah penelitian harus bisa menyelesaikan pernmasalahan bangsa, baik itu ketahanan pangan, energi terbarukan maupun aspek ekonomi kemasyrakatan bahkan konservasi dan pemanfaatan.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Padahal perkembangan ilmu Karst di Indonesia baru seumur jagung, kalau para penelitinya sudah dituntut unttuk bisa menyelesaikan bagaimana permasalahan antara konservasi dan pemanfaatan, sementara kita belum tahu apa-apa tentang karst dan seluk beluknya. Hal ini dikhawatirkan akan terjadin MISLEADING dalam menjawab pertnyaan karena menimnya data.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sekiranya peneliti bisa menjawab bagaimana konservasi dan pemnafaatan bisa berjalan selaras, mungkinkah sektor bisnis bisa melakukan seperti yang diamanatkan oleh hasil PENELITIAN.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sebagai contoh, dari sisi biologi suatu kawasan karst terdapat beberapa gua dengan populasi kelelawar, sebagai data dasar, sebelum dilakukan aktivitas di kawasan tsb dilakukan AMDAL untuk mengetahui seberapa besar populasi kelelawar dan hewan renik lainya di gua A.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Hasil AMDAL otomatis menjadi data dasar sebagai acuan belum adanya dampak, dari sini muncul rekomendasi untuk RKL/RPL, salah satunya melakukan pemantauan populasi kelelawar dan hewan renik lainnya di gua A sepanjang tahun sebanyak dua kali perbedaan musim.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">NAh, apakah pelaku bisnis penambangan semen sudah melakukan ini ????</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">APakah pelaku pertambangan di Tuban sudah mempunyai data jenis kelelawar dan besaran populasinya tiap jenis dan bagaimana kecenderungannya sejak AMDAL sampai sekarang ….</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">kalau hal ini bisa dijawab oleh pelaku bisnis pertambangan gamping, para peneliti bisa membantu untuk bagaimana bisa ECO-FRIENDLy. Tapi kalau belum bisa menjawab pertanyaan itu, lebih baik introspeksi dan mengkoreksi apakah dulu AMDAL-nya benar atau memang hanya sekedar formalitas.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Kalau memang belum ada data, tentang biologi maupun aspek lain yang bisa dijadikan BASE LINE STUDY, lebih baik meninjau kembali rencana untuk membangun di kawasan baru.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Kalau aspek biologi tidak menjadi aspek yang penting, berarti aspek KESEIMBANGAN EKOLOGI telah diabaikan hanya untuk kepentingan ekonomi sesaat.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Kalau ditanya, apa pentingnya BIOLOGI. mari kita bertanya bagaimana kita bisa makan duren, bagaimana kita makan nasi, bagaimana mangrove sepanjang pantai utara jawa bisa bertahan, siapa yang menyebarkan biji hingga ke puncak gunung, siap yang memangsa ngengat dan nyamuk di malam hari,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">jangan hanya bertanya berapa uang yang akan kita peroleh dengan peduli aspek biologi.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Hitung saja, berapa uang harus disiapkan untuk membeli pestisida untuk membasmi 200.000 ekor ngengat, berapa uang diperlukan untuk membayar orang menyerbuki bunga DLONGOP agar kita bisa makan duren …, berapa uang harus disiapkan untuk bayar orang nanam pohon di puncak gunung….,</p>
<p><em>Oleh: Cahyo Rahmadi/ <a href="http://cavernicoles.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/komentar-atas-artikel-karst-bukan-bahan-baku-semen/">http://cavernicoles.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/komentar-atas-artikel-karst-bukan-bahan-baku-semen/</a><br />
</em></p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seputar PP Nomor 26 TAHUN 2008</title>
		<link>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/seputar-pp-nomor-26-tahun-2008</link>
		<comments>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/seputar-pp-nomor-26-tahun-2008#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:17:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Flowstone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karstaceh.com/?p=271</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Kabar gembira bagi pecinta karst. Telah ada dasar hukum yang kuat untuk kawasan karst di Indonesia. Bagi anda pecinta karst. Telah ada dasar hukum yang kuat untuk kawasan karst di Indonesia. Namanya PP Nomor 26 Tahun 2008. Beberapa ahli seperti Dr. Ko dan Sunu Widjanarko menganjurkan bahwa AMDAL karst harus mengacu pada PP ini, terutama [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kabar gembira bagi pecinta karst. Telah ada dasar hukum yang kuat untuk kawasan karst di Indonesia. <span id="more-271"></span>Bagi anda pecinta karst. Telah ada dasar hukum yang kuat untuk kawasan karst di Indonesia. Namanya <strong>PP Nomor 26 Tahun 2008</strong>. Beberapa ahli seperti Dr. Ko dan Sunu Widjanarko menganjurkan bahwa AMDAL karst harus mengacu pada PP ini, terutama pendirian  PABRIK SEMEN. Berikut beberapa pasal yang dimaksud dalam PP tersebut.</p>
<p>Selamat bagi kita semua, namun perjuangan belum akan berhenti bukan?</p>
<p>PERATURAN PEMERINTAH REPUBLIK INDONESIA<br />
NOMOR 26 TAHUN 2008 TENTANG RENCANA TATA RUANG WILAYAH NASIONAL<br />
dapat di unduh di</p>
<p>http://www.bktrn.org/public/BatangTubuh_PP26-2008.pdf&gt;</p>
<p>http://www.bktrn.org/public/BatangTubuh_PP26-2008.pdf</p>
<p>isinya yang berhubungan dengan kawasan karst adalah :</p>
<p>Pasal 52 ayat (5)<br />
(5) Kawasan lindung geologi terdiri atas:<br />
a. kawasan cagar alam geologi;<br />
b. kawasan rawan bencana alam geologi; dan<br />
c. kawasan yang memberikan perlindungan terhadap air tanah.</p>
<p>Pasal 53<br />
(1) Kawasan cagar alam geologi sebagaimana dimaksud dalam<br />
Pasal 52 ayat (5) huruf a terdiri atas:<br />
a. kawasan keunikan batuan dan fosil;<br />
b. kawasan keunikan bentang alam; dan<br />
c. kawasan keunikan proses geologi.</p>
<p>Pasal 60 Ayat 2<br />
Kawasan keunikan bentang alam sebagaimana dimaksud<br />
dalam Pasal 53 ayat (1) huruf b ditetapkan dengan kriteria:<br />
a.memiliki bentang alam gumuk pasir pantai;<br />
b. memiliki bentang alam berupa kawah, kaldera, maar, leher<br />
vulkanik, dan gumuk vulkanik;<br />
c. memiliki bentang alam goa;<br />
d. memiliki bentang alam ngarai/lembah;<br />
e. memiliki bentang alam kubah; atau<br />
f. memiliki bentang alam karst.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cricket Part Identification (part of cricket test)</title>
		<link>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/cricket-part-identification-part-of-cricket-test</link>
		<comments>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/cricket-part-identification-part-of-cricket-test#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:40:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Flowstone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karstaceh.com/?p=243</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Bagi yang mau mencari tahu jenis jangkrik ini merupakan bagian-bagian dari jangkrik yang dapat diidentifikasi.

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Bagi yang mau mencari tahu jenis jangkrik ini merupakan bagian-bagian dari jangkrik yang dapat diidentifikasi.</p>
<p><img src="http://karstaceh.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/crick.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="720" /></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Komite Masyarakat Lhok Nga Meminta Bantuan Karst Aceh</title>
		<link>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/komite-masyarakat-lhok-nga-meminta-bantuan-karst-aceh</link>
		<comments>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/komite-masyarakat-lhok-nga-meminta-bantuan-karst-aceh#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 07:07:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Flowstone]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/komite-masyarakat-lhok-nga-meminta-bantuan-karst-aceh</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Aidil Adhari dari Komisi Lingkungan-Komite masyarakat Lhok Nga, Selasa19 Mei 2008 berkesempatan mengunjungi Kantor Karst Aceh.Dalam kesempatan tersebut, beliau meminta kepada Karst Aceh untuk mempelajari AMDAL PT. Semen Andalas Indonesia dan meminta poin-poin penting yang harus mereka sikapi berkaitan dengan kawasan karst yang merupakan bidang kegiatan organisasi ini.

 
 
Ada beberapa poin penting yang dapat digaris bawahi dari [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://karstaceh.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/ptsai.jpg"></a>Aidil Adhari dari Komisi Lingkungan-Komite masyarakat Lhok Nga, Selasa19 Mei 2008 berkesempatan mengunjungi Kantor Karst Aceh.<span id="more-79"></span>Dalam kesempatan tersebut, beliau meminta kepada Karst Aceh untuk mempelajari AMDAL PT. Semen Andalas Indonesia dan meminta poin-poin penting yang harus mereka sikapi berkaitan dengan kawasan karst yang merupakan bidang kegiatan organisasi ini.</p>
<p><a href="http://karstaceh.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/ptsai.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-81" title="ptsai" src="http://karstaceh.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/ptsai-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ada beberapa poin penting yang dapat digaris bawahi dari pertemuan ini, yaitu revisi AMDAL penambangan semen di kawasan karst oleh PT. Semen Andalas Indonesia, definisi dan nilai strategis kawasan karst dan gua di Lhok Nga, Fase Penambangan Semen, serta dokumen relandscapping yang tidak terakomodir dengan jelas di dalam dokumen tersebut.</p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Civil Society Petition to ADB</title>
		<link>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/civil-society-petition-for-sai</link>
		<comments>http://karstaceh.com/flowstone/civil-society-petition-for-sai#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 02:02:41 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Flowstone]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Civil Society Petition presented to President Kuroda during the
41st ADB- Annual Governors Meeting- Madrid
 
 
May 3, 2008
 
 
President Haruhiko Kuroda
The Asian Development Bank
P.O. Box 789
0980 Manila, Philippines
 
Dear Sir,
 
We would like to thank you and Mr. Robert Dobias for ADB&#8217;s response to our letter submitted on May 4, 2007 in Kyoto. We commend your office for creating the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Civil Society Petition presented to President Kuroda during the<br />
41st ADB- Annual Governors Meeting- Madrid<span id="more-71"></span><br />
 <br />
 <br />
May 3, 2008<br />
 <br />
 <br />
President Haruhiko Kuroda<br />
The Asian Development Bank<br />
P.O. Box 789<br />
0980 Manila, Philippines<br />
 <br />
Dear Sir,<br />
 <br />
We would like to thank you and Mr. Robert Dobias for ADB&#8217;s response to our letter submitted on May 4, 2007 in Kyoto. We commend your office for creating the opportunity to raise civil society concerns during the 41st Annual Governors Meeting.<br />
However, it is equally important to inform you that the concerns raised in Kyoto have still not been adequately addressed by the ADB. While we raise a few new concerns in this letter, we would like to once again bring to your notice some points which continue to require resolution.<br />
 <br />
ADB Long Term Strategic Framework 2008-2020<br />
 We register our dismay over the new long-term strategic framework (LTSF) of the ADB. The strategy simply reiterate the ADB&#8217;s bias towards private sector-led development, which is in truth anti-poor and vulnerable to greater corruption. The strategic framework suggests expanding the Bank&#8217;s activities with the private sector to boost market-led economic growth in Asia and the Pacific region. This, we believe, will result in a more business-friendly, not community-friendly, environment and possibly dismantle what is perceived to be a corrupt public sector in favor of a less accountable though equally prone to corruption private sector. According to the LTSF, the ADB will increase its support for the private sector by 50 per cent in 2020, which is presently only about 12 per cent of its total operation. The provision for basic needs such as health, education, water and the infrastructure sector, however, will be reduced gradually to only 20 per cent.<br />
 <br />
While the LTSF recognizes that poverty remains the central challenge facing Asia and the Pacific region, it assigns the profit-driven market as the solution to the problem.  Likewise, although it recognizes that rapid economic growth is putting severe strains on the environment, it is also increasing the private sector&#8217;s leverage in development projects, which would be dangerous due to the sector&#8217;s profit orientation and record of strong disregard of existing Bank policies regarding the safeguard of local community rights and livelihood and the environment from disastrous project impacts.<br />
 <br />
As a public development institution, ADB should not let the people suffer from private sector led development. We believe the ADB is making a fundamentally wrong assumption when it anticipates that Asia&#8217;s poor will be limited to mere pockets by 2020. Growing disasters, increasing disparities between the rich and the destitute and the failure of the market economy in the region to provide meaningful, sustainable gains to Asia&#8217;s masses will propel already marginalized poor peoples into further poverty. Unless ADB respects the diverse economic conditions prevailing in the region, it would be difficult for a regional bank to manage 3 billion people.<br />
 <br />
Asian Development Fund<br />
 We also share the concerns that some of the ADB Board of Directors raised during the on-going Asian Development Fund (ADF)- X replenishment negotiations.  As we know the ADF is the only soft loan facility available to poor countries. However, ADF money has been invested in a number of projects that have largely created poverty instead of alleviating it, as stated in the overarching goal of the ADB. Since 1973 ADF funds have not been equitably and effectively invested, developed and distributed. It is a fact that the region is still home to 40 percent of the worlds poor.<br />
 <br />
We share similar concerns with those raised by some members of the Board of Directors, particularly with regard to the ADB&#8217;s failure to address staffing requirements and insufficient performance monitoring. We also believe that the ADB is now excessively focusing on middle-income countries with greater borrowing capacity at the expense of the region&#8217;s poorest nations.<br />
We learned that the ADB has increased its lending in year 2007 to USD 10.1 billion which is more than USD 3 billion compared with year 2006. The ADB has issued USD 4 billion worth of Multitranche Financing Facilities while the civil society conveys their dissatisfaction on the facility since 2006. Meantime, ADB has not increased its staff capacity according to the requirements. This means the ADB is losing the quality of its lending while increasing the likelihood of committing more policy violations.  We demand the ADB to stick to its poverty alleviation overarching goal and improve its aid effectiveness prior to increasing its budget.<br />
 <br />
ADB Private Equity portfolio<br />
In addition we express strong concerns about the ADB&#8217;s private equity portfolio of over $600 million, held largely in offshore accounts. We have deep concerns about the relevance of these holdings to the Bank&#8217;s poverty alleviation efforts and see no meaningful evidence that appropriate environmental and social safeguards are being applied to these funds in accordance with ADB requirements.  We call for the immediate release of the list of private equity funds as well as all companies financed through the funds under the Bank&#8217;s private equity portfolio. We also request all environmental and social safeguard documentation pertaining to these investments. We call for a strengthening of ADB safeguard policy towards such investments, to ensure full, thorough, and transparent implementation of the Bank&#8217;s policies.<br />
 <br />
Food Crisis<br />
For the past four decades, the Bank is one of the responsible agencies in the region that has contributed significantly to the current food crisis. While some ADB funded development projects destroy productive lands, ADB has reduced its financial allocation to the agriculture related projects over the years. As we learnt the conditionalities put forward to limit the role of the government and entry of private sector to the grain sector is the main reason for food crisis in the Philippines. We call for investments in the agriculture production to prioritize domestic food production over export crops and agro-fuel production.<br />
 <br />
Demand for a &#8220;standard setting&#8221; 2nd draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement<br />
We have been monitoring the review of the ADB&#8217;s Safeguards Policy since 2005 when the review was first announced. We remained engaged with the process in good faith for over two years and offered extensive comments and background analysis and also ideas on how the consultation process should be carried out. We were therefore severely disappointed when the ADB released the Consultation Draft in October 2007 which proposed a weakening of existing ADB policy and did not advance the Review&#8217;s goal of bringing clarity and cohesion to ADB safeguards. We have since submitted comments that elaborate on our view that the October draft is a step back for the ADB. Given our view that the October draft was an insufficient basis for public consultations, we asked the ADB on February 7th,, 2008 to halt the regional consultations and resume then only after issuing a significantly revised and strengthened second draft. We were disappointed that the ADB chose to ignore this demand and wasted public money on consultations which a large majority of civil society did not attend. The response we received from Mr. Xianbin Yao, Acting Director General of the RSDD in his letter dated 7th March did not address the reasons for the CSO boycott.<br />
We are now informed via an April 23rd ADB press release that, in keeping with the CSO demand, the ADB will issue a 2nd draft ahead of the Working Paper. While we are glad the ADB has accepted a key process demand of CSOs, we fail to understand why the ADB did not take this action sooner and use the regional consultations to their full potential.<br />
We strongly feel the ADB must seize this opportunity to put in place the next generation of environmental and social standards. These standards should be aligned with international law and best practice.<br />
We call on you to ensure that the ADB carefully reviews the extensive detailed comments it has received from CSOs thus far, and fully reflect these in the 2nd draft. We also request you to ensure that the 2nd draft be released for public consultation in a form, process and manner that is commensurate with international good practice in policy formulation.<br />
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Request for a redraft of the ADB Energy Policy<br />
 We like to convey our dissatisfaction on the process surrounding the formulation of the Energy Strategy policy of the ADB, the first draft of which was released in 2007. We are concerned about the failure of your team to craft and release the Bank&#8217;s Energy Strategy review in a timely and appropriate manner. Need we remind you that despite commitments from your energy team made throughout the regional consultations and to different stakeholders that comments, critiques and responses generated by the regional consultations will be published in matrix form in the ADB website. To our dismay, we were told only last week that although the Bank is still committed to uploading the consultation outcome on the ADB website, the Bank would only do so once the final Energy Strategy is agreed and released as well. This is unfortunate, and we find little cause for confidence, since the reiteration of the commitment comes from the same ADB team which failed to produce a suitable draft.<br />
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The ADB appears to be relying excessively on carbon market instruments without ensuring the prioritization of energy efficiency and renewable energy development with adequate time tables and targets, despite the creation of supposedly &#8216;purportedly new &#8216;clean&#8217; energy-based funds.  We reiterate that the ADB cannot just leave the development of sustainable energy options to the market. We reiterate that the ADB needs to shift resources towards actual renewable and energy efficiency projects and programs and at the same time put in place policies that will stimulate the rapid deployment of real energy solutions. Other policy measures include getting developing member countries to govern their  energy choices through full-cost accounting and real integrated resource planning (IRP) processes, which can ensure that a country&#8217;s available renewable and efficiency potential is evaluated first for full utilization before new capacity is considered.<br />
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We are also very concerned about the ADB&#8217;s assistance to the expansion of biofuels. We note that that the current food crisis has a relationship with the expansion of the biofuels market.  We request ADB to make a realistic strategy and plan considering the impacts of expanding biofuels in predominantly agricultural countries, ensuring the biofuels needs of the North are not provided at the expense of the nutritional well-being of developing Asia&#8217;s population and the fragile ecosystems of the region.<br />
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Asian Development Bank Projects<br />
ADB projects have created many environmental and social safeguard violations in the Asia Pacific region. We demand ADB to play a socially and environmental responsible development partner role rather than playing the role of business broker and implementer of destructive projects. Following, ADB funded projects needs your immediate attention.<br />
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West Seti Hydroelectric Project- Nepal<br />
 Among number of other projects, we are concern about ADB&#8217;s involvement in the 750 MW hydropower project in western Nepal, with a loan and political risk guarantee provided by ADB. According to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, 12,914 people will be displaced and more will be affected due to the project. As we know the ADB&#8217;s Board is planning to discuss the project in September 2008.[1] However there is a massive campaign going on in Nepal for the cancellation of this project as well as against the ADB&#8217;s involvement in it. The project is politically and economically harmful for Nepal. The ADB should not finance the West Seti hydel Project, because the following social and environmental issues are not taken into account in the project design and implementation:<br />
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Many affected people expressed their concerns and disagreements with the project. In fact, West Seti Concerned Committee (a broader local affected committee) sent a letter to you on July 15, 2007, in order to request ADB to reconsider its finance for the project. ADB sent an acknowledgement to the letter sent by West Seti Concerned Committee without responding peoples concerns and issues. While it&#8217;s clear that there is a lack of consultation with affected people, there is a gross violation of accountability on part of ADB. As per the article 156 of the Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2006, Water &amp; Energy Users&#8217; Federation-Nepal (WAFED) based in Kathmandu has filed public interest litigation in Supreme Court of Nepal challenging the legality and constitutionality of the project.<br />
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The living conditions in the proposed resettlement sites in Terai is significantly different/ or alien from the present location. Comparatively Terai region is a plain area devoid of rich biodiversity as the present location which will be submerged due to the hydel project. However, according to the Resettlement Plan of the project, losses of livelihood and income generation based on natural products such as edible wild plants, fruits, vegetable oil and fish will be altered to land compensation, and the project sponsor will not provide realistic options like trees and fishery farms around the resettlement sites. Therefore, there is a high risk that displaced people will not be able to sustain, let alone improve their livelihood. It would be a violation of the ADB Involuntary Resettlement Policy, since its Para 34 (iii) requires project sponsors to ensure that economic and social future of displaced people will generally be &#8220;at least favorable&#8221; with the project as without it.<br />
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Bardia National Park is located 140km downstream, and host to many endangered wildlife species such as gharial and mugger (crocodile), one horned rhinoceros, elephants, tigers, barasingha (deer) and one of the critically endangered Ganges River Dolphin. The project will alter the monthly flow in the river between minus 15% (July) to plus 18% (February). The change in river flow would severely alter the reproductive patterns as well as migratory patterns of these wildlife species which transcends bordering Indian forest region. However, the scope of EIA does not include the Bardia National Park.<br />
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Completed versions of EIA Report and Resettlement Plan are currently available on the project website.[2] Except summary EIA report, most of all reports are in English language and not in local or national language. So the local people are deprived of accessing to all project information and documents that are critical to make any opinion or decision about the project. This is a violation of ADB Public Communication Policy (Para 78 and 82).<br />
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Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project in Laos<br />
 In April 2005, the ADB Board approved public and private sector loans and guarantees for the massive Nam Theun 2 dam in Laos.  Nam Theun 2 will forcibly displace more than 6,200 indigenous peoples while decimating fisheries and exacerbating flooding and erosion for more than 120,000 people downstream. As reservoir impoundment begins, critical social and environmental problems and violations of ADB safeguard policies and the Concession Agreement have not been addressed.<br />
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Before the remaining loan disbursements are made to the Nam Theun 2 Power Company, the ADB should ensure that more funding is allocated for the Nam Theun 2 downstream livelihood restoration program and that interim compensation measures are established for villagers, as recommended by the international Panel of Experts. The ADB should also require that adequate replacement land is urgently provided to the 300 to 400 &#8216;project lands&#8217; households, some of whom lost their land more than two years ago.<br />
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We demand that the ADB should not provide loans or guarantees for more dams or transmission lines in Laos until and unless the outstanding problems with Nam Theun 2 and other ADB-supported hydropower projects, such as Theun-Hinboun, Nam Song and Nam Leuk, have been addressed.<br />
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Pulbari Coal Mining in Bangladesh<br />
 We raised our dissatisfaction about ADB&#8217;s support to the Pulbari Coal Mining project, which was due for Board approval in 2008. After the board presentation made by Civil Society organizations on 28 March 2008, the Private sector Operations Department decided to withdraw the project from the pipeline. However, media reports from the ADB seem to indicate that the ADB has merely postponed its decision and that it has not completely taken itself out of the project pipeline.  The ADB Website gives notice that the &#8220;ADB is undergoing due diligence for its possible participation in the Project.&#8221;<br />
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We demand a clear statement from the ADB regarding the status of its participation in this project.<br />
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Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project(KJDRP) in Bangladesh<br />
 We raised concerns on the Kulna- Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Projects (KJDRP) in Bangladesh. Without consulting local people the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) designed the KJDRP in collaboration with the ADB (Loan No. 1289-BAN). Unfortunately, instead of increasing agricultural productivity, the project has created water logging. Operation Evaluation Department report completed in 2007 found that both the ADB and the Government of Bangladesh are not successful in implementing the project.<br />
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As we pointed out in our letter last year to you, &#8220;the Project has now left a  &#8216;legacy&#8217; of environmental disasters characterized by silted, dead rivers, permanent inundation of thousands of hectares of land and the loss of indigenous varieties of fish and crop biodiversity.  Up to now, the people continue to experience the disastrous aftermath of the project. To date, an estimated 300,000 people in the Khulna-Jessore region live year-round in a waterlogged traumatized situation. Children cannot go to school, farmers cannot grow food, and cattle are held in dikes.&#8221;<br />
Therefore we demand the ADB to correct the project and to compensate the people have and continue to suffer as a result of this project. We also demand that a Multi Stake Holder Forum (MSF) be set-up as a forum of governance and not as a tool of implementation. We also demand for the proper implementation of Tidal River Management (TRM) because it is the local and proper concept for drainage management suitable for the region.<br />
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Southwest Area Integrated Water Resource Management Project (SWAIWRMP), Bangladesh<br />
 We would like to draw your attention to the Southwest Area Integrated Water Resource Management Project (SWAIWRMP) in Bangladesh. The project with the estimated cost amounting to $43.4 million is under preparation and one sub-project unit is under implementation by the Bangladesh Government in collaboration with the ADB. Due to slow progress of the project so far, the consultation with the communities have not done accordingly.<br />
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We strongly believe the project should be implemented only after due consultation and in consent with the local communities and diverse stake holders. To lessen the apprehension among the communities due to mis-leading information, the ADB should disseminate information from time to time. We demand that the relevant document of the project should be translated in Bangla version as per the Disclosure policy guideline.  The ADB must learn from the KJDRP failure and act accordingly.<br />
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Call for suspension of the loan to Lafarge Cement Factory in tsunami hit Aceh<br />
 We urge ADB for not declaring a private sector loan to ADB amounted to USD 45 million to Lafarge Cement Factory Private. Ltd. Semen Andalas Indonesia (SAI), as effective until demands of the Lhok Nga and Leupung communities in tsunami hit Aceh, Indonesia, and other environmental and social concerns are addressed. Furthermore, we request ADB to ask Lafarge-SAI to revise the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as demanded by the local communities. <br />
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The loan, which was approved by ADB in April 2007, is to reconstruct the Lafarge SAI factory that includes an expansion of the plant to a capacity of 1.6 million metric ton per year, construction of a coal fired power plant and a harbor facility. This loan was approved under irregular conditions: in violation of ADB environmental and social safeguard requirements, inaccurate Environmental Impact Assessment, non-compliance with Indonesian laws regarding public information disclosure and people participation in EIA process, without proper public consultation, and disregard for the destructive track record of the Lafarge SAI plant. On December 17, 2007, more than 3,000 people of Lhok Nga and Leupung communities staged a demonstration in front of Lafarge SAI facilities demanding a revision of the EIA among others and stressing that local communities have the rights to be involved in the decision making regarding development in their area.<br />
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Child Labor in Central Asia<br />
 In Central Asia ADB is financing agriculture, particularly, cotton industry. Uzbekistan is a second largest exporter of cotton in the world. Tajikistan is heavily dependent on cotton as a source of income in hard currency. However, both countries used children as cheap labor in the cotton Industry.<br />
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The main objective of the Sustainable Cotton Sub sector Project approved in 2007 are the repayment of farmer&#8217;s debts and profitability of the Tajikistan cotton sector. The majority of the workforce for cotton growing is women and children.  They are undergoing harsh working conditions like long working hours during the scorching summer heat that can go as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. They suffer from health ailments ranging from exhaustion to intestinal and respiratory infections. Grossly violating the UN Declaration of Rights of the Child (1959), this ADB funded project is employing on average seven years children in the cotton fields.  School children live in unhygienic barracks while working in the fields. We request ADB to investigate as soon as possible this child labor issue and strictly follow the international agreements on child rights.  We further request ADB to include core labor standards including child labor into the safeguard policies.<br />
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We bring the above issues to your attention in the name of public interest. As we have seen the gross social and environmental violations have made people more vulnerable to development-induced disasters in many instances under ADB funded projects.<br />
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We would appreciate timely, corrective actions on your part as well as a substantive written response regarding the ADB&#8217;s proposed solutions to the aforementioned concerns.<br />
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Signed,<br />
 <br />
 <br />
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NGO Forum on ADB</p>
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