WIKILEAKS BANGLADESH I
Peoples resistance to global capital, govt collaboration is vindicated
by Rahnuma Ahmed
IN REALITY, WikiLeaks leak of diplomatic cables from US Embassy, Dhaka reveal nothing new, they only serve to confirm what many of us across the world knew.
But before writing about open-pit coal mining and Asia Energys $1.4 billion Phulbari project, Id like to remind readers that in Is there more to WikiLeaks than meets the eye? I agreed with sceptics who thought Julian Assange, director of WikiLeaks, had been compromised. That the selective nature of the data suggests WikiLeaks has possibly been manipulated by interested parties (New Age, Monday, December 6). Since then, stronger reasons have emerged.
WikiLeaks enlistment of the very architects of media disinformationThe New York Times, the Guardian, der Spiegelto fight media disinformation is suspect, writes professor Michel Chossudovsky (December 13). While Julie Levesque raises crucial questions about how the whistle-blowing site and Assange demand transparency from governments and corporations around the world, but fail to provide basic information about their own organisation (December 20).
However, notwithstanding this, given that the documents authenticity is not denied by the White House, it is essential that we scrutinise them closely and expose the systems and structures of power (Andrew Gavin Marshall). That we expose US diplomacy as a cover for furthering imperial interests, that we expose national leaders as collaborators in this project. Further, that we vindicate those who have insisted that national development is often a cover for subjugating the nations and peoples interest. A mask which hides personal greed, and party ambitions.
The list of those exposed is long: US ambassador James F Moriarty; American and British-owned companies (Asia Energy/Global Coal Management); prime minister Sheikh Hasinas energy adviser; members of parliament. But the cast of characters is much larger, they include ministers, bureaucrats, Petrobangla, BAPEX (Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company), PDB (Power Development Board), major political parties, experts, intellectuals, law-enforcing agencies, doctors and significant sections of the media.
A WikiLeaked cable from US embassy, Dhaka shows that Moriarty urged Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the prime ministers energy adviser, to authorise coal mining in Phulbari, saying that open-pit mining seemed the best way forward (Guardian, December 21). But for whom? He privately noted that Asia Energy, the company behind the Phulbari project, has sixty percent US investment. Asia Energy officials told the Ambassador they were cautiously optimistic that the project would win government approval in the coming months. According to the cables, Chowdhury admitted to Moriarty that the coal mine was politically sensitive in the light of the impoverished, historically oppressed tribal community residing on the land but agreed to build support for the project through the parliamentary process.
This leak confirms the insistence of the National Committee for the Protection of Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, that efforts to extract Bangladeshs natural resources are commandeered by global capital to benefit multinational and transnational companies, and their national accomplices. It confirms that long histories of impoverishment and oppression of local communities are not only to be ignored, policies leading to their extinction are to be approved by the government. That resistance, both nationwide and local, is to be circumvented through processes initiated by the nationally-elected parliament.
The proposed Phulbari coal project, through creating one of the biggest open-pit coalmines in the world would destroy 10,000 hectares including productive farmland in an area that serves as an agricultural breadbasket for Bangladesh. According to the 2008 Expert Committee Report commissioned by the Bangladesh government, nearly 130,000 people would be forcibly evicted from their homes and lands. Members of the National Committee say, numbers evicted are likely to be ten times more, environmental consequences promise to be disastrous. A dramatic increase in coal-based energy production will increase greenhouse gas emissions, and greatly aggravate the countrys vulnerability to climate change. Interestingly, Sheikh Hasina urged donorsUS, European Union, World Bank, Asian Development Bankto increase the pledged climate fund in February, but spoke only of building cyclone shelters.
Asia Energy, before metamorphosing into GCM, was forced to shut down its operations after paramilitary forces opened fire on peaceful protests of thousands gathered in Phulbari, killing Salekin, Tariqul and 14-year old Ameen, injuring hundreds, on August 26, 2006.
Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the National Committee, insists, we are not opposed to the extraction of gas or coal. But its control should reside in the people since these resources are limited and non-renewable, they should be extracted through environmentally-friendly methods, they should be used for industrialisation, agricultural production, for electricity and fuel consumption needs of the people. National ownership and control is essential. National development can only occur if you build your own institutions, like China or Myanmar, like Venezuela and Bolivia now. Freedom from poverty will never be achieved if contracts are signed with foreign companies. Nigerias vast oil wealth, its export, has led to the creation of a corrupt group, to authoritarianism and increased poverty.
Moriarty pushes for re-opening the Phulbari project in July last year, the energy adviser agrees. Lets look back and see what happened. On September 2, the National Committee calls for a siege of Petrobangla, a den of MNCs. Police suddenly launch an attack on the peaceful procession. Baton charge, kicks, punches. Very brutal. Anu is targeted in particular, blows aimed at his head are foiled by brave young activists. Members of the public are outraged, both government and opposition leaders, including Khaleda Zia, rush to the hospital.
Anu is admitted to Square Hospital, incidentally, owned by the Square Group, whose managing director Tapan Chowdhury was power and energy adviser to the military-installed caretaker government (2007-2008). No broken bones, but heavily swollen feet from police kicks. Doctors advise plaster casts for a month. The health minister Dr Ruhal Haque visits Anu on the 5th day, his casts are suddenly removed, hes issued a discharge certificate for having improved satisfactorily though he couldnt stand up. Needless to say, healing was very painful and prolonged (Doctoral Complicity, New Age, November 9, 2009).
The agriculture minister Motia Chowdhury, prime ministers adviser HT Imam visit Anu in hospital. Sheikh Hasina returns from China on September 6, discussions will be held with the National Committee. The government will not violate the national interest. Reassuring words, but the committee learns on September 9 that immediately after her return Hasina approved the file for signing the contract. Khaleda Zia had extended her moral support to the committee but after receiving a visit from the US ambassador falls silent.
The so-called battling begums (The Economist), and their followers, unitedly fall in line with the US ambassadors suggestions.
The acute shortage of electricity is a manufactured crisis, insists BD Rahmatullah, former director general of the Power Cell (Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources). Derated power plants need to be rated, the PDB chairman knows this very well. But repairing and maintaining government power plants, setting up new ones, doesnt produce perks, you dont get to own a house abroad. Niko and Chevrons agents have penetrated the ministry, they want to extract the most in the shortest possible time. The IPP (independent power producers) policy was prepared after a tour to Washington financed by the World Bank. Theres corruption in Malaysia and India too, but our engineers are willing to sell their country just for a ticket abroad, they dont stand up to the Indians like they do in Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan. The cross-border electricity initiative between India and Bangladesh will cost 1,200 crore takas, itll provide 500 megawatts, whereas a similar power plant couldve been built here for only 600 crore takas. It demonstrates the governments subservient attitude towards the Indian government (Budhbar, August 18).
None of the higher-ups in the energy ministry have rebutted what Rahmatullah said. Nor has the energy adviser sued Nurul Kabir for libel. A TV anchor had gently warned him recently, to which Kabir had replied, he would welcome it, it would provide him with the opportunity of pleading his case before the court.
Governments change but power structures and vested interests dont, say Anu and Rahmatullah. I agree. The AL government awarded Asia Energy its licence in 1998. Khaleda Zias regime cracked down on Phulbaris protestors in 2006. Her energy adviser, Mahmudur Rahman (currently imprisoned), blamed a small group of leftist parties without any influence whatsoever for orchestrating the deaths and injury. Sentiments echoed by Asia Energys CEO, the fault [lies entirely with] the organisers (You cannot eat coal. New Age, August 19, 2008).
The energy advisers promise of building support for open-pit mining materialises further.
Finance minister AMA Muhith in his 2010 budget speech stresses the need for creating a favourable public opinion toward open-pit mining. Petrobangla chairman demands at least two open-pit coalmines be started. The land ministry has begun land acquisition at Barapukuria to open its coal deposit; it is offering locals high compensation.
The parliamentary sub-committee on energy and power visits open-pit coalmine in Germany in late October. Headed by Shubid Ali Bhuiyan, it includes the chief whip, 4 MPs, the energy and mineral resources secretary. They are highly impressed. The sub-committee recommends open-pit coal mining on November 29.
Anu, you must name names, I insist, they must be exposed. In his characteristically diffident manner Anu describes, its a long-drawn concerted campaign, a thick web, many people, diverse forums, same message; its in the interests of national development. Whether its Hossain Monsur, Petrobangla chairman on TV, or Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, an ex-CPB member, now publicity secretary of the Awami League, blaming a handful of people absolutely devoid of common sense. Or secretaries, joint secretaries providing training to government officers at the Public Administration Training Centre. Then theres a fortnightly magazine called Energy and Power, its editor is Molla Amjad, with two-page spreads advertising Asia Energy. Chevron, too. Power is not a commodity that consumers buy, why the need to advertise? Businessmen too, but not all, he adds. Some are opposed to handing over control to foreign companies.
Newer leaks (December 24 night) reveal that Moriarty met Chowdhury, sought assurances that US-based Conoco Phillips (from among 7 bidders) be awarded two of the uncontested blocks in the Bay of Bengal, that Chevron be permitted to improve the flow in Bangladeshs main gas pipeline. The Bangladesh government complied, Conoco got the contract three months later, in October 2009 (Business Standard/India).
New Age contacts foreign minister Dipu Moni, prime ministers energy adviser Chowdhury seeking their comments on the Wikileaks disclosure. They avoid questions. On Thursday and Friday, they stop receiving calls. Nor do they respond to text messages (December 25).
Where could one find a richer cast of characters falling over their feet to be handmaidens of global capital, working hard against the interests of the nation and its people, including the so-called battling begums?
Salam, people of Phulbari, for you are our true leaders.
Editorial
Peoples resistance to global capital, govt collaboration is vindicated
by Rahnuma Ahmed
IN REALITY, WikiLeaks leak of diplomatic cables from US Embassy, Dhaka reveal nothing new, they only serve to confirm what many of us across the world knew.
But before writing about open-pit coal mining and Asia Energys $1.4 billion Phulbari project, Id like to remind readers that in Is there more to WikiLeaks than meets the eye? I agreed with sceptics who thought Julian Assange, director of WikiLeaks, had been compromised. That the selective nature of the data suggests WikiLeaks has possibly been manipulated by interested parties (New Age, Monday, December 6). Since then, stronger reasons have emerged.
WikiLeaks enlistment of the very architects of media disinformationThe New York Times, the Guardian, der Spiegelto fight media disinformation is suspect, writes professor Michel Chossudovsky (December 13). While Julie Levesque raises crucial questions about how the whistle-blowing site and Assange demand transparency from governments and corporations around the world, but fail to provide basic information about their own organisation (December 20).
However, notwithstanding this, given that the documents authenticity is not denied by the White House, it is essential that we scrutinise them closely and expose the systems and structures of power (Andrew Gavin Marshall). That we expose US diplomacy as a cover for furthering imperial interests, that we expose national leaders as collaborators in this project. Further, that we vindicate those who have insisted that national development is often a cover for subjugating the nations and peoples interest. A mask which hides personal greed, and party ambitions.
The list of those exposed is long: US ambassador James F Moriarty; American and British-owned companies (Asia Energy/Global Coal Management); prime minister Sheikh Hasinas energy adviser; members of parliament. But the cast of characters is much larger, they include ministers, bureaucrats, Petrobangla, BAPEX (Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company), PDB (Power Development Board), major political parties, experts, intellectuals, law-enforcing agencies, doctors and significant sections of the media.
A WikiLeaked cable from US embassy, Dhaka shows that Moriarty urged Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the prime ministers energy adviser, to authorise coal mining in Phulbari, saying that open-pit mining seemed the best way forward (Guardian, December 21). But for whom? He privately noted that Asia Energy, the company behind the Phulbari project, has sixty percent US investment. Asia Energy officials told the Ambassador they were cautiously optimistic that the project would win government approval in the coming months. According to the cables, Chowdhury admitted to Moriarty that the coal mine was politically sensitive in the light of the impoverished, historically oppressed tribal community residing on the land but agreed to build support for the project through the parliamentary process.
This leak confirms the insistence of the National Committee for the Protection of Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, that efforts to extract Bangladeshs natural resources are commandeered by global capital to benefit multinational and transnational companies, and their national accomplices. It confirms that long histories of impoverishment and oppression of local communities are not only to be ignored, policies leading to their extinction are to be approved by the government. That resistance, both nationwide and local, is to be circumvented through processes initiated by the nationally-elected parliament.
The proposed Phulbari coal project, through creating one of the biggest open-pit coalmines in the world would destroy 10,000 hectares including productive farmland in an area that serves as an agricultural breadbasket for Bangladesh. According to the 2008 Expert Committee Report commissioned by the Bangladesh government, nearly 130,000 people would be forcibly evicted from their homes and lands. Members of the National Committee say, numbers evicted are likely to be ten times more, environmental consequences promise to be disastrous. A dramatic increase in coal-based energy production will increase greenhouse gas emissions, and greatly aggravate the countrys vulnerability to climate change. Interestingly, Sheikh Hasina urged donorsUS, European Union, World Bank, Asian Development Bankto increase the pledged climate fund in February, but spoke only of building cyclone shelters.
Asia Energy, before metamorphosing into GCM, was forced to shut down its operations after paramilitary forces opened fire on peaceful protests of thousands gathered in Phulbari, killing Salekin, Tariqul and 14-year old Ameen, injuring hundreds, on August 26, 2006.
Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the National Committee, insists, we are not opposed to the extraction of gas or coal. But its control should reside in the people since these resources are limited and non-renewable, they should be extracted through environmentally-friendly methods, they should be used for industrialisation, agricultural production, for electricity and fuel consumption needs of the people. National ownership and control is essential. National development can only occur if you build your own institutions, like China or Myanmar, like Venezuela and Bolivia now. Freedom from poverty will never be achieved if contracts are signed with foreign companies. Nigerias vast oil wealth, its export, has led to the creation of a corrupt group, to authoritarianism and increased poverty.
Moriarty pushes for re-opening the Phulbari project in July last year, the energy adviser agrees. Lets look back and see what happened. On September 2, the National Committee calls for a siege of Petrobangla, a den of MNCs. Police suddenly launch an attack on the peaceful procession. Baton charge, kicks, punches. Very brutal. Anu is targeted in particular, blows aimed at his head are foiled by brave young activists. Members of the public are outraged, both government and opposition leaders, including Khaleda Zia, rush to the hospital.
Anu is admitted to Square Hospital, incidentally, owned by the Square Group, whose managing director Tapan Chowdhury was power and energy adviser to the military-installed caretaker government (2007-2008). No broken bones, but heavily swollen feet from police kicks. Doctors advise plaster casts for a month. The health minister Dr Ruhal Haque visits Anu on the 5th day, his casts are suddenly removed, hes issued a discharge certificate for having improved satisfactorily though he couldnt stand up. Needless to say, healing was very painful and prolonged (Doctoral Complicity, New Age, November 9, 2009).
The agriculture minister Motia Chowdhury, prime ministers adviser HT Imam visit Anu in hospital. Sheikh Hasina returns from China on September 6, discussions will be held with the National Committee. The government will not violate the national interest. Reassuring words, but the committee learns on September 9 that immediately after her return Hasina approved the file for signing the contract. Khaleda Zia had extended her moral support to the committee but after receiving a visit from the US ambassador falls silent.
The so-called battling begums (The Economist), and their followers, unitedly fall in line with the US ambassadors suggestions.
The acute shortage of electricity is a manufactured crisis, insists BD Rahmatullah, former director general of the Power Cell (Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources). Derated power plants need to be rated, the PDB chairman knows this very well. But repairing and maintaining government power plants, setting up new ones, doesnt produce perks, you dont get to own a house abroad. Niko and Chevrons agents have penetrated the ministry, they want to extract the most in the shortest possible time. The IPP (independent power producers) policy was prepared after a tour to Washington financed by the World Bank. Theres corruption in Malaysia and India too, but our engineers are willing to sell their country just for a ticket abroad, they dont stand up to the Indians like they do in Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan. The cross-border electricity initiative between India and Bangladesh will cost 1,200 crore takas, itll provide 500 megawatts, whereas a similar power plant couldve been built here for only 600 crore takas. It demonstrates the governments subservient attitude towards the Indian government (Budhbar, August 18).
None of the higher-ups in the energy ministry have rebutted what Rahmatullah said. Nor has the energy adviser sued Nurul Kabir for libel. A TV anchor had gently warned him recently, to which Kabir had replied, he would welcome it, it would provide him with the opportunity of pleading his case before the court.
Governments change but power structures and vested interests dont, say Anu and Rahmatullah. I agree. The AL government awarded Asia Energy its licence in 1998. Khaleda Zias regime cracked down on Phulbaris protestors in 2006. Her energy adviser, Mahmudur Rahman (currently imprisoned), blamed a small group of leftist parties without any influence whatsoever for orchestrating the deaths and injury. Sentiments echoed by Asia Energys CEO, the fault [lies entirely with] the organisers (You cannot eat coal. New Age, August 19, 2008).
The energy advisers promise of building support for open-pit mining materialises further.
Finance minister AMA Muhith in his 2010 budget speech stresses the need for creating a favourable public opinion toward open-pit mining. Petrobangla chairman demands at least two open-pit coalmines be started. The land ministry has begun land acquisition at Barapukuria to open its coal deposit; it is offering locals high compensation.
The parliamentary sub-committee on energy and power visits open-pit coalmine in Germany in late October. Headed by Shubid Ali Bhuiyan, it includes the chief whip, 4 MPs, the energy and mineral resources secretary. They are highly impressed. The sub-committee recommends open-pit coal mining on November 29.
Anu, you must name names, I insist, they must be exposed. In his characteristically diffident manner Anu describes, its a long-drawn concerted campaign, a thick web, many people, diverse forums, same message; its in the interests of national development. Whether its Hossain Monsur, Petrobangla chairman on TV, or Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, an ex-CPB member, now publicity secretary of the Awami League, blaming a handful of people absolutely devoid of common sense. Or secretaries, joint secretaries providing training to government officers at the Public Administration Training Centre. Then theres a fortnightly magazine called Energy and Power, its editor is Molla Amjad, with two-page spreads advertising Asia Energy. Chevron, too. Power is not a commodity that consumers buy, why the need to advertise? Businessmen too, but not all, he adds. Some are opposed to handing over control to foreign companies.
Newer leaks (December 24 night) reveal that Moriarty met Chowdhury, sought assurances that US-based Conoco Phillips (from among 7 bidders) be awarded two of the uncontested blocks in the Bay of Bengal, that Chevron be permitted to improve the flow in Bangladeshs main gas pipeline. The Bangladesh government complied, Conoco got the contract three months later, in October 2009 (Business Standard/India).
New Age contacts foreign minister Dipu Moni, prime ministers energy adviser Chowdhury seeking their comments on the Wikileaks disclosure. They avoid questions. On Thursday and Friday, they stop receiving calls. Nor do they respond to text messages (December 25).
Where could one find a richer cast of characters falling over their feet to be handmaidens of global capital, working hard against the interests of the nation and its people, including the so-called battling begums?
Salam, people of Phulbari, for you are our true leaders.
Editorial
