From: Glenn Switkes <irn@ax.apc.org>
/* Written 9:36 AM Mar 14, 1997 by inesc in ax:des.redebrasil */
/* ---------- "Solcitacao de Painel Itaparica" ---------- */
ITAPARI.DOC
Pslo Sindical do Submidio Sco Francisco, Rua Dantas Barreto 139
56460-000 Petrolbndia, Pernambuco, Brazil Tel/fax: +5581-851 1160
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION BY THE INSPECTION PANEL OF THE
INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (THE WORLD
BANK) INTO THE PROJECT FOR THE RESETTLEMENT OF THE COMMUNITIES
AFFECTED BY THE ITAPARICA HYDROELECTRIC SCHEME (WB 2883-1)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We, peasant communities compulsorily removed by the construction of the
Itaparica dam, represented by the Pslo Sindical do Submidio Sco Francisco,
request the World Bank Inspection Panel to recommend to the Executive
Directors an investigation into the execution of the project for the
resettlement of the families affected. This project is financed by the
World Bank, through a loan to ELETROBRAS, the Brazilian public electricity
holding company, and executed by the Companhia Hidrelitrica do Sco
Francisco (CHESF, The Sco Francisco Hydroelectric Company), which is
responsible for the construction of the dam and the resettlement of the
population.
The resettlement project, the result of an intense campaign by the
communities affected, sought to provide compensation for the irreversible
cultural, economic, social and environmental losses suffered by this
peasant population through compulsory removal. It therefore sought to
raise the quality of life of these people by providing housing, education,
health care and means of production. It consisted of the establishment of
110 agricultural settlements (agrovilas), with health and education
infrastructure, and six irrigation projects, covering 19,512.5 hectares.
It was a project intended to leave the population in better living
conditions than before the construction of the dam.
It therefore fulfilled the concerns expressed by the World Bank when it
stated: 'If compulsory resettlement is inevitable, the Bank's policy
requires the preparation and funding of a resettlement plan to ensure that
those resettled have development opportunities that improve, or at least
restore, the standards of living they had before the project' (OD
4.30/1990, translated from the Portuguese). Moreover, the Bank is well
aware of the accumulated experience of irreversible negative impacts of
dam construction, and has analysed them and produced rules for dealing
with them in its Environmental assessment sourcebook, vol. 1, Chap. 3
('Social and cultural problems in environmental analysis'), and vol. 3,
Chap. 10 ('Hydroelectric Projects'), and also in Operational Directive OD
4.01/1991, which incorporated the guidelines contained in OD 4.00/1989
(Appendix B - Environmental Policy for Dam and Reservoir Projects), making
obligatory environmental studies and the preparation of programmes for
supervision and monitoring, and to mitigate impacts in the construction
and operation of dams.
However, the Itaparica Resettlement Project has not met the objective of
improving the living conditions of those affected, ignoring the policies
and rules of the funder, the World Bank. The information given below
demonstrates this.
Almost ten years after the compulsory removal of the population, only 35%
of the irrigation projects (6,800 ha) have been installed, 34% are under
construction (6,600 ha) and 31% (6,000 ha) are still in the study stage
(Appendix A).
Of the 35% of the irrigation systems operating, many suffer from technical
problems in operation and maintenance.
The Tuxa indigenous community (in the municipality of Rodelas) has been
resettled, but is unable to grow crops, since the irrigation system
promised has still not left the drawing board.
The delay in the installation and commissioning of the irrigation projects
has contributed to an increase of violence in the communities, to
alcoholism and family breakdown (already noted in The World Bank and the
Environment in Brazil: A Review of Selected Projects, May 3 1991,
Operations Evaluation Department).
Thus, almost ten years after the compulsory displacement, the results of
the resettlement project have been that a significant proportion of the
beneficiary population is in worse conditions of production and social
reproduction than before the construction of the Itaparica Hydroelectric
Scheme.
2 2 Itaparica Dam Resettlement Project: Request for Investigation