Mekong Watch CATFISH TALES
TOPIC: [NEW PUBLICATION RELEASED] "PROTECT YOURSELF FROM DESTRUCTIVE
DEVELOPMENT: HANDBOOK ON JBIC'S NEW ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL GUIDELINES"
Date: 19 October 2004
[NEW PUBLICATION] PROTECT YOURSELF FROM DESTRUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT:
HANDBOOK ON JBIC'S NEW ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL GUIDELINES
Mekong Watch and Friends of the Earth Japan have just produced a
handbook, which we hope will be a useful tool for local communities and
NGOs to protect the rights of communities affected by projects financed
by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
WHY WE PRODUCED THIS HANDBOOK
Mekong Watch, together with other Japanese NGOs, actively participated
in consultations to establish JBIC's new Guidelines for Environmental
and Social Considerations, so we do not want to see the Guidelines
simply rot on paper. Since the Guidelines can be considered a set of
rules JBIC must follow when implementing projects, and there is a
mechanism to raise concerns when these rules are not followed, we want
to ensure that people affected by JBIC projects are aware of the
Guidelines and Objection Procedures and know how to use them if they
feel it useful to do so.
With this in mind, Fukuda Kenji and Ohashi Tamaki, staff of Mekong Watch,
wrote this handbook on JBIC's new Guidelines entitled, "Protect
Yourself from Destructive Development: Handbook on JBIC's new
Environmental and Social Guidelines."
WHAT IS JBIC DOING TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE GUIDELINES?
Very little. One year ago, JBIC put into effect its new "Guidelines
for Confirmation of Environmental and Social Considerations," and a
compliance mechanism called the "Objection Procedures." JBIC has done
nothing that we are aware of to inform affected communities about these
guidelines and objection procedures. JBIC has translated the Guidelines
into English, but no other languages.
DISTRIBUTION OF THIS HANDBOOK
Mekong Watch, Friends of the Earth Japan, the Japan Center for
Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES), and the Japan NGO Network
on Indonesia are now working together to distribute this handbook to
NGOs and communities affected by JBIC projects in developing countries.
We will provide printed copies free of charge to NGOs and members of
communities who are working to protect the rights of people affected by
JBIC projects. Anyone is welcome to download the document from the
internet. A web version is also being prepared, and an announcement
will be issued when it is ready. We are also beginning to plan
workshops with NGOs and affected communities in the Mekong Region to
explain the JBIC Guidelines and discuss strategies for affected
communities to use the Objection Procedures to raise their concerns.
TRANSLATION OF THIS HANDBOOK
This handbook will be translated into several languages. NGOs in Japan
are now beginning to contact counterparts in other countries to examine
possibilities to translate the document in to Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese,
Tagalog, Bisaya, and Bahasa. If your organization is interested in
translating the handbook, please contact us at Mekong Watch.
TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THIS HANDBOOK
Anyone interested in ordering copies of the handbook, please contact us
at Mekong Watch (see contact information below). Due to our limited
resources, please keep in mind that free distribution is for NGOs and
communities monitoring or affected by JBIC projects. Those who wish to
obtain the booklet for other purposes, we ask to kindly download the
report.
The handbook can be downloaded as a PDF file (a rather large 4.5 MB file)
from the following URL:
http://www.mekongwatch.org/documents/jbichandbook.pdf
***For Orders or Inquiries***
Contact Mekong Watch
E-mail: mwpub@mekongwatch.org
Tel: +81 3 3832 5034 Fax: +81 3 3832 5039
Address: 2F Maruko Bldg., 1-20-6 Higashiueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0015 JAPAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Below is the table of contents from "Protect Yourself from Destructive
Development: Handbook on JBIC's new Environmental and Social Guidelines"
Acknowledgements
INTRODUCTION
What is this guide for?
How to Use this Booklet
Applicability of the new Guidelines
Paragraph Numbering
Abbreviation List
CHAPTER 1 WHAT IS JBIC?
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Types of JBIC Funding
1.3 Characteristics of JBIC Operations
CHAPTER 2 THE PROCESS OF JBIC FINANCING
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Main Actors: Project Owner and Borrower
2.3 Six Stages of JBIC Financing
CHAPTER 3 HOW TO GET INFORMATION
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Local Sources of Information
3.3 Yen Loan Long Lists
3.4 Getting Information from JBIC
CHAPTER 4 WHAT MUST JBIC MAKE SURE THAT BORROWERS HAVE DONE?
4.1 Introduction
4.2 What is written in Part 2 of the Guidelines?
CHAPTER 5 HOW TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Get the Necessary Information
5.3 Contact JBIC
5.4 Identify and Document the Problems
5.5 Contact Project Owners
5.6 Use Political Pressure
5.7 Working Together with Japanese NGOs
CHAPTER 6 OBJECTION PROCEDURES
6.1 Introduction
6.2 What are the Objection Procedures?
6.3 What can you expect from filing a request?
6.4 Who can file a request for investigation?
6.5 What projects are subject to the Objection Procedures?
6.6 When can requests for investigation be filed?
6.7 Who looks at the requests for investigations?
6.8 Where to send a request for investigation
6.9 What information should be included in a request for investigation?
6.10 How do the Objection Procedures work?
6.11 Information Disclosure under the Objection Procedures
CHAPTER 7 BEYOND JBIC's GUIDELINES
7.1 It is only one tool
7.2 Use other guidelines and standards to help you
7.3 If you are concerned about an old project, don't automatically stop
yourself from using the Objection Procedures
APPENDIX
Appendix A Contact Information for JBIC
Appendix B Contact Information for the Japanese Government
Appendix C Contact Information for Japanese NGOs
Appendix D JBIC Environmental Guidelines
Appendix E JBIC Objection Procedures
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Contact us at:
Mekong Watch
2F Maruko Bldg., 1-20-6 Higashi-Ueno
Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0015 JAPAN
Tel: +81 3 3832 5034 Fax: +81 3 3832 5039
E-mail: info@mekongwatch.org