SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Friend. If you want to help in protecting the Danube environment, you
can do that by writing to our political leaders. One such sample letter (this
one is addressed to Vice President Gore) is attached here for your convenience:

Dear Mr. Vice President,

On the 21st of August, 1993, you wrote to professor Bela Liptak about your
concern for the Danube ecosystem. Today, mankind is approaching an important
precedent: On the 25th of September, 1997 the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) has ruled on the first international environmental lawsuit in The Hague.

The ICJ will decided on a case involving the Danube and the destruction of
its ancient wetland region: the Szigetkoz. This name, loosely translated,
means: “The region of a thousand islands,” yet today there are no islands left
there, because the water is gone. Still, the implications of this case go
beyond the future of just one river or just the 400 endangered species of one
ancient ecosystem.

The implementation of the ruling in this lawsuit will set a precedent for
the whole planet and will answer a much more basic question: Do national
governments have the right to destroy the natural treasures of this planet, or
does mankind as a whole have the right to protect them?

Mr. Vice President, in 1995, nine international NGOs have submitted a
memorial to ICJ, which the Court accepted. The NGO Coalition consists of:

• Greenpeace (Slovakia),
• Human Rights Advocates (USA),
• International Rivers Network (USA),
• Natural Heritage Institute (USA),
• REFLEX (Hungary),
• Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (USA),
• Slovak Rivers Network (Slovakia),
• SZOPK (Slovakia),
• WWF (Switzerland).

A Compromise Plan was also submitted to the
Court, which would guarantee the restoration of the ancient Szigetkoz
wetlands, together with fulfilling the water-supply, shipping and energy needs
of the region.

On the 25th of September, 1997, the ICJ ruled, that the implementation of
the diversion of the Danube was illegal. Now the parties have 6 months to
agree on the implementation of that ruling. A statement from you, indicating
that you too would favor the return of the Danube into its natural riverbed
and the restoration of the Szigetkoz wetlands would, I am sure, greatly
influence the negotiations.

This being the first international environmental lawsuit before the ICJ,
the outcome will establish an important precedent. The Slovak Government must
understand that there is a price to be paid for being admitted into the
European Community or into NATO. That price must include the respect for
international law. A statement by you, would guarantee that the Slovak
Government understands this. Please make that statement.

Respectfully yours,

Your name, address, title