Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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The World Commission on Dams (WCD), whose purpose is to assess the impact of large dam projects and develop guidelines for future development, is reaching a critical stage in its work. A consortium prompted by environmental group protests from an earlier World Bank survey on dam projects, the WCD was formed in February 1998. The WCD was given two years to form a work plan and conduct a range of studies and hearings in order to gather information for its report. A range of results from establishing procedures for assessing dam projects to a moratorium on megadam development could follow. Joji Carino, an Igorot woman from the Cordillera (Philippines), was selected as one of the twelve Commissioners. Carino is intent on getting indigenous concerns on the table, both for WCD to focus on and to present actual case studies, bringing the unique problems indigenous communities face into the discussions on the future of large dams.

Carino is effecting this effort by involving indigenous representatives and supporters directly. In August 1998 an informal group convened at the U.N. Working Group on Indigenous Populations. This group gave specific suggestions for dams that needed to be studied and was to assist Carino with outreach. Carino took the group's suggestions to the WCD, where they were added to the list of case studies.

Initially, fifteen dams were on the list, including the Churchill Falls project in Canada, the Grand Coulee Dam in the U.S., the Tucurui Dam in Brazil, and Panchat Hill/Damodar Dam in India. All of these dams had significant impacts on indigenous communities and the environment. These specific projects highlight the range of problems that large dams cause to indigenous communities and provide valuable evidence for a moratorium on dam building, or at least a deceleration in development.

This fall, however, the Commission's research budget was cut by almost half, from $10M to $5.6M. This forced the list of case studies to be cut to ten, dropping the Tucurui and Churchill Falls projects to a "reserve group" list. This strategy was planned to ensure an adequate geographical spread of dams surveyed. The Grand Coulee Dam was ostensibly chosen over Churchill Falls because of its history and also because it is being considered for decommissioning. The Innu of Nitassinan, however, are lobbying to keep Churchill Falls on the main list. They were especially incensed when, a few weeks after the cuts were made, Hydro-Quebec donated $200,000 to the WCD and became a member of the WCD Forum-who advise the WCD Commissioners.

Carino believes that the Innu case for the inclusion of Churchill Falls can be considered in one of two other ways if it is not restored to the main list.