EGAT & SALWEEN RIVER

[Bruce551]

KNU welcomes mediation offer

By: ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT AND ANUCHA CHAROENPO

Published: 25/03/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

The Karen National Union has welcomed Thailand's offer to mediate a reconciliation with the Burmese government.

But KNU vice-president David Tharckabaw yesterday stressed that success would depend on how sincere the Burmese junta was in restoring democracy.

"It has been our policy to find a viable process that leads to justice and peace and durable stability for the Karen people," he said in a telephone interview from the Thai-Burmese border. "Therefore, we are open to Thailand's mediation role."

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told his Burmese counterpart Nyan Win that he was willing to hold talks with the Karen dissident group to persuade it to disarm and join the national reconciliation process in Burma.

Nyan Win relayed the message to Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein. The Burmese premier agreed to the Thai offer during talks with Mr Kasit in the Burmese capital of Naypyidaw on Monday.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said he was not aware of the plan unveiled by Mr Kasit and was waiting for a briefing from the minister.

Mr Abhisit said the government supported attempts by the Burmese government on national reconciliation and the restoration of democracy.

He said the position of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was clear: It wanted to see all parties take part in Burmese elections set for next year.

The KNU and Shan State Army are still waging an armed struggle for independence. They have rejected the junta's seven-step road map towards reconciliation which includes general elections.

The 16 other ethnic nationalities, including the Mon and Karenni, have reached a temporary truce with Naypyidaw.

Mr Kasit said he would approach Karen leaders himself.

Mr Tharckabaw said there had been no official contact from Thai officials, but the mediator role was logical and possible.

"The Burmese junta might think they can ask Thailand to convince or pressure us to surrender," he said. "But whatever steps Thailand [takes] will be watched by the international community."

The success of the talks, he said, would not depend on Thai pressure but on how much the ruling State Peace and Development Council was willing to compromise in exchange. He said he could not predict if the talks could be concluded before the elections.

"A few rounds of negotiations in Rangoon and border areas starting in 2005 have not led anywhere since the junta conditions are rigid and unrealistic," he said. "If they want to restart [the talks], this time the international situation has changed and the regime has to change accordingly."

Mr Tharckabaw said there had been no democratic development in Burma.

"Even proposals by ethnic groups who were designated to [sit in] the National Convention are rejected," he said.

"Now various ethnic people do not trust the regime. The Mon or the Karenni have not written [a truce] agreement, either."

I wonder what are reasons that Thailand offering to help the KNU negotiate with the State Peace and Development Council.

Here's one reason:

EGAT's 10 Billion US dollar Dam project on the Salween river.

Salween Dams: A Dangerous Plan for Burma (pdf)

Publishs by:

EarthRights International (ERI) is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization (NGO) that combines the power of law and the power of people in defense of human rights and the environment, our earth rights. Earth rights are those rights that demonstrate the connection between human well-being and a sound environment, and include the right to a healthy environment, the right to speak out and act to protect the environment, and the right to participate in development decisions.

The repressive military dictatorship in Burma, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the Thai government, and the Energy Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) are pushing ahead quickly and secretively with plans for a series of giant dams on the Nu/Salween/Thanlwin

River.

In addition, over one dozen dams are planned upstream

in China. All of these dams, whether in Burma or upstream,

pose serious environmental and social threats to downstream

communities in Burma.

The environmental consequences of the proposed dam projects will be vast and irreversible. The Salween River, known as the Nu River in China and the Thanlwin River in Burma, remains the longest river in all of mainland Southeast Asia that flows freely, uninterrupted by massive dams.

The river basin area has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its rich biodiversity, rare wildlife and internationally recognized wetlands. Close to one hundred species of fish migrate between the Nu/Salween

River and its tributaries, and forests lining the river are some of the most fertile in the world for growing teak trees.

This extraordinary region is being threatened.

If the Wei Gyi Dam is built, it will not only stop the river. The Karen and

Karenni will lose their homeland, farmland... and culture. The dam will

only support the regime, not the indigenous peoples of Burma.

Link to PDF: http://www.earthrights.org/files/Burma%20Project/salween_dams_brochurea4.pdf

The bottom line is, Thailand would not need the electric power from the Salween river Dams if there was a realistic Energy Development Plan that embraces energy efficiency & renewable energy.

Earth Rights International

Southeast Asia Office P.O. Box 123, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50202

Tel: 66-1-531-1256 E-mail: [email protected]

www.EarthRights.org

[Bruce551]

Background on EGAT & Salween River Dams

Oct 29, 2007

by APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

Bangkok Post

Mae Hong Son _ The National Human Rights Commission has completed an initial environmental and social impact study of a controversial hydro-power dam project on the Salween river.

The report is the first of its kind as the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), the developer of the Hutgyi dam, has yet to come up with a report on the proposed dam's potential impact on the environment and local communities.

"As far as I know, there is no study of the possible impact of the dam on the Thai side. Our report will reveal the impact [of the Hutgyi dam], which has never been raised by the state agency," said human rights commissioner Vasant Panich who spearheaded the study.

Egat has only conducted an environmental impact assessment study for the Burmese side.

The report, to be released tomorrow, covers various aspects of the dam's impact, including damage to the livelihoods of ethnic groups living on Thai territory along the Salween river who might have to be relocated and possible devastation to the river's ecology.

Originating in Tibet, the Salween is considered the last free-flowing international river in Southeast Asia.

Mr Vasant said the National Human Rights Commission would also invite Egat officials to discuss the report.

"They (Egat) should be informed about the plight of minority people on the Thai side who will be affected by the dam construction, so that they can get well-rounded information about the dam's adverse impact," he said.

Representatives from minority groups living in Mae Hong Son as well as environmental and human rights protection groups will be invited to voice their opinion about the proposed dam.

The Thai and Burmese governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding to study the possibility of dam constructions along the Salween river in 2005. Hutgyi dam is one of six projects that have been heavily pushed.

The project, which is about 30 kilometres from the Thai border in Mae Hong Son, has an estimated capacity to produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity.

Construction work on the 36-billion-baht dam was scheduled to begin next year. However, Egat recently temporarily suspended its survey of the proposed site after a Thai engineer was killed in an artillery attack on Egat construction workers last month. Another Egat employee was killed in a landmine accident in May 2006. Over 40 Egat workers were evacuated to Thailand following last month's incident.

Montree Chantawong, campaign coordinator from the Foundation for Ecological Recovery, urged the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning to instruct Egat to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the proposed dam's impact on Thai territory as well.

"Egat might claim that the dam is located in Burma, so it is not deemed by Thai law to conduct an environmental impact assessment," he said.

"But in fact, the project will cause massive adverse impact on Thai people who rely on the Salween for their lives."

[eagle]

Those bastards in Burma be Dammed ! they probably won't warn anyone when they flood their homes.........

[Hobbes]

Bruce, have you read the report by the World Commission on Dams? It was published in 2000 (and there hasn't been another one since I think) and had some interesting findings regarding large scale hydro-power schemes in tropical climates and their Greenhouse gas outputs.

If you haven't and are interested, I have still got it as pdf file somewhere.

Another great read that made me change my mind about large scale hydro schemes was ARUNDHATI ROY's essay THE GREATER COMMON GOOD .

:salute:

[Bruce551]

Tasang Dam in Burma's Shan State - An Impending Nightmare

by kuutnustroolboot

Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 11:52:56 PM PDT

A new report released today [4 August, 2009] provides a rare glimpse of communities struggling to survive amidst civil war and abuses in the flood zone of the tallest dam planned for Southeast Asia in southern Shan State of Burma.

kuutnustroolboot's diary :: ::

The report "Roots and Resilience" by the Shan Sapawa Environment Organization focuses on the ecologically unique area of Keng Kham, a community of 15,000 that was forcibly relocated over ten years ago; the majority have fled to Thailand. Today the estimated 3,000 that remain are

managing to maintain their livelihoods and culture despite the constant threats of the Burma Army and the impending Tasang dam.

Indigenous Shan cultural practices, river-fed farms, sacred cave temples and pristine waterfalls are depicted in photos from this isolated war-zone, together with updated information about the dam project, which has been shrouded in secrecy.

The 7, 110 MW Tasang Dam is the biggest of five dams planned on the Salween River; the majority of the power from the dam will be sold to Thailand. Project investors include the Thai MDX Company and China's Gezhouba Group Company.

Thailand's support for the controversial dam was recently reiterated when the project was included in its national Power Development Plan.

Military tension has escalated in recent months in Shan State as the Burmese regime has been putting pressure on the United Wa State Army to transform into a "Border Guard Force." Abuses linked to anti-insurgency campaigns are also on the rise.

"Why is Thailand accelerating plans for Tasang precisely when the situation is so uncertain?" said Sai Sai, a spokesperson from Shan Sapawa Environment Organization. "The dam is in a war zone. The Burma Army has forced villagers out of the area and many have come to Thailand. If the dam is built they won't be able to go back."

The full report can be found at www.salweenwatch.org

Link: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/5/761974/-Tasang-Dam-in-Burmas-Shan-StateAn-Impending-Nightmare

:?:

[Bruce551]

Thailand asked to revise new energy plan

by Usa Pichai

Wednesday, 05 August 2009 17:45

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Environmentalists have appealed to the government of Thailand to revise its new energy plan that may have been ?over estimated?, even as a new report reveals the human costs that the proposed Salween mega-dam project will extract in war-ravaged Shan State in Burma.

Montree Chantawong, an environmentalist from Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance (TERRA) project under the Foundation for Ecological Recovery told Mizzima on Tuesday that the recent plan of the Thai government which includes Tasang and Hat Gyi dams in Burma is not necessary for Thailand?s energy needs.

?Several studies have found that Thailand has the ability to develop alternative energy sources. It?s not necessary to buy electricity from both dams at the moment because the electricity reserve is still high,? he said.

Besides, Thailand has always targeted an economic growth, which is too high without taking into consideration ground realities, which could change such as the recent economic crisis, Montree said.

According to a statement from TERRA, the area where the dams will be built, are currently battle zones where the Burmese military and an ethnic armed group have been clashing, leading to escalated human rights violations. The evidence is the exodus of 3,500 Karen refugees who have fled to Thailand in Thasongyang district of Tak province over the last few months.

On Tuesday, Shan Sapawa, an environment organization focusing on Shan Sate in Burma released a report ?Roots and Resilience?. It provides a rare glimpse into communities struggling to survive amidst civil war and abuses in the flood zone of the tallest dam planned for Southeast Asia in southern Shan State.

The report noted the ecologically unique area of Keng Kham, housing a community of 15,000, that was forcibly relocated over 10 years ago. The majority fled to Thailand. Today the estimated 3,000 that remain are ekeing out livelihoods and clinging to their culture despite constant threats by the Burmese Army and that of the proposed Tasang dam.

?Indigenous Shan cultural practices, river-fed farms, sacred cave temples and pristine waterfalls are depicted in photographs from this isolated war-zone, together with updated information about the dam project, which has been shrouded in secrecy,? a statement from the group noted.

Military tension has escalated in recent months in Shan State as the Burmese regime has been mounting pressure on the United Wa State Army to transform into a ?Border Guard Force.? Abuses linked to anti-insurgency campaigns are also on the rise.

Sai Sai, a spokesperson of the Shan Sapawa Environment Organization asked ?Why is Thailand accelerating plans for Tasang precisely when the situation is so uncertain? ...The dam is in a war zone. The Burmese Army has forced villagers out of the area and many have come to Thailand. If the dam is built they won?t be able to go back.?

Thailand?s support for the controversial dam was recently reiterated when the project was included in its national Power Development Plan.

The 7,110 MW Tasang Dam is the biggest of five dams planned on the Salween River. The majority of the power from the dam will be sold to Thailand. Project investors include the Thai MDX Company and China?s Gezhouba Group Company.

It seems Thai Gov. and the Burmese Junta are Birds of Feather, almost no consideration for human rights or respect for the environment.

http://www.mizzima.com/news/regional/2576-thailand-asked-to-revise-new-energy-plan.html

:arrow: