Breaking News: Accountability Counsel filed a complaint on July 10, 2013, on behalf of communities in the Sindhuli District of Nepal, raising concerns about human rights violations associated with construction of a high voltage transmission line funded by the World Bank.
The complaint, filed to the World Bank Inspection Panel, demands that the Bank’s Panel immediately investigate the Bank’s role in this project. Communities demand that the Bank halt construction of the transmission line and Nepalese Government violence against local people who have spoken out against the project.
Background: The transmission line route will cover residential and urban areas, as well as four schools. Indigenous villages located directly under the planned route have not been given information about the project, were not consulted, and have not been resettled, in violation of World Bank policy.
The Khimti-Dhalkebar 220 kV Transmission Line (the “Project”), is a planned 220 kV high tension transmission line, the highest capacity in Nepal currently, that will cover five districts of central Nepal and will impact more than 114,000 people. The World Bank approved funding for the Project in 2003 as part of the Nepal Power Development Project (NPDP). Due in part to community resistance, completion has been delayed. In December 2012, the World Bank restructured the NPDP loan with the goal of completing the Project by the end of 2013.
Affected communities, many of whom are indigenous peoples, have various concerns about the Project, including lack of information and consultation about the project design, potential health and environmental impacts from the lines. Through the Kathmandu based Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP), affected communities have approached the Supreme Court of Nepal in an attempt to suspend the Project until all social and environmental impacts have been addressed. After attempts to appeal to national political and judicial processes, they are now seeking to voice their concerns to the World Bank.
On February 18, 2013, LAHURNIP and Accountability Counsel supported the affected communities to send a letter of concern about the Project to the World Bank President. This was followed by a meeting between World Bank management and community leaders on March 13, in which community leaders were able to express their complaints about the Project planning and design, including violations of the World Bank social and environmental safeguard policies, to Bank management. They are still awaiting action on the part of the World Bank to address issues with the Project.
In early April 2013, the Government of Nepal deployed armed police forces to Sindhuli District to ensure opposition to the Project did not obstruct surveying and construction activities. We are working closely with LAHURNIP to monitor the human rights situation and hold the World Bank accountable for their role in this Project.
More about the case here.
Source: Accountability Counsel
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