The IV World Water Forum (WWF) held in Mexico was considered by the NGOs a total failure. Ministers and high dignitaries of the present countries reaffirmed “on the critical importance of water” and took notes on “the actions of the UN”, but they were not able to make any decision.

Shamefully, the request of some countries to consider the water, as “a basic human right” did not thrive. Of course, the WWF has been identified like an area where the World Bank Group and the water transnational companies defend the privatization of a vital and public good, as is water.

Next month, March 2009, the WWF will be celebrated again, this time in a Mediterranean city, Istanbul. A new debate on public and private management of water opens up again. In Europe, last 2000, the Water Framework Directive was approved, with a main objective, the good state of the water masses in a horizon of 2015.

Simultaneously, in Turkey there are several transfers and nearly 2000 reservoirs under development. The ecologists and victims are joining once again to fight against the policies of supply of water, the destruction of villages, valleys, regulation of rivers, etc. For this reason, on the inauguration of the Alternative Forum a great victory will be celebrated. The international funds necessary for the construction of the Ilisu's great reservoir have been denied. The reservoir was going to flood a great valley of the Tigris river where numerous archaeological remains of the Mesopotamian culture are found and where diverse Kurd populations are located. In addition, the reservoir would reduce the Tigris contributions to Syria and Iraq to a 40%.

Ecologistas en Accion will be present in the Alternative Forum of the WWF and have proposed several seminars: “The fight against the National Hydrological Plan (NHP) of 2000 and its impacts”, the “ Valdecañas-Segura transfer project” (Transfer from the river Tajo to the River Segura), “The fight against the privatization of Canal de Isabel II”, “The fight against the transfer of the Ebro and the impact on its delta” and “The processes of audience participation in Catalonia”.
Ecologistas en Accion encourage anyone to participate on the Alternative WWF that will be held in the Istanbul's University Campus, 2 km from the official WWF location.

These days, the program of activities is being elaborated based on the great number of presented proposals. In order to check the definitive program or any type of information regarding this subject you can access:

- alternatifsuforumu.org
- www.peopleswaterforum.org
- suplatformu.net