Indonesians to sue Japan govt over ODA dam project: Report
Indonesians to sue Japan govt over ODA dam project: Report
Dow Jones Newswires, Tokyo
Citizens of Indonesia's Sumatra Island plan to sue the
Japanese government and its affiliates in September for damage
caused by a Tokyo-funded hydropower dam on the border of West
Sumatra and Riau, Kyodo News reported Monday.
The case would mark the first legal challenge over a project
paid for by Japan's official development assistance, Kyodo added.
About 3,000 people from 13 villages on the island are planning
to file a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court to seek
compensation from the Japanese government, the Japan
International Cooperation Agency, the Japan Bank for
International Cooperation and Tokyo Electric Power Services Co.,
the report said.
JICA and JBIC are affiliated with the Japanese government,
while TEPSCO belongs to a business group headed by Tokyo Electric
Power Co.
The four were involved in building Kotopanjang Dam, which
caused the plaintiffs and 20,000 other villagers to be forcibly
resettled, Japanese supporters of the plaintiffs said.
The dam was completed in 1997 at a cost of 31.18 billion yen
paid for by a yen-denominated government loan, according to the
supporters. It is located in the middle of the island on the
border between Riau and West Sumatra provinces.
"The construction of Kotopanjang Dam was proposed by a
Japanese consulting agency, the funds for it were extended by
Japanese government-affiliated bodies, and a Japanese contractor,
together with local construction firms, received the order," one
supporter said, according to Kyodo.
According to the supporters, the local residents have been
left without proper living facilities, such as clean well water
on the resettled land, and haven't been guaranteed job
opportunities there, becoming "developmental refugees."
"The plaintiffs and local residents are seeking restoration of
their living conditions and natural environment, while a growing
number among them are calling for the dam to be dismantled," said
Akihiko Oguchi, who heads the Japanese lawyers representing the
plaintiffs. "We may include its removal in our demands when we
file the suit."
According to Oguchi, it will be impossible for the plaintiffs
to seek Tokyo's decision to remove it because the dam is now
owned by the Indonesian government, but "at least we will urge
the Japanese government in court to recommend its Indonesian
counterpart to do so."
The amount of compensation that the plaintiffs will demand
hasn't yet been decided, the supporters said.
Oguchi also said the Japanese supporters will soon file a
taxpayers' suit claiming that the government misused public funds
to foot the bill for the controversial dam project.
Japan's Foreign Ministry and TEPSCO said they can't comment on
the planned lawsuit before it is filed, Kyodo reported.