Local timber businessmen are in a spot with the Asia World Company involved in the construction of the Irrawaddy Myitsone dam project in Kachin State, holding on to large sums of payment, said residents.
The company, which has the backing of the Burmese military junta, has to pay over 100 million kyats (US$102,041) to local timber traders living eight miles from Myitkyina the capital of Kachin State.
Businessmen Sabaw Naw Ja, Yaw Chang and Ze Lum have not yet received full payment after the company bought a lot of timber for building houses and offices on the construction site.
“The company refused to pay 100 million kyats (US$102,041) to Ze Lum and 50 million kyats (US$51,020) each to Sabaw Naw Ja and Yaw Chang. It paid them Kyat one million only,” said a resident.
The businessmen are afraid to ask for payment because if they do the authorities will stop permission to fell trees for their timber business.
Asia World Company has been building offices around the Myitsone dam construction site and houses for people living close to the project site, who have to be shifted from Chyinghkrang village.
Serial bomb blasts hit the construction site on April 17, killing four people and injuring 12. All were Chinese workers. Later the authorities arrested Ze Lum and four of his rubber plantation workers.
Two workers were released later but Ze Lum and two other workers are still being detained.
Ze Lum was suspected to be involved in the series of explosions because he was demanding over Kyat 30 million from Asia World Company as compensation because it burnt down 50 acres of his rubber plantation.
However, the authorities are yet to establish, who were behind the bomb blasts.
The junta has stepped up security around the construction site with more soldiers since the blast even as investigations are on.
“We have seen soldiers here. Last week three officers came here and questioned our village head Dai Lum,” said a resident living 10 miles from Myitkyina.
Irrawaddy Myitsone dam is being implemented by Asia World Company, the No. 1 Ministry of Electric Power of the junta and China’s state owned company China Power Investment Corporation (CPI), which is providing technicians, construction workers and finance.
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