Petition to stop dam construction on the Salween submitted to Thai senate

Petition to stop dam construction on the Salween submitted to Thai senate

Environment 

Burma activist groups are lodging a petition with Kraisak Choonhavan, Chairperson of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, today to oppose the dam project on the Salween "until there is democracy in Burma and the rights of the local people are respected." 

The petition cited several reasons for their disapproval of the MOU reportedly due to be signed between Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and MDX, a Thai company, on 20 December to build the Tasarng Dam on the Salween between Mongpan, Kengtawng and Kunhing on the west bank and Mongpiang and Mongton on the east bank (Tasarng is about 160 km from Thailand's Chiangmai border): 

1. No needs assessment has been made; 

2. Thailand has a 40% oversupply of electricity; 

3. The November 2002 World Commission on Dams (WCD) report contains evidence from around the world that dams do not fulfill their objectives. The hydro power produced by dams is not sustainable and dams involve multiple hidden costs; 

4. The Salween dams involve multiple risks, including being situated in an earthquake zone; 

5. The dams will destroy one of the richest river ecosystems and worsen the environment crisis, including climate change and flooding; 

6. Human rights violations that include forced relocations of at least 300,000 people in the area between 1996 - 98, forced labor, rapes, extrajudicial killings and deprivation of citizenship to the local people are still continuing; 

7. Thailand, already burdened with the effects of Burma's ongoing strife, will have to bear even greater burden from influx of the people affected by the dam construction. 

All Shan organizations, including the Sangha (Buddhist clergy) have since 1999 declared their opposition to the plan. Even the Shan State Army 'South' of Col Yawdserk, known as the most reticent on Thailand's dam projects in Burma, has spoken of the need for a consensus among the local people without interference from state power, before any construction plan is put into action. "We shall follow the decisions of our people," Nang Khurhsen, spokeswoman of the Restoration of Shan State, the SSA's political setup, told S.H.A.N. on Monday (16 December). 

The SSA "South" is active on both sides of the Salween in southern Shan State. 

Burma activist groups also lodged a protest against China on 12 December to stop the blasting of Mekong reefs, that was due to resume on 15 December. An unconfirmed report said the demolition had been postponed.