PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ILISU DAM (14 June 2000)

That this House is concerned at the continuing social, political and economic oppression of the Kurdish people in south east Turkey; draws attention to the fact that the construction of the Ilisu Dam would result in the forced resettlement of 25,000, mainly Kurdish, people and seriously affect a further 11,000; believes that this is part of a wider strategy of ethnically cleansing the area of Kurds; is concerned that the dam would flood and destroy the ancient town of Hasankeyf, a site of archaeological importance, destroy the ecological balance of the whole region and have the potential to precipitate a war over water with neighbouring Syria and Iraq; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to refuse the ú200 million aid and assistance for this project requested by Balfour Beatty and to do all in its power to prevent the scheme proceeding.

Sponsored by:
John Austin (Labour)