RCSS Chairman says ‘no dam’ if it impacts civilians
Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, the head
of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), one of Burma’s
strongest ethnic armed groups, told media on February 7 that he was opposed to
any hydropower projects if they would have a notable impact on the local people.
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| Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, the chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), speaks to press at the headquarters in Loi Tai Leng. |
\“It is not wrong that any
river that flows through Shan State should be used to benefit the local people,”
he said, speaking at 70th anniversary celebrations for Shan State
National Day at the militia’s headquarters in Loi Tai Leng. “However, if it is
going to affect the people negatively, then I oppose it. And I believe that the
general public does not want it either.”
At least four
hydropower projects are scheduled to be built in Shan State. According to the
respective contracts, upon completion the dams will export 90 percent of all electricity
to China and Thailand.
The four
proposed dams are: the 7,100-megawatt Mong Ton Dam; the 1,400 MW Kunlong Dam;
the 1,200 MW Nong Pha Dam; and the 200 MW Manntaung Dam.
Investors involved
in the projects include: China’s Three Gorges Corporation, Sinohydro and the
China Southern Grid, Thailand’s state-owned Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand (EGAT); and Burma’s Ministry of Electric Power, alongside the
International Group of Entrepreneurs (IGE), a firm controlled by the offspring
of the late Aung Thaung, the long-time industry minister under Snr-Gen Than
Shwe’s military regime.
Lt-Gen
Yawd Serk, chairman of the RCSS/SSA, which is one of eight groups hat signed a nationwide
ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the Thein Sein government in October 2015, said
that he is worried about the firms which are earmarked to build the dams. He said
he believes no construction should proceed unless political dialogue between the
various armed factions has been initiated.
“They
[the investors] will not able to do anything unless we can make agreements
during political talks,” he said.
Many
environmentalists, academics, monks, and youths have protested against the
proposed hydropower projects in Burma. In 2015, more than 23,000 Shan State residents signed a petition against the activity of Australian consultants Snowy
Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC), the company that was hired to conduct
the environmental and social impact assessments (EIA/SIAs) for the mega-dam
projects in Burma.
Due
to political issues, ongoing conflict and public outrage, these major hydropower
projects are currently suspended. However, on January 27 this year, the World Bank affiliate International Finance
Corporation (IFC) launched some workshops in Yangon, Kachin State capital Myitkyina, and Karenni State capital
Loikaw in order to promote the potential for dam projects.
By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: News, Politics
