In exchange for giving China land for oil storage tanks and not making a fuss about the implementation of a deep-sea port for the nearby special economic zone, Maday Island residents say they want better roads, bridges and telecommunications access.
On May 11, around 300 residents staged a protest demanding China improve the area infrastructure.
The island villagers called on the Beijing-backed China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to build a road linking Kyauktan, Pyain and Ywar Ma villages, to repair three damaged bridges and to boost telecommunications on the island.
The protesters marched from Kyauktan village to the CNPC office to report their demands.
CNPC imports crude oil from the Middle East, stores it in tanks on Maday Island, and transports it to China via a 771-kilometer long pipeline. The Kayukphyu oil pipeline began running last month. But local residents on Maday Island are growing impatient to see how the project will benefit the development of their hometown.
Ko Maung Maung Soe, who participated in the protest, said middle school students from Kyauktan village struggle to get to and from school because the road conditions are poor – something he thinks CNPC could fix.
Protesters said the island has suffered a substantial number of negative impacts from the pipeline, but has not yet seen any positive effects.
Ko Maung Myint Naing, from Kyauktan village, said villagers lost land, and the fishing industry has been damaged by the oil pipeline project.
According to research by the Myanmar-China Pipeline Watch Committee, CNPC used 258.90 acres of Maday Island farmers’ land to build the pipeline. While the project provided compensation for agricultural lands used, the committee said the company “neglected the impact on fishing families”.
“Maday Island residents have suffered a lot from the Chinese project. The company has a responsibility to carry out road and communications development,” he said. “Another deep-sea port will be built for the special economic zone but I don’t see how it will be it be beneficial for the local residents if the situation continues like this.”
Protest leader U Hla Khaing said, “We will continue to protest if our demands are not met.”
According to a company brochure, CNPC has spent US$20 million to build 45 schools, 2 orphanages, 21 village health clinics and water tanks on Maday Island.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by Laignee Barron
