Barred activist lodges police report

Save Rivers chief Peter Kallang was barred from participating in the International Hydropower Association's global conference despite having paid RM5,270 delegates fee.

KUCHING: A prominent anti-dam activist was barred from two International Hydropower Association (IHA) pre-conference workshops here yesterday because of a letter he wrote requesting the IHA to allow communities affected by the construction of dams in Sarawak to participate.

In his letter to IHA chairman Richard Taylor, Save Rivers Network chief Peter Kallang had also been critical of the association’s cooperation with Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

Kallang, who had paid the USD1,750 (RM5,270) delegates fee, said that he was told that he had been denied entry into the workshops as he attempted to board the bus.

He said they told him that the ban was at the request of state-owned Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) – the organisors of the workshops – because of a letter he wrote to the IHA.

“Denying me entry into IHA’s pre-congress workshop at Sarawak Energy’s office demonstrates that Sarawak Energy has no desire to enter into open and meaningful dialogue with critical voices.

“Despite the fact that I paid USD1,750 as required to attend the congress, I was barred by a representative of IHA.

“I have all the receipts for this transaction and up to the time of signing up for the congress, I have no problem,” he told FMT.

A disappointed Kallang said he had lodged a police report against SEB and has asked the police to investigate the reasons for his denied entry into the workshop even though he had already paid the full congress fee.

He said he had also consulted his lawyers who have written to IHA and SEB “for embarrassing” him.

State-owned SEB had organised the pre-conference workshops yesterday morning as a prelude to its main global conference which begins today and is on until May 24 here.

Save Rivers, a coalition of local conservationists and individuals, have been in the forefront against the construction of mega dams in Sarawak.

Apology sought

In an immediate reaction to Kallang’s ban, environmental groups, including the Swiss non governmental organization Bruno Manser Fund, condemned the state’s attempt through IHA to muzzle critical voices.

BMF in a statement demanded an immediate apology from IHA director Taylor over the incident and a guarantee that Kallang and all indigenous and NGO representatives will be granted unlimited access to the conference.

Kuching-based Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) also condemned the action by the organisers to bar Kallang from attending the pre-Congress workshops.

“Kalang’s input at the workshop and congress proper would be invaluable to the IHA. A congress of such nature which directly affects the state and people should open its doors warmly to Sarawakians, instead of barring them,” said MoCS leader Francis Paul Siah.

MoCS demanded that Kallang and other NGO leaders in Sarawak be provided access to the congress as they have every right to and more so when the event is held in their home state.

Representatives from over 80 countries – including government, related industries, research institutes, civil society, financial institutions and other international organizations – are attending this conference.