Thomas protests over new project

Mark Thomas has led a demonstration against the a controversial dam project.

The campaigning comic was one of 60 protesting outside the annual meeting of building giant Amec in London today.

He had a cardboard cut-out showing a naked businessman carrying the slogan: "Exposed - get the naked truth behind corporate power."

Around 20 policemen kept the protesters behind barriers outside the Radisson SAS Portman Hotel yesterday.

Another 40 campaigners had brought nominal shareholding in the company, so they could raise their concerns about the Yusufeli dam project inside the meeting.

The dam will force 30,000 people to lose their homes in the north-east of Turkey.

Thomas thought he had a quick victory when early campaigning persuaded Amec to drop out of the project.

Yet Amec has a 46 per cent shareholding in French company SPIE, which is leading the consortium still bidding to build the dam, and has an option to buy the rest later this year.

Last year Thomas campaigned against another Turkish dam-building project, in Ilusu.

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Published: 9 May 2002