Ten residents of Maday Island in Kyaukphyu Township have been charged by local police for protesting against the oil and gas pipeline projects on the island without receiving official permission to hold a demonstration.
The 10 were among some 800 locals—including a number of workers from the pipeline project run by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC)—who demonstrated on Thursday evening against CNPC, demanding that the Chinese company adheres to a list of demands regarding development of the island, as well as jobs and compensation for its residents.
“On Friday morning, 11 protesters were charged with holding a rally without a permit,” said Tun Kyi, the chairman of Maday Island Development Committee, speaking to Mizzima. “The police told us that three were from Kyauktan village, three were from Pyaing village, four from Ywar Ma and one from Pan Htain Sel.”
He said one of the names was later taken off the list because it was ascertained that he was not on Maday at the time of the protest.
The Maday Island Development Committee said that one day before the protest, on April 17, CNPC officials requested its workers to sign a pledge that they would not participate in the demonstration planned for the following day.
The Committee claims that more than 50 workers refused to sign the pledge and were subsequently dismissed from their jobs.
