Series 2558: Constituent Correspondence, 2000-2003
36029
From: <RRosenhek@aol.com>
BC: Governor Musgrove
Created: 4/16/2000 10:20 PM
Subject: Alert from Altai! Ukok plateau in danger
Message:
PLEASE EXCUSE CROSS POSTINGS
THIS IS A LETTER FROM JOHN SEED OF THE RAINFOREST INFORMATION CENTRE HERE IN
NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.
April 11, 2000
Dear Friends, I find it hard to find time to respond to action alerts, so
many come through email. So I restrict myself to sending just one or
two a year, and this is one of those. It concerns a very special place in
Siberia, the Altai, home of many wonders including the highly endangered
Snow Leopard. I visited the area in 1992 with Bill Pfeiffer of the Sacred
Earth Network and Patrick Anderson of Greenpeace, met the indigenous people
and helped the local conservationists as best we could to get both
national protection and UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Our friends at the NGO "Fund for 21st Century Altai" (contact person:
Alexander Yumakaev, email katun@ab.ru) are requesting international support.
They are requesting that concerned organi?zations fax protest letters on
official letterheads to authori?ties in the Altai (see 5 fax numbers at the
end of this message).
Any individuals or organisations without fax facilities are invited to
send their protest letter as an email to katun@ab.ru where they will be
printed and then delivered to the relevant authorities.
They will also need funds to fight this awful development. We at the
Rainforest Information Centre are sending them US$500. Bank account
information and a sample Endorsement letter are appended.
for the Earth - John Seed
Rainforest Information Centre (http://forests.org/ric/)
Lismore, NSW, Australia
*********************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: Katun [mailto:katun@ab.ru]
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 6:51 PM
Subject: Alert from Altai! Ukok plateau in danger
Dear friends!
We urgently need your help! In Altai (mountain area in South-Western
Siberia) they are trying to start a nature-destroying project - construction
of a road and gas pipeline through the unique high-land Ukok Plateau.
The Plateau is situated in Altai Republic (an administrative unit in Russia
equal to a state in the USA). Here meet the borders of Russia, Mongolia,
Kazakhstan and China, and many rivers of these countries start here. The
Ukok is a biodiversity center, there are about 20 Red-Book animal species and
many endemic plants. This Plateau is also a precious archaeological and
historical site, it holds evidences of many ancient cultures that were living
here in different epochs.
This unique combination of factors of natural and cultural value allowed the
Plateau to receive in 1994 local protection status and in 1998 it was listed
as a World Heritage
site. Despite this, the Inter-regional Association "Siberian Accord"
(uniting heads or official representatives of Siberian regions) decided to
construct a traffic and energy corridor to China through the Plateau.
It is obvious, that this construction will
1) damage the unique ecosystems of the Ukok Plateau
2) lead to loss of historical and archaeological heritage
3) be a destructive invasion into the place that indigenuous Altaians hold
sacred
4) be economically groundless, as construction and use of the road going
through high-land marshes, tundra, permafrost sites and passes elevated more
than 2500-2600 meters will require huge investments and endless repair.
In December 1999 non-governmental organizations and scientists of Altai
Republic, Altai krai, Novosibirsk, Tomsk and Kemerovo oblasts wrote a
collective letter to the "Siberian Accord" suggesting they examine an
alternative option of construction, detouring the Ukok Plateau, going through
Mongolia and using existing infrastructure. However, public opinion wasn't
considered during the decision making process, and there has been no reply
from officials.
We are asking you to support our fight and send PROTEST FAXES to the
following persons:
Victor Danilov-Danilyan, Chair, State Committee for Environment
Protection, +7(095)254-6824
Zubakin Semen, President, Altai Republic, +7(38822)9-5121
Tabaev Daniil, Chair, "El-Kurultai" State Assembly of Altai
Republic, +7(38822)9-5165
Surikov Alexander, Head, Altai krai Administration,
+7(3852)22-8547 or +7(3852)38-0204
Ivankov Vladimir, General Director, Inter-regional Association
"Siberian Accord", +7(3832)23-7738
Just write 2-3 paragraphs on your organization's official letterhead how
significant it is to preserve such a place, how bad the roads and pipelines
are etc. Please send faxes as soon as possible. Please let us know about
sent messages through
katun@ab.ru or yumakaev@ab.ru .
Sincerely yours,
Alexander Yumakaev, on behalf of
The Fund for 21st Century Altai
P.O.Box 845
Barnaul 656015 Russia
phone/fax +7(3852)222-371
email katun@ab.ru
******************************************************************************
**
BANKING INFORMATION FOR WIRING DONATIONS TO THIS CAMPAIGN:
1. INTERMEDIARY - The Bank of New York, New York
SWIFT CODE - IRVTUS3N
2. Beneficiary's bank - Savings Bank of the Russian Federation
SWIFT CODE - SABRRUMM
In favour of account 30301840400000600200, Savings Bank of the
Russian Federation (Altay office)
SWIFT CODE - SABRRUMM AC1
3. Details of payment
For Alexander Yumakaev
Address: Russia 656055 Barnaul, Ostrovsky Str., 21, Apt. 71
Passport N 602462
Account N 42301840402030000818/01
******************************************************************************
******
SAMPLE ENDORSEMENT LETTER
Vladimir Ivanovich Ivankov
General Director, Siberian Accord
ul. Uritskogo 19
630099 g. Novosibirsk, Russia
Dear Mr. Ivankov,
We are deeply troubled to learn that the Siberian Accord has decided to
move forward with plans to construct a major road and gas pipeline to China
through the Ukok plateau in Gorniy Altai. For several reasons, we consider
this industrial development to be an unwise project which could lead to
irreparable damage to the land and to the cultural heritage of its people.
Please do not allow this road to be built!
As you know, the Ukok plateau is a sensitive high-altitude eco-system
which supports many endemic plants and about twenty Red Book animal
species. One of these is the snow leopard, a beautiful and elusive top
predator treasured by conservationists for its keystone role in
regulating the ecosystem and maintaining native biodiversity. A road and
pipeline through its habitat could drive these and other creatures to the
brink of extinction. The plateau is held sacred by indigenous Altaians
and enjoys recognition for its archeological monuments, including a mummy of
a Scythian princess. For this combination of factors, the Ukok plateau
was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
The industrialization of this territory by construction of a traffic
and energy corridor would degrade vast portions of the region's ecosystem,
threaten the existence of key animal and plant species, and destroy
valuable cultural artifacts. We understand that specialists favor an
alternate route detouring around the Ukok Plateau, going through Mongolia
and using existing infrastructure. This plan, besides being more
economically viable, would allow leaders like yourself to pursue an
ecologically sustainable development path -- a path which further industrial
development would prohibit.
Gorniy Altai is a globally significant territory, and we feel that we are
cooperatively responsible for its future. We implore you to use your
authority to stop all future industrial projects on this land and to do
everything in your power to protect its
natural and cultural treasures.
Sincerely,
NAME
ORGANIZATION
ADDRESS
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