Over 500 people from four villages have had to move because of floods from the rising water level in the Shwe Kyin Dam in Shwe Kyin Township, Nyaung Lay Bin District in Karen State.

"The area is flooded. The water level is as high as the tree tops. All houses have been inundated and the people have had to move from their villages. Tanayphar, Kyauk Nagar, Thetyet Chaung and Htee Kayhtar villages are flooded and over 500 people from these villages are affected," Phu Hkar Chu, a Nyaung Lay Bin local, told KIC.

Most of the villagers are farmers and cultivate in slash burn farms, Da Nyinn gardens, lemon fruit gardens. The floods have destroyed over 10,000 acres of cultivated farms, the local said.

The water level in the dam has been rising since August. Then water topped the dam flooding the villagers, Saw Lay Say of the Federation of Trade Unions of Karen State said.

Since the beginning of the construction of the dam, the Burmese Army has been deployed in this area. So, Hsu Mu Htar, Se So Kon, Polo, Dubaw, Nyar Muu Kwe, Kasawwah Kwe, and Lal Wah were relocated to other places. As a result, many villagers became internally displaced people in Karen State.

The Burmese military regime built the Shwe Kyin Dam in 2000 with help from Chinese engineers. Water has been stored in the dam since December 2009, Naw Phaw Gay Hku from Karen River Watch said.

"This dam was built in 2000. The water level in the dam rises regularly. The dam has ruined over 20 villages. We have been surveying to find out how many people are living in the area; how many mega watts of electricity are to be produced from the hydropower plant in this dam and where this electricity is to be used," he added.

According to the Karen River Watch, there are seven dams, which are either constructed or being constructed in Karen State. The junta has built these dams with cooperation of Thai and Chinese companies.