'Hydro Tasmania out of Sarawak - Save Sarawak Rivers' tour announced
A coalition of environmental and social justice groups today have announced dates for an Australian tour to educate people about Hydro Tasmania's involvement in dam construction and the displacement of tens of thousands of people in Sarawak. The tour will visit Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Launceston and Hobart. The tour will involve public events, meeting with NGOs, Politicians and Hydro Tasmania itself.
The tour will feature Sarawak anti-dam campaigners, Peter Kallang from SAVE Rivers, and James Nyurang Usang a village headman, whose area will be flooded to build one of the 50 proposed dams. Tasmanian environmentalist Adam Burling is coordinating the tour.
"I am looking forward to inform the Australian public about the impacts of the Sarawak dams on the lives of the indigenous peoples and the environment and about how the help from Australian companies, especially Hydro Tasmania, allows for the realization of these dams," Said Mr Kallang, SAVE Rivers.
"Sarawak, Hydro Tasmania is not only working in an environment of human rights violations but also in a high risk corruption context: Sarawakâs Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, who has been in power for over 30 years, is currently under investigation by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) for corruption and abuse of public office," said Lukas Straumann of Bruno Manser Fund
"Hydro Tasmania is providing key staff and essential technical expertise to help build mega-dams which will flood thousands of hectares of forests and farmland as well as displacing tens of thousands of indigenous people. The role of this tour is to educate Australians about Hydro Tasmania's role in these human rights abuses and call on them to end their involvement in these horrific projects," Said Adam Burling, Tour coordinator Save Sarawak Rivers Coalition.
The tour will host these public events:
Sydney
7pm, Thursday 22nd November
Beach Room, Bondi Beach Pavilion
Canberra
7pm, Monday 26th November
Canberra Museum and Gallery
176 London Circuit, Canberra
Melbourne
7pm,Thursday 29th November
FOE 312 Smith st, Collingwood
Launceston
4pm, Sunday 2nd December
Fresh on Charles 178 Charles St, Launceston
Hobart
7pm, Tuesday 4th December
Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth St, Hobart
Tour website: www.savesarawakrivers.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SaveSarawakRiversTour
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarawakRivers
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