Hyderabad Statement
Hyderabad Statement on Nepal-India Water and Floods 2-7 January 2003
We, the participants gathered in Hyderabad, India, at Asian Social Forum held on 2-7 January 2003 from different parts and regions of India and Nepal representing various groups, networks, and movements unanimously and collectively agree on the following:
1. We discussed on the various issues relating to water and floods in the Himalayan region in a workshop organised by the South Asian Dialogues on Ecological Democracy-CSDS. The main focus of the discussion was on the international river basins including the high dams.
2. We exchanged views, experiences, and facts on the nature of the rivers and the vision, approach and effects of water and rivers from Nepal to India including Bangladesh (from Himalaya to the oceans) in the catchments as well as command areas.
3. We were informed of both the past and the present efforts made so far and the future plans. This mainly included the future plans and projects being proposed by both the Nepalese and Indian governments in their respective countries both independently and / or jointly on both the actual and factual situations.
4. We tried to learn from each other's experiences with the flood disaster, destructions and future dangers resulted by these efforts of water management.
5. We also exchanged views on the legitimacy of various resolutions and proposals made by our governments and their effects on the development, prosperity and security of the peoples while undertaking these efforts. We analysed this knowledge base. We identified the dangers and challenges for the future in relation to the vested interests, illusions and destructions made in the name of development. We realised that both the peoples of Nepal and India were equally suffering from the problems and the effects of flood and disaster, drinking water and irrigation due to the lack of water or its effects. We made an evaluation of all the conspiracies, misinformation, and the provocation of Nepal versus India argument in the name of defending national interests and to prevent the organised expression of the problems as one victim of the governments.
6. We discussed the 'no alternative to high dam' attitude of our governments and related agreements concluded for the purpose of flood control, irrigation and electricity generation. We also tried to understand the attempts made by our governments to reject the voices of the peoples in both the countries individually and / or jointly and their isolation and suppression in the context of alternatives and agreements. As a result, the governments are inviting various international players to build large dams as the only alternatives.
7. In all these contexts, speakers from India presented a report on Nepal-India Water management, Indian study for the World Commission on Dams, India-Nepal agreements from 1950 to 1991 and joint declarations, including the Koshi project evaluation report.
8. Similarly, various speakers from Nepal, particularly the representatives of Water and Energy Users' Federation-Nepal (WAFED) and South Asian Solidarity for Rivers and Peoples (SARP), presented various reports relating to Nepal-India water-related agreements and projects (Koshi, Gandak, Rapti, Laxmanpur, Russiawal-Khurdalotan, Karnali-Chisapani, West Seti, Mahakali (Pancheshwar and Purnagiri, etc.), the summary of the WCD report as a common framework for the future (except in the case of riparian right and benefit issues) and the Sagarmatha Declaration and Programme of Action adopted in Kathmandu by an international Consultation on Water Resource Development in South Asia and the Report of the WCD held on December 8-10 2002.
9. It was felt that both the peoples of Nepal and India were very disappointed with all these realities. However, the governments have been trying to undermine all those who are questioning these realities on the pretext of foreign-handedness in national interest, and claiming to represent themselves as the voices of the peoples in relation to the problems, disasters and destructions created by bad water management. Furthermore, it was regretted that all governments were promoting the high dams as the only alternative to water management.
10. In the case of alternatives, they are neither listening to the peoples nor giving any chance to them for their participation. They are instead engaged in dividing the peoples and rule, and bring international financial institutions and transnational corporations to build large dams through both open and / or secret agreements.
11. During the discussion, we further felt that both the Nepali and Indian peoples have cultural and social perspectives on water and there exist many alternatives to water flow and water management. They are always respecting and practising these values and alternatives. They are also facing problems and struggling for the appropriate solutions.
12. We further realised that our governments were doing all their best to suppress the available alternatives by hook and crook and from preventing their realisation of these problems as equally common to all. If they were given this opportunity of realisation then they would also be able to find their own solutions by promoting the alternatives.
13. We also realised that the peoples of both the countries have been fighting their struggles with no compromise. They are for alternatives but their struggles for alternatives have been made ineffective due to the lack of opportunity for direct dialogue among the peoples and the denial of their meaningful participation.
14. If we compromise all the problems of all the peoples in the Himalayan region then the alternatives to these problems are common to all. Such alternatives would serve as the best weapons to fight against both the national and international high dam mafia.
Future Programme of Action
1. Build network at South Asia regional level to promote direct dialogue, participation, and alternatives as peoples' strength. For this, all the previous initiatives and outcomes achieved at the level of Nepal-India border areas, research institutions and advocacy groups shall be linked.
2. Analyse the framework of the WCD Report and adopt it for the purpose of formulating peoples' alternatives.
3. To make the peoples' alternatives more objective, scientific and practical:
a) Conduct the impact assessment study of all international river basins, particularly Koshi and Gandak as the first priorities. Such study should induce both the positive and negative results of the past projects as well as the possible economic, social, political, ecological and environmental impact-study of future projects.
b) Study and promote multipurpose projects. c) Publish and disseminate all water, human rights, environment and development-related documents for better public education, organising and networking.
4. Present the voice of the South Asian peoples at the third World Water Forum in Japan in March 2003.
5. Adopt the Sagarmatha Declaration and Programme of Action as the main basis of this Statement and Plan of Action.
6. Agree on the documentary on "Water as a Right and Bad Dams to Fight" ñ as being produced by WAFED and SARP ñ and use it widely for public education nationally and internationally.
7. Declare the whole Himalayan region as an International Peace Park and make it free from any kind of conflict and war as well as free from the use of all forms of arms and weapons with an effective monitoring system.
8. Formulate and adopt SAARC Convention as well as an International Treaty for the protection, preservation, conservation and the balance of the nature and the ecology (mountains, forests, water, land, oceans, animals, plants as well as the peoples) in the Himalayan region so that:
a) There will be a continuation of the renewable resources and the survival of the nature; and b) The loss of natural resources and the ecology shall be replaced or compensated through various measures, including the adoption of ecology and environment friendly human activities from production to distribution and development with the sustainable use of appropriate indigenous knowledge and modern technology
9. Organise, on a regular basis, various filed visits, onsite studies, public meetings, seminars, and mobilisation both in the catchments areas of Nepal and the command areas of India for the purpose of implementing the goals of this Statement and the Plan of Action.
10. Hyderabad Dialogue shall be considered as the common spirit of all the peoples of South Asia. It shall be further considered as the continuing the process of peoples' participation in seeking alternatives and launching joint struggles, movements and actions as and when necessary.
We, the participants gathered in Hyderabad, India, at Asian Social Forum held on 2-7 January 2003 from different parts and regions of India and Nepal representing various groups, networks, and movements unanimously and collectively agree on the following:
1. We discussed on the various issues relating to water and floods in the Himalayan region in a workshop organised by the South Asian Dialogues on Ecological Democracy-CSDS. The main focus of the discussion was on the international river basins including the high dams.
2. We exchanged views, experiences, and facts on the nature of the rivers and the vision, approach and effects of water and rivers from Nepal to India including Bangladesh (from Himalaya to the oceans) in the catchments as well as command areas.
3. We were informed of both the past and the present efforts made so far and the future plans. This mainly included the future plans and projects being proposed by both the Nepalese and Indian governments in their respective countries both independently and / or jointly on both the actual and factual situations.
4. We tried to learn from each other's experiences with the flood disaster, destructions and future dangers resulted by these efforts of water management.
5. We also exchanged views on the legitimacy of various resolutions and proposals made by our governments and their effects on the development, prosperity and security of the peoples while undertaking these efforts. We analysed this knowledge base. We identified the dangers and challenges for the future in relation to the vested interests, illusions and destructions made in the name of development. We realised that both the peoples of Nepal and India were equally suffering from the problems and the effects of flood and disaster, drinking water and irrigation due to the lack of water or its effects. We made an evaluation of all the conspiracies, misinformation, and the provocation of Nepal versus India argument in the name of defending national interests and to prevent the organised expression of the problems as one victim of the governments.
6. We discussed the 'no alternative to high dam' attitude of our governments and related agreements concluded for the purpose of flood control, irrigation and electricity generation. We also tried to understand the attempts made by our governments to reject the voices of the peoples in both the countries individually and / or jointly and their isolation and suppression in the context of alternatives and agreements. As a result, the governments are inviting various international players to build large dams as the only alternatives.
7. In all these contexts, speakers from India presented a report on Nepal-India Water management, Indian study for the World Commission on Dams, India-Nepal agreements from 1950 to 1991 and joint declarations, including the Koshi project evaluation report.
8. Similarly, various speakers from Nepal, particularly the representatives of Water and Energy Users' Federation-Nepal (WAFED) and South Asian Solidarity for Rivers and Peoples (SARP), presented various reports relating to Nepal-India water-related agreements and projects (Koshi, Gandak, Rapti, Laxmanpur, Russiawal-Khurdalotan, Karnali-Chisapani, West Seti, Mahakali (Pancheshwar and Purnagiri, etc.), the summary of the WCD report as a common framework for the future (except in the case of riparian right and benefit issues) and the Sagarmatha Declaration and Programme of Action adopted in Kathmandu by an international Consultation on Water Resource Development in South Asia and the Report of the WCD held on December 8-10 2002.
9. It was felt that both the peoples of Nepal and India were very disappointed with all these realities. However, the governments have been trying to undermine all those who are questioning these realities on the pretext of foreign-handedness in national interest, and claiming to represent themselves as the voices of the peoples in relation to the problems, disasters and destructions created by bad water management. Furthermore, it was regretted that all governments were promoting the high dams as the only alternative to water management.
10. In the case of alternatives, they are neither listening to the peoples nor giving any chance to them for their participation. They are instead engaged in dividing the peoples and rule, and bring international financial institutions and transnational corporations to build large dams through both open and / or secret agreements.
11. During the discussion, we further felt that both the Nepali and Indian peoples have cultural and social perspectives on water and there exist many alternatives to water flow and water management. They are always respecting and practising these values and alternatives. They are also facing problems and struggling for the appropriate solutions.
12. We further realised that our governments were doing all their best to suppress the available alternatives by hook and crook and from preventing their realisation of these problems as equally common to all. If they were given this opportunity of realisation then they would also be able to find their own solutions by promoting the alternatives.
13. We also realised that the peoples of both the countries have been fighting their struggles with no compromise. They are for alternatives but their struggles for alternatives have been made ineffective due to the lack of opportunity for direct dialogue among the peoples and the denial of their meaningful participation.
14. If we compromise all the problems of all the peoples in the Himalayan region then the alternatives to these problems are common to all. Such alternatives would serve as the best weapons to fight against both the national and international high dam mafia.
Future Programme of Action
1. Build network at South Asia regional level to promote direct dialogue, participation, and alternatives as peoples' strength. For this, all the previous initiatives and outcomes achieved at the level of Nepal-India border areas, research institutions and advocacy groups shall be linked.
2. Analyse the framework of the WCD Report and adopt it for the purpose of formulating peoples' alternatives.
3. To make the peoples' alternatives more objective, scientific and practical:
a) Conduct the impact assessment study of all international river basins, particularly Koshi and Gandak as the first priorities. Such study should induce both the positive and negative results of the past projects as well as the possible economic, social, political, ecological and environmental impact-study of future projects.
b) Study and promote multipurpose projects. c) Publish and disseminate all water, human rights, environment and development-related documents for better public education, organising and networking.
4. Present the voice of the South Asian peoples at the third World Water Forum in Japan in March 2003.
5. Adopt the Sagarmatha Declaration and Programme of Action as the main basis of this Statement and Plan of Action.
6. Agree on the documentary on "Water as a Right and Bad Dams to Fight" ñ as being produced by WAFED and SARP ñ and use it widely for public education nationally and internationally.
7. Declare the whole Himalayan region as an International Peace Park and make it free from any kind of conflict and war as well as free from the use of all forms of arms and weapons with an effective monitoring system.
8. Formulate and adopt SAARC Convention as well as an International Treaty for the protection, preservation, conservation and the balance of the nature and the ecology (mountains, forests, water, land, oceans, animals, plants as well as the peoples) in the Himalayan region so that:
a) There will be a continuation of the renewable resources and the survival of the nature; and b) The loss of natural resources and the ecology shall be replaced or compensated through various measures, including the adoption of ecology and environment friendly human activities from production to distribution and development with the sustainable use of appropriate indigenous knowledge and modern technology
9. Organise, on a regular basis, various filed visits, onsite studies, public meetings, seminars, and mobilisation both in the catchments areas of Nepal and the command areas of India for the purpose of implementing the goals of this Statement and the Plan of Action.
10. Hyderabad Dialogue shall be considered as the common spirit of all the peoples of South Asia. It shall be further considered as the continuing the process of peoples' participation in seeking alternatives and launching joint struggles, movements and actions as and when necessary.
