The New Nation - Internet Edition

nation BUSINESS REPORT

Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG) yesterday demanded publication of a white paper on the first anniversary of cyclone Sidr on receipt and utilization of aid money that the government, NGOs and the UN organizations handled to rehabilitate the disaster affected people.

The leaders of the EJWG raised the demand at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) yesterday morning blaming the advanced countries for neglecting payment of compensation to mitigate the impacts of global warming and climate change.

The sea level rise and other environmental disorders are causing cyclones, floods and draughts in Bangladesh but the responsible 'exploiters and polluters' nations are not taking serious steps for paying the affected countries.

EJWG president Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said, the country sustained a loss of US$ 1.7 billion from cyclone Sidr but the assistance from the global community stood altogether at US$ 350 million.

It is 20.5 percent of the total damage, he said and poised the question who would make good the huge losses. In stead, they are increasing the carbon emission and making the sea-line countries like Bangladesh more vulnerable, he observed.

The EJWG functionaries also severely criticized US president George W Bush for convening the G-20 conference in Washington to rebuild and strengthen the World Bank and IMF in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

The present boundless consumption and industrial activities in the advanced nations are also responsible for growing global warming. They said the US president by calling the G-20 conference has in fact attempted to undo a similar conference of world leaders under the auspices of the United Nations.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has already set up a committee with Nobel Laureate and former WB chief economist Joseph Stiglitz to hold the world economic conference in an attempt to rebuild the global economic and financial system supportive to a new world order.

President Bush wants to keep the global system under US control in the form of unlimited market freedom based on unlimited profiteering, which accelerated the current meltdown.

EJWG demanded that the world leaders should reject the Bush initiative and work for creating a new global economic order, which will have some room for state intervention to protect market and public interest.