UK MP Leads March against Tipai Dam

[eastwatch]

UK MP leads march against Tipai dam | | bdnews24.com

UK MP leads march against Tipai dam
Sun, Nov 29th, 2009 11:02 pm BdST

Dhaka, Nov 29 (bdnews24.com) ・British MP George Galloway and a large delegation from Britain marched Sunday from Sylhet city to the Bangladesh border with India where the river Barak divides into the Shurma and Kushiara.

The British delegation along with a huge Bangladeshi crowd began the long-march towards the site of India's proposed Tipaimukh Dam in the morning. Border guards stopped them from crossing the border.

The march is arranged to draw global attention to the devastating potential impact of the proposed dam on Sylhet and the entire north-eastern region of Bangladesh.

"The potential impact on both depriving Sylhet of Vital Water and threatening serious Flooding make this a 'weapon of mass destruction' aimed at the heart of Sylhet and the people of Bangladesh," Galloway said.

Along with George Galloway MP, the delegates include MP candidate from Respect for the upcoming UK election, councillors Abjol Miah and M Mamunur Rashid, and 17 other British representatives.

Galloway has already met with the former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, former president and Jatiya Party chairman H M Ershad, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nijami and Sylhet mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran.

They will meet with the president Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina this week.

The delegation will return to Dhaka on Dec 2, 2009 and will hold a press conference at Reporters Unity before their departure from Bangladesh.

Mir Ezaz Ali, secretary of Respect and campaign manager for Galloway MP, has been coordinating the event.

 

[New Shivaji]

British MP George Galloway is a maverick, who supported Iraqi dictator saddam hussein and even took money from him.
He was kicked out of the Labour party and he was elected as an Respect party MP (only one in the British parliment) from Aldgate area in London, which is where there is a large concentration of Bangladeshi Muslims. Its pretty obvious he need their support and votes for his future in politics.

No one really takes Mr. George Galloway seriously in the UK.

 

[Spring Onion]

India is already harming BD through blocking its water

 

[New Shivaji]

India is already harming BD through blocking its water

Bangladesh can approach International court of justice , Let the court decide the case.

 

[Spring Onion]

Bangladesh can approach International court of justice , Let the court decide the case.

Keeping in view the international politics based on own interests i dont think so BD can get justice against India.

 

[New Shivaji]

Keeping in view the international politics based on own interests i dont think so BD can get justice against India.

How do you propose to settle this issue then ?

 

[eastwatch]

British MP George Galloway is a maverick, who supported Iraqi dictator saddam hussein and even took money from him.
He was kicked out of the Labour party and he was elected as an Respect party MP (only one in the British parliment) from Aldgate area in London, which is where there is a large concentration of Bangladeshi Muslims. Its pretty obvious he need their support and votes for his future in politics.

No one really takes Mr. George Galloway seriously in the UK.

MP George Galloway may not be a big name in UK, but still he is an elected represenetative to the British Parliament. So, his march to protest Tipaimukh will have some effect on the thinking of the planners of this dam in India.

 

[eastwatch]

UK MP Galloway calls for int'l Tipai probe | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

UK MP Galloway calls for int'l Tipai probe
Wed, Dec 2nd, 2009 6:31 pm BdST

Dhaka, Dec 02 (bdnews24.com) ・Visiting British parliamentarian George Galloway on Wednesday called for an international enquiry into the probable environmental impact of India's proposed Tipaimukh Dam.

Galloway made the call at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

The MP said an international investigation was required on whether the dam has any negative effect on a section of both Bangladesh and Indian population.

He said the Tipaimukh Dam is not an issue that concerns only Bangladesh and India. As it has consequences on the climate and environment, it is an international issue, he added.

Galloway said a vast area of Bangladesh will experience drought in the dry season and flooding in the rainy season if the dam is constructed.

"I am not against India. I consider India to be a friend. My campaign is not against India," he said.

"India is a big country. Bangladesh is not. Not only Bangladeshi people, a section of Indian people will also be affected. Even the Indian expatriates in London protested ・against the proposed dam," he said answering to a query.

Galloway said, as an MP in London, he is the representative of the 40,000 people of Sylhet there and it is his duty to see the advantages and disadvantages of these people, who will be victims of Tipaimukh dam.

"I am worried that, if the dam is built, the management system of the Surma basin will be seriously damaged. It can bring utmost danger for the Sylhet area," he said.

Galloway led a UK delegation and a huge Bangladeshi crowd on a march Sunday from Sylhet city to the border with India where the river Barak divides into the Shurma and Kushiara.

The march was arranged to draw global attention to the potentially devastating impact of the proposed dam on Sylhet and the entire north-eastern region of Bangladesh.

Along with George Galloway MP, the delegates include MP candidate from Respect for the upcoming UK election, councillors Abjol Miah and M Mamunur Rashid, and 17 other British representatives. They returned to Dhaka on Tuesday.

Galloway was an MP of the British Labour Party for a long time. He left the party protesting the UK government's role in Iraq war. Later, he was elected an MP from the British Respect party.

bdnews24.com/sm/adk/saz/rah/1846h

 

[eastwatch]

Tipai dam British MP
demands int値 probe
Diplomatic Correspondent

British MP George Galloway on Wednesday demanded of the British government to pursue for an international moratorium against the construction of a proposed dam on the river Barak at Tipaimukh in the Indian state of Manipur.

He also demanded an international inquiry into whether the dam would inflict damage to the rivers in the downstream, and environment and livelihood in the region, including Bangladesh.

禅he British government should initiate an international inquiry and international experts need to measure whether the river flows and the livelihood [in the region] will be damaged,・George Galloway said at a press briefing in Dhaka.

銑et there be a moratorium against construction of the dam until the inquiry report is published,・he said.

He also demanded of the Indian government to stop construction of the dam. 践alt the dam and let hold an international inquiry into the matter,・he said.

India planned the dam at Tipaimukh in its north-eastern Manipur state on the river Barak that feeds Bangladesh痴 Surma and Kushiyara rivers in the Sylhet region, eventually flowing into the Meghna, one of the three main rivers in Bangladesh.

Galloway, a member of the House of Commons for Respect Party, said the British government should internationalise the issue of Tipaimukh and work for ensuring an international guarantee so that the possible construction of a dam would not harm the rivers and livelihood at the downstream in Bangladesh.

He however expressed doubt whether any guarantee would stop harming the environment. 羨ssurance was given before commissioning of the Farakka dam. But the impacts of Farakka on nature and livelihood in Bangladesh is evident,・he said.

Galloway also stressed the need for involving the international environmental movement against construction of the dam as 訴t is a question for the environment of the world・

He observed that even if the least the river system and the way of living would be affected by the proposed dam, the entire region預n earthquake-prone area謡ould still remain vulnerable.

When asked whether he can interfere in an internal and bilateral matter, he said, 選知 not a third party as I知 representing several thousands Sylheti people・Moreover, it痴 not an internal matter, neither is it a bilateral issue. It痴 an international matter. So as an international citizen, I can raise protests against any measure that can damage the environment.・br> 糎e should not dub this (Tipaimukh) a pro-Indian or anti-Indian issue as people in India are also against construction of the dam,・he concluded.

Galloway also took the opportunity to urge Bangladesh to send a big team to the Olympics games slated to take place in London in 2012. 腺angladesh team will be one of the most supported teams in the London Olympics. Grab this opportunity (Olympics) to draw international attention to Bangladesh for trade and development,・he said.

Respect Party leaders Bangladesh-born Abjol Miah, M Mamunur Rashid and Mir Ezaz Ali were present at the briefing.

 

[sob]

Keeping in view the international politics based on own interests i dont think so BD can get justice against India.

Jana ji, is this your own view point or is it based on some facts. Let us not get carried away.

 

[third eye]

MP George Galloway may not be a big name in UK, but still he is an elected represenetative to the British Parliament. So, his march to protest Tipaimukh will have some effect on the thinking of the planners of this dam in India.

Most of us here on this forum find the Brits to be at the root of all our ills. Wonder how will a Brit MP who carries little weight in his homeland help.

 

[TopCat]

Britain is the number one sympathizer of Bangladesh and a true friend. They are vocal about climate changes and the effect on Bangladesh. British MPs and ministers come here without protocols and go directly to the affected people. They are truly trying to do something about it.
I have no complain, Long live UK.

 

[sadiqams]

This indian, new shaviji, is taliking rubbish. George Gallowayn defeated the(zionist backed) labour candidate when he was 'kicked' out of the labour party. He has a huge following in the UK and abroad. He is a well respected politician and speaks the truth and always fought for the downtrodden. Vested interests have tried to pin many scandals on him but because they are based on falsehoods they do not succeed as the evidence is never presented or is non existant. before you go and bad mouth George you should sweep the rubbish from under your 'mangi' bed. The bofors incident comes to mind where your primeminister Rajeev took millions as kickbacks and yet you still elect the same politicians back in paower again. In Pakistan the same situation exists but the courts are begining to handle it and i hope that we clear our our (pakistan) rubbish in due course.

 

[Goodperson]

India is already harming BD through blocking its water

Unless ofcourse if the water is flowing from Sea back to Himalayas.

 

[eastwatch]

Unless ofcourse if the water is flowing from Sea back to Himalayas.

You have built Farakka, you have built Teesta and also many other barrages only to punish us. Now, you want to build another called Tipai Dam. Being a neighbour of India seems to be our greatest fault.