Mock Show Demands Climate Justice

14 November 2012; Khulna, Bangladesh:Green Activists presented death of thousand people in cyclone Sidr to show destruction of climate change in Bangladesh. The groups organized a Mock/Stunt in Khulna city today with a scene of dead people in front of human chain and gathering demanding climate justice in upcoming UN Climate Conference. Non-government organization Humanitywatch organized the mock show at Shahid Hadis Park of the city in collaboration with more than 100 groups including AOSED, BELA, BEDS, CDP, IRV and MSSUS.

The gathering remembered death of more than 3,500 people by super cyclone Sidr in 2007 as a part of Climate Justice Week from 11-17 November. Lawmaker Nazrul Islam Manju said that every country will have to face the adverse impacts of climate change. But it is like death sentence for poor countries like Bangladesh. Only deep cut of emission can save the planet, but EU is to reduce only 20% by this period, which will aggregate the risk of vulnerable countries like Bangladesh, the speakers said at the gathering.

Congratulating Barak Obama for his second tenure as president, the he urged US to agree in a legally bounded protocol for deep cut of carbon reduction. They also urged for stopping debt-business by multilateral development banks (MDBs) like World Bank and ADB. They speakers said that, the MDBs are interfering in country owned climate funds and managing it in non-transparent ways. Groups demanded transparency, accountability and justice in national funds also.

Civic leader Advocate Feroz Ahmed, Bangladesh Krishak League central leader Shyamol Sinha Roy, Communist Party secretary leader SA Rashid, Workers Party leader Mafidul Islam, CSO leader Humayun Kabir Boby, lawyer Babul Hawladar, women leader Shamima Sultana Shilu, AOSED executive director Shamim Arfeen, BEDS executive director Maksudur Rahman, BELA divisional coordinator Mahfuzur Rahman Mukul, IRV coordinator Marina Juthi, Shushilan organizer  Tania Nahid, TIB official Bashir Ahmed, Aparajeo Bangladesh coordinator Mahbub Alam Prince, Chhayabrikkho executive director Mahbub Alam Badsha, Humanitywatch chief executive Hasan Mehedi and Shariful Islam Salim addressed the gathering among others.

More than 100 green groups are observing the weeklong Climate Justice Week in 23 districts demanding equitable share of carbon emission and climate finance. Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL), Climate Finance Governance Network (CFGN), Oxfam and its global campaign GROW is supporting the campaign.