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Most ECA-backed projects in the hydropower and water sector do not comply with the innovative recommendations from the multi-stakeholder World Commission on Dams (WCD). These recommendations, based on a three-year study of large dam projects, included more consultation with affected communities prior to approval, avoidance of projects that involve population resettlement, and more study and disclosure of environmental impacts (www.dams.org)

The proposed Ilisu Hydroelectric Project planned for the Kurdish region of Turkey is one more mega-dam project that seems poised to defy these recommendations, with potentially disastrous results.

Project background and problems: Scheduled for construction on the River Tigris, some 65 kilometers from the Syrian border, the $2 billion dam is intended to generate 3,600 GWh of peak hour electricity per year. It is Turkey’s largest planned hydro project within a network of 22 dams and 19 power plants. As planned, the dam would flood 183 villages and the 10,000 year old city of Hasankeyf, a site of great archaeological significance. Yet, while ECAs continue to consider support for the project, no resettlement plan meeting international norms had been drawn up for the estimated 78,000 people, mainly ethnic Kurds, who will be potentially affected by the dam.
Nor had there been any consultation whatsoever with affected people or their elected representatives. Indeed, local citizens have reported being threatened and intimidated by Turkish government officials in order to quell opposition.

Independent reviews had revealed original environmental impact assessments (EIAs) to be wholly inadequate. Despite fears that the dam could adversely affect the quality of the River Tigris, disrupt downstream wetlands and irrigated agriculture, and exacerbate the potential for regional conflict over water between Turkey and its neighbors Syria and Iraq, there had been no consultation with downstream states, as required under international law.

Potential ECA involvement: ERG (Switzerland), ECGD (UK), SACE (Italy), HERMES (Germany), OeKB (Austria), EXIM (United States), JBIC (Japan), COSEC (Portugal), EKN (Sweden).

Corporate involvement: Includes Balfour Beatty, a UK-based consortium; Impregilo, Italy; Sulzer Hydro, Switzerland/Germany/Austria. All have been criticized for their involvement in other large dams. It should be noted that a major Swedish company, Skanska has pulled out due to growing international criticism of the Ilisu project’s flaws.

For more information: www.ilisu.org.uk/ or www.hasankeyf.org/
Nicholas Hildyard, The Cornerhouse, UK: + 44 1258 817 518
Antonio Tricarico, Eyes on Sace, Italy: mobile +39 328 8485 448

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January 09, 2002 -Turkish dam fight to continue by Joe Grossman, Blue Planet
A highly controversial proposed dam in Turkey appeared to suffer a fatal blow two months ago when one of the major construction firms involved withdrew under heavy pressure from human rights and environmental groups. But officials high up in the Turkish government vow to continue to build the project, one way or another... [read more]

December 1999 - The Ilisu Dam Turkey: Resettlement and Human Rights Summary of Proposed Presentation to World Commission on Dams
By Kerim Yildiz, Kurdish Human Rights Project
Africa/Middle Eastern Regional Consultation, Cairo

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