Seminar invitation: Displacement Induced by Environmental Problems and Development 10-11.6.
26.05.2010
Seminar: Displacement Induced by Environmental Problems and Development
Date: 10th and 11th June 2010 at 8:30 – 16
Venue: Balder Hall, Aleksanterinkatu 12, Helsinki
Organized by: Siemenpuu Foundation Finland
The seminar is free and open to everyone. The seminar language is English.
What to do, when drought destroys the crop and the reservoir submerges the home village? On whose terms are the mining projects executed? What kind of a development do we want? Is the development just?
Millions of people in developing countries have to abandon their culture, livelihood and home because of various infrastructure projects and environmental problems. Large-scale dams, tree plantations, road building, mining projects and renting out the agricultural land to the foreign companies cause displacement. The climate change force people to leave their living surroundings with increased floods and drought periods.
The speakers of the seminar are actors from Southern and Finnish civil society and researchers, who explain the public about he causes and consequences and look for solutions to avoid the problems. The Ecological democracy, that is improving the peoples participation in decision-making in their environment and help to find constructive alternatives to the projects harming people and nature.
Please come to hear the first hand experiences in the reality of developing countries and to discuss the alternative paths to the sustainable future.
You are warmly welcome !
Pre-registration by the 4th June 2010 and further information:
Conference assistant Mr. Mauno Särkkä, email: sipu@siemenpuu.org, tel. 09-27 22 336
Those who register by the 4th June noon are entitled to free lunch and coffee during the seminar.
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SEMINAR: Displacement induced by Environmental Problems and Development
Time: 10–11 June 2010, 8:30 – 15:30
Place: Balderin sali, Aleksanterinkatu 12, Helsinki, Finland
PROGRAMME
Thursday June 10, 8:30 - 15:30
8:30 Coffee and registration
9:00 Opening words
Ms Mira Käkönen, Chairperson of Siemenpuu Foundation, Finland
Session I - INDIGENOUS AND TRADITIONAL PEOPLES
9:30 Introduction to the theme
Chair: Mr. Frank Johansson, Amnesty International, Finnish Section
9:40 India’s Adivasis experiences: whose development in question?
Ms Suman Koreti, Parivartan, India.
Displacement of traditional peoples in Brasilian Amazon
Mr. Joaquim Belo, CNS, Brasil
Forestry - a serious threat to Sámi culture
Mr. Jan Saijets, Finland.
11:00 Open discussion
11:30 Lunch break
Session II - FOOD SOVEREIGNTY vs. AGRIBUSINESS
12:30 Introduction to the theme
Chair: Ms Heli Kuusipalo, Tampere University, Finland
12:40 Subsistence agriculture vs. agribusiness in Latin America
Mr. Carlos Vicente, Acción por la Biodiversidad, Argentina.
Land Grabbing in Cambodia
Mr. Pen Raingsey, NGO Forum on Cambodia
The expansion of the oil palm and pulp plantations
Mr. Zainuri Hasyim, Mitra Insani, Indonesia
Mr. Jukka Lassila, Lassila farm, Finland
14:40 Open discussion
15:30 Closing
Friday June 11, 8:30 - 15:30
8:30 Coffee and registration
9:00 Opening: conclusions from Thursday
Session III - MINING AND DAMS
9:30 Introduction to the theme
Chair: Mr. Mika Flöjt, University of Lapland, Finland
9:40 Mining and displacement of local communities in India
Mr. Prafulla Samantara, India
Dams and displacement of local people in the Mekong region
Ms. Premrudee Daorang, TERRA, Thailand
Uranium mining in Eastern and Northern Finland
Mr Tuomo Tormulainen
11:00 Open discussion
11:30 Lunch break
SESSION IV - CLIMATE CHANGE
12:30 Introduction to the theme Climate Change
Chair: Ms Venla Virkamäki, Finnish Association for Nature conservation, Finland
12:40 Immigration from Mali to Europe due the Climate Change
Mr Bakary Doumbia, Kilabo, Mali
Climate change and the coastal communities in Tamil Nadu
Mr Rajendra Prasad, Peoples Action for Development, India.
Finnish climate policy and climate refugees
Ms. Tuuli Kaskinen, Demos Helsinki, Finland
14:00 Open discussion
14:30 Solutions and alternatives to displacement
Conclusions and final discussion
15:30 Closing