Burma must be vigilant to avoid the disastrous dam on Irrawaddy River
By - Zin Linn
It was as early as October 2009, the Thailand-based Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG) published a report – “Resisting the Flood” – highlighting the implementation of the Myitsone dam project on the Irrawaddy River. The report demanded a halt to the project that is sponsored by the China Power Investment Corporation (CPI), its main investor and contractor.
The dam project creates unwelcome impacts like social, environmental, livelihood, cultural and security problems for tens of thousands of people in the Kachin State. The report states that more than 15,000 people in 60 villages around the dam sites are being forcibly relocated without proper resettlement plans by the Burmese military regime. These individuals have lost their means of livelihood such as farming, fishing and collection of non-timber forest products.
The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the KIA, sent an open letter to Chinese President, Hu Jintao, in March this year, urging a halt to the Irrawaddy Myitson Dam construction, because it will lead to civil war in the country. However, the Chinese communist government has refused the KIO request.
The 500-foot dam has been under construction at the confluence of the Mali Hka River and N’Mai Hka River, 27 miles north of the Kachin capital of Myitkyina. Construction at Myitsone began December 21, 2009, led by China’s state owned China Power Investment Corporation (CPI) in cooperation with Burma’s Asia World Company (AWC) and the Burmese government’s No. 1 Ministry of Electric Power. Remarkably, AWC owner is former drug lord, Lo Hsing Han. It will cost 3.6 billion dollars and most of the 6000 MW of electricity produced will be sold out to China.
As a result, the KIO warned CPI employees not to enter its area in the dam construction sites north of the Mali-N’mai Rivers. The reason was that the Burmese government discontinued the 1994 ceasefire on 1 September, 2010.
KDNG said that the dam construction is against the choice of local people and violates China’s own dam construction guidelines as well as international standards. Burma’s military junta ordered over a thousand civilians from Tang Hpre, the main village at the dam site, before the end of May 2010.
There was an environmental impact assessment on the Thailand-based Burma Rivers Network website which was conducted by a team of Burmese and Chinese scientists. The 945-page “environmental impact assessment,” fully funded by China’s CPI Corporation and conducted by a team of Burmese and Chinese scientists, recommends that the Irrawaddy Myitsone Dam not proceed. “There is no need for such a big dam to be constructed at the confluence of the Irrawaddy River” says the assessment.
Several complaint letters concerning construction of the Myitsone dam have been sent to the Burmese and Chinese governments by local people, the Kachin National Consultative Assembly (KNCA) and the KIO. However, no action has been taken to tackle the worries expressed by the Kachin community.
KIO have waged revolutionary warfare for self-determination in their state. Since 9 June, skirmishing spread out between the KIA and the government’s troops. The warfare was interrelated to the outsized developmental projects being built by China.
Recently, on 17 September, Workshop No (3/2011) of the Ministry of Electric Power No (1) on Impact of Hydropower Projects on the Irrawaddy River and natural environment was held at the ministry in Naypyitaw.
Union Ministers, deputy ministers, People Parliament and National Parliament representatives, departmental heads, resource persons, entrepreneurs, journalists and guests attended the workshop, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.
In his address, Union Minister for Electric Power No (1) Zaw Min explained the purpose of organizing the seminar and introduced six papers that would be read out. He also invited suggestions and discussions over the papers. Chairman Dr Htin Hla of Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) read out the paper on impact on natural and social environments. CPI Chairman Mr Li Guanghua, read on Irrawaddy basin hydropower projects are strategic selection for Myanmar (Burma) electric power industry.
On 10 September (Saturday), Union Minister for Electric Power No (1) Zaw Min said in a meeting with media, the government will carry on construction of the Myitsone Dam on the Irrawaddy River despite severe denigration and environmental and communal risks, some Rangoon-based journals spotlighted.
Zaw Min also challenged the people that the government will not withdraw the project because of any objection.
During the 17 September seminar, the “natural environment report” was made by 250 scholars from six organizations including BANCA. The report will be submitted to the newly reconstituted Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry. It is said that future works depend on the environment report of the ECF Ministry and study report of the engineer group.
According to the report of CPI Company, the structures in Myitsone project will be designed and built systematically to have the resistance of the worst flood in 1000 years and the earthquake of eight Richter Scales. But, as stated by some critics, CPI’s estimation is merely an illogical presumption. No futurist can foretell such a thousand-year calculation.
In his closing address, Union Minister Zaw Min said that, the government has not yet decided to stop the Myitsone dam projects. Zaw Min said at one point: “Impact of Myitsone Project on environment and safety was a hot topic among people. However, hydro-power projects along Ayeyawady (Irrawaddy) river were worthwhile to increase production of power for domestic use and industrial development.”
So, the seminar seemed to be a time-buying method that held against the desire of the people. If the parliament and the government unwisely decided to carry on the massive dam, the people would not tolerate any more.
Hence, local civil societies, as well as watchdog groups around the world, have to keep serious awareness to prevent the continuation of the Myitsone dam project which will tragically spoil the nation’s promising future.
