The 'Our Rivers, Our Life' campaign is a regional biodiversity campaign in South East Asian countries. The seven country members work to protect the health and biodiversity of 11 rivers: the Salween (Burma), Mekong (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam ), Mae Kok, Nan, Mae Ping and Mae ing (Thailand), Vaiko (Cambodia), Agusan and Rio Grande De Mindanao (Pulagi) (Philippines), Cisadane (Indonesia), the Dong Nai and Saigon (Vietnam) and the Xedone and Xelanong (Laos).
February is not rainy season in Ho chi Minh City, and the Southern provinces in general. Besides, two ( 2 ) main rivers( Dong Nai, Sai Gon ) flow through the city have been polluted seriously. Therefore, some activities have been done by this day such as public media ( newspapers, television, radio and so on) had a lot of reports about the situation of environmental pollution, in which have Dong Nai and Sai Gon rivers, of Ho chi Minh city to remind everybody do not forget alarming pollution need to be solved by the whole citizen.
Lots of campaigns such as getting waste out of Dong Nai, Sai Gon river, and the other rivers, springs, canals belongs to the city with the participation of hundreds of people, include children.
For children, 100 pupils of TAN PHU, Ho chi Minh city to visit Sai Gon river to raise the knowledge related to the pollution of river.Pupils wrote and sent 2 reports related to Dong Nai, Sai Gon rivers to website of Ho chi Minh Agricultural Extension Center, and Voice of Ho chi Minh’s People.The title is It’s pleasure to visit Dong Nai river, and A trip to Sai Gon river. Organized painting contest in Dong nai, Sai Gon river for 1800 pupils to heighten the recognizance of rivers protection for them .
Since March 2, 2011, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand facilitated public hearing and consultation with people who will be affected by the Hutgyi Dam Project. There are no conclusions of the discussion so far and had to wait for a judgment from the Subcommittee to Study and Compile Opinions Concerning the Impacts and Human Rights Abuse in the Construction of Hutgyi Dam.
Another month passed, the same issue is brought into attention again in occasion of the International Day of Action against Dams. “No Dams” is still the main stand point which unites people together. On the boundary of Thailand-Burma where build and bound relationships of people, over 200 people from Tha Ta Fang, Mae Sariang (Thailand-Burma Border) and more locals who live in the Salween region celebrated in occasion of International Day of Action against Dams. Meanwhile, more than 300 people were gathered at Kho Kay, Wei Gyi Dam Site (Karen State) to show collective power against dams together with local CBOs from Thailand and 7 Karen Organizations.
Mr Thongchai, KESAN staff, explained about the Karen longevity ritual for the Salween which signify to people respect and sharing their concerns on current situation. "Livelihood of local people is priceless compare with compensation" as he mentioned in Prachatai, online news agency in Thai.
On the 8th anniversary of people action against dams in this region since China has proposed 13 dams on the Salween and 5 more plans proposed to build in several ethnic states: Shan State, Karenni State, Thai-Burma Border, and Karen state: the total 18 dams will totally stop the Salween River flow. At the events, same message was addressed to revoke all dam construction along the Salween River and its tributaries.
Source: Shan Youth Power on YouTube
The Burma Rivers Network called on foreign investors to immediately stop plans to build large dams on Burma's major rivers and their tributaries, as these dams will have huge social and environmental impacts across the country, and fuel Burma’s decades-long civil war.[1]
“Areas around the planned dam sites, particularly along the Salween, are heavily militarized by the junta’s troops, who have forcibly relocated hundreds of thousands of local civilians, and commit ongoing systematic human rights abuses, including torture, killing and rape,” said a statement released by BRN on March 14, 2011. See more related interview at http://www.dvb.no/news/dam-investors-fuelling-violence/14753
[1] Statement of the Burma Rivers Network on the International Day of Action for Rivers, “Stop Damming Burma’s Rivers”, http://www.burmariversnetwork.org/ http://www.salweenwatch.org/
Santi Sena in closed cooperation with local authorities and relevant stakeholders,
organized Action for Southeast Asia River Day, on 22nd February 2011 at Kov Samut
Kampong Chork primary school, Romdoul district of Svay Rieng province. The event was
chaired by Mr. Ros Sam An, deputy director of Santi Sena and Mr. Kim Say,
representative of district governor. There are 350 people included 144 female participated
from, local authorities, police, school teachers, agriculture and environment officers and
school students.
-The background of Southeast Asia River Day and regional working group on bio-
diversity was presented by Ros Sam An among participants, and national policy on
sustainable water resources management was declared by Mr. Kim Say.
A group of child peer educator declared on their concern for the currently degradation of local bio-diversity and river pollution.
They have suggested to local government to intervention of prevention the illegal logging and over exploitation on bio-diversity, as well as called the new
generation to join them on local natural resources management.
The South East Asia Water day event, 22 February 2011 was hold on local level particularly at Marknao Village, Saravan district, Saravan province, Southern part of Laos.
Arrange an event to promote the South East Asia River day on local level, this event was launched on February 22, 2011 at Marknao village, 50 m far from Xedone River bank and to address the rights of children to be participating in the ecological, environmental preservation and promote the protection and conservation of Xedone River which including 3 activities: drawing picture competition about Healthy Rivers and Current Rivers between 2 primary school and then explain their own picture to all participants
§There are 130 students were participated at South East Asia Water day to present their rights in the ecological, environmental preservation and promote the protection and conservation of Xedone River.
There are 6 representative teachers, 2 principals of school, a head of District Education Bureau, a head of District Environment and Water Resource department, a head of Marknao village with his assistant, 2 Gov counterparts and 1 representative from district Information and Culture office (local media) were participated.
§The press statement of event was released by local media; he sent all of record from event and including an event media statement to provincial Information and culture department. On Feb 23rd, 2011, the event stories were broadcasted on both, radio and TV in provincial level.
§And the newspapers publish after an auditor completed compile and send it to Ministry Information and culture. It's appeared on Lao people newspaper with others news from all of country.
§The committee responsible of event were participated to buried three placards with students in front of school where nearby Xedone River bank (50 meters)
§Over 80% of participants were understood and explained the objective of event and 8 teachers, a head of village can bring this issue to announce to their student and add into their teaching.
§Good initiative model event for local area (first event) and this event will held on Feb 22 in every year
§The high light of event was recorded on newspaper at country level
§Three placards were stood in front of 2 primary school (Marknao and Phonethan primary school, Saravan district and province)
§ Good cooperation between local NGOs and government to address this event in the present and the future
More than a hundred children and youth from Ee Tu Hta temporary Karen refugee camp joined the event of "Children and Youth Action for Southeast Asia Rivers Day" on the Salween River bank. They came together on February 22nd to observe and raise their concerns over the negative consequences of dam construction on the Salween River.
"Dams construction on the Salween River will destroy our life and our future" said Saw Hser Htoo, a young boy who fled from war-torn Burma to take shelter in Ee Tu Hta temporary refugee camp. He added, " I have ran away from SPDC military's attacks and stay here, I don't want to run again".
The Ee Tu Hta temporary refugee camp was set up in April 2006 as a result of the mass clearance of areas in Toungu District (Karen State, Burma) by SPDC troops for the security of the new capital Naypyidaw of Burma. The camp lies on the banks of the Salween River, on the border between Karen state in Burma and Mae Hong Son Province in Thailand.
"We don't want the dam to be built, we use the Salween river for our food, water, transportation and other multi purposes, if they build dams on it, we will have problems with our needs" said Naw Po Po, a young girl from Ee Tu Hta refugee camp.
The Thai, Chinese and Burmese military governments continue to push for the construction of dams on the Salween River. Last February 8-9, 2011, members of sub-committee for public hearing for Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand-EGAT's Hatgyi dam project which includes representatives from EGAT , Human rights commission, Sop Moei city mayors, Thai military specializing in geographic mapping, and potential effected communities went to Mae Samlap village and Sop Moei district office and conducted public hearing and asked for opinions from local villagers regarding the Hatgyi dam construction on Salween River.
On March 2nd, 2011, the same sub-committee will go again to Baan Sop Moei in Sop Moei District to conduct public hearing again with local villagers on the same Hatgyi dam project.
There are five proposed dams on the Salween River and three are located in Karen State. Children and youth are concerned that the dams will permanently destroy their river, playgrounds, homes, animals, trees and their peaceful way of living with the Salween.
The event was organized by Karen River Watch (KRW) which represents Burma as part of the regional campaign called "Our Rivers Our Life" coordinated by the Southeast Asia Regional Working Group on Biodiversity. The working group comprises of 7 member countries including Burma, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Lao-PDR, Indonesia and Cambodia.
February 22nd is the day that was initiated by Our Rivers Our Life campaign for Children and Youth Action for Southeast Asia Rivers Day and this event is the first time that organized simultaneously in 7 member countries.
"I want to tell our Karen leaders to speak for us, I want them to work with all relevant stakeholders and make sure that no dam is constructed on the Salween river" said a grade 6 young boy in Ee Tu Hta camp.
Children and Youth Action for the South East Asia Rivers Day
KALITAWHAN Working Group on Biodiversity in the Philippines, represented by Gitib, Inc., successfully launched Our Rivers, Our Life (OROL) Campaign on February 22, 2011. This was in simultaneous with The Regional Working Group on Biodiversity with the Theme: Children and Youth Action for the South East Asia Rivers Day.
On February 19, 2011, two (2) days before the main activity, Gitib Project Coordinator Allan Ramirez bestowed a TV interview with Ronda Balita-Ozamiz which was aired on local news TV the next day. A video footage with children was also accomplished on that same day which can be viewed already in Youtube website, entitled OROL: The River and The Children.
To highlight the foremost day of launching, a one-hour motorcade was conducted on Tuesday, February 22 spearheaded by Gitib with the participation of thirty (30) motorcycles in partnership with the driver’s association. The weather did not cooperate favourably since the motorcade was accompanied with heavy rains and floods in most of the streets, yet it was carried out well. Gitib staff and the motorcycle drivers were unbeaten with the bad weather conditions and came through with a successful event.
The motorcade was conducted at 10:00AM-11:00AM along the streets of Catadman Bongabong to Don Anselmo Bernad, Bonifacio St., Rizal St., Burgos St., and Port Road in Ozamiz City.
A subsequent River Trekking activity will also be held on the 26th of February at Labo River in Ozamiz City with the participation of children’s organizations. This is still in connection with the OROL Campaign.
Children and Youth Action for the South East Asia Rivers Day
“I know what makes the water become dirty…there are industrial wastes being dump into the river, the factories dump their waste directly into the river. The river becomes the biggest and longest trash bin in Medan City”
Young Indonesian girl illustrated the river cut cross her home town in the short film named “Friend for River”, children’s story about Indonesian rivers.
Over the past decades, Asia environment crisis is part of the rapid economic growth in developing countries such as Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailandand Vietnamin accompanied by a sharp increase in environmental degradation including a range of problems from industrial pollution to the destruction of natural resources.
“We have no other means for income and survival…the development taken our fish, build dams and polluted our water. It is sad…very sad”, an ethnic girl from Northern Thailand said.
Estimated 8 million children worldwide died before their 5th birthday in 2009[1] andmore than half of the 2.1 million annual deaths under-five years in associated with air pollution occur in South East Asia[2], the under-five mortality rate represent a various factors threaten a child survival, for example, income and food availability in the family, the availability of safe drinking water and basic sanitation and the overall safety of the child’s environment. The loss of water quality, reduced water availability, poisons in the environment and the loss of biodiversity will lead to a highly risk for children to grow up.
The Child Rights Convention entitled the right of a child to enjoy a clean and safe environment; in Article 24, 2(c) addressed the right to be protected from disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary health care, through the application of readily available technology and through the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinking water, taking into consideration the dangers and risks of environmental pollution.
Regional Working Group on Biodiversity stands in solidarity with the peoples and communities around the world, who stand up against the construction of mega-dams, mining, and other destructive river developments, which harm rivers. Rivers are the life blood of our communities and we need to protect them against exploitation and preserve them for our children and our children's children.
The Our Rivers, Our Life Campaign thus makes the recommendation to ensure that Children have right to enjoy a clean and safe environment even in economic growth driven society. The development should respect for the natural environment. As addressed in Child Right Convention (CRC), children right have covered in various dimensions which not yet clearly addressed children right with the environmental perspective. Thus newly concept has been introducing, “Ecological Child Rights”, in order to ensure the right of children to live in a clean and safe environment and grow up in a healthy life and develop positive future perspectives.
Over the years, the Regional Working on Biodiversity has built up a regional network on environmental advocate in South East Asia with 7 countries initiated to encompass issues of environment social movements under its campaign called “Our Rivers, Our Life”
'Our Rivers Our Life'is a regional campaign to improve rivers’ and people’s life in South East Asia through the promotion of ecological child rights. The OROL campaign are collaboration of environment advocate group whose focuses on the protection of river biodiversity in the South East Asia region, and is the main work of the Regional Working Group on Biodiversity (RWG) an alliance of NGO representatives from seven countries that focuses on the health of 11 rivers; the Salween (Burma), Mekong (Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), Mae Khon and Mae Kok (Thailand), Agusan and Rio Grande De Mindanao (Philippines), Cisadane (Indonesia), the Dong Nai and Saigon (Vietnam) and the Xedone and Xelanong (Laos).
'Our Rivers Our Life' campaign works closely with those communities affected by river degradation and encourages the active participation of children and youth in river health programs.In the environmental movement, the network shares its concern on river degradation which affected on communities and children who living in. Thus OROL campaign together with youth and children urge for the right to participate in environmental preservation is the so-called “Ecological Child Rights”.
[1] Source: State of the World’s Children, 2010, UNICEF, p.18-19. http://www.globalissues.org/article/715/today-over-22000-children-died-around-the-world
The Regional Working Group on Biodiversity was in front line with the peoples and communities in South East Asia have opposed the construction of mega-dams, large scale mining, and other destructive river developments, which harm rivers.
The Our Rivers, Our Life Campaign was launched in a very timely manner, the news coverage on the floods in Australia, earthquake in New Zealand and natural disasters in China, as the part of global environmental crisis.
February 22nd 2011, in 7 countries spontaneously, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailandand Vietnam, launched its campaign on “Our Rivers, Our Life” which focused on the right of a child to enjoy a clean and safe environment and calling for the South East Asia Rivers Day for children and youth to exercise the ecological child right.
