Peoples Forum Against ADB (PFAADB)

Press Release                                    

15 January 2008

'ADB FACES BOYCOTT AS IT SUBVERTS ENVIRONMENT, RESETTLEMENT AND INDIGENOUS SAFEGUARD POLICIES'

New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) begins its South Asia consultation, in the city tomorrow, on the revision of its safeguard policies on social and environmental impacts of its projects.  The revision is claimed towards mitigating adverse impacts of its investment on people and the environment. The draft will be reviewed in consultation to be held with South Asian groups from 16-18 January 2008 at the Hyatt Regency and Taj Palace hotels.

by Prakash Karat*

Article reproduced from People's Democracy of December 09, 2007


The 123 agreement for civilian nuclear cooperation with the Untied States has finally been discussed in both houses of parliament. As expected, a majority of the members in both houses have opposed the nuclear deal on various grounds. This debate should have taken place in the monsoon session itself and could have been a timely warning to the government not to proceed with the deal.

The opposition to the deal was expressed mainly in three forms. Firstly, the demand that the nuclear deal be not proceeded with to the next stages for operationalisation, given the provenance of the Hyde Act and the failure to get the assurances made by the Prime Minister in August 2006 incorporated in the 123 agreement. Secondly, there was the demand for renegotiation of the deal. Thirdly, some of the parties took the stand that only by clearing all doubts and achieving a consensus should the deal go forward. In this connection some demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

 

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