Locals said they will vote for the party that will carry out the total shutdown of the controversial Myitsone Dam project in Kachin State and works for the socio-economic development of the people.
One of the big issues in Kachin State that has mobilized people all over Myanmar is, whether the suspended mega-dam project will finally be killed off or not.
U Naw Khayein Tu Khaung is one of the thousands of resettled Kachin people who lost their homes to the dam project 9 years ago. He was moved from Tanphae village to Aungmyintha, the so-called “model village”.
“I want a new government which can carry out the complete shutdown of the dam project and serve the interest of the locals” commented U Naw Khayein.” We should not accept the projects which cannot bring any benefits to the region. I will vote for the political party that will be sure to totally stop the Myitsone dam project.”
Due to the strong opposition by the public in the time of the government led by President U Thein Sein after the 2010 General Election, the huge 6000 MW mega-dam project was temporarily suspended. If it had gone ahead, more than 11,800 villagers would have been displaced. The total shutdown of the dam project has not materialized, despite constant pressure from all ethnic groups living along Myanmar’s most cherished and important river-the Irrawaddy.
The 9th anniversary of Myitsone Mega-Dam suspension took place on September 30. The people from around 10 villages including Tanphae village had to move to Aungmyintha “model village” due to the Myitsone Dam Project.
Locals cleared the vegetation and weeds at their old Tanpahe village on the 9th anniversary of the temporary closure of the dam project. There should be a complete shutdown of the project as it is linked to the existence of our Kachin village. The resettlement of people in the native village is also important.
Ko Zaw Tu, a local who moved to Aungmyintha village from Tanphae village said: “The new government needs to ensure the return of displaced villagers to our native village Tanphae.”
Locals said they have to travel back to Thanphae village every day for their survival, as there is no land for farming in the Aungmyintha model village provided by the company and the government.
An ethnic Kachin Daw Kai Saing who moved from the west Tanphae village to Aungmyintha village said: “First it is required for the locals to freely earn their living in the native villages. And secondly, the complete shutdown of the mega-dam project is the affair of the whole
country”.
While Kachin people trace their ancestral origins to an area close to the dam-site, this area in Kachin State is also sacred in the eyes of the ethnic Bamar (the lowland Burmese) who regard the Irrawaddy River as the birthplace of Burmese civilization. Daw Kai Saing added “, All Myanmar citizens have the responsibility to keep up The pressure until the Myitsone Dam project is completely shut down.”
The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) promised to disclose the facts included in the Myitsone Dam contract during its election campaign before the 2015 General Election.
But after the NLD won and formed the new government, the promise to disclose the facts of the contract has not been honored. Local Kachin people also noted the Aung San Suu Kyi government also fails to take a clear position on the future of the project, in spite of overwhelming public support to scrap this Chinese dam.
The mega-dam project is linked to the country’s sovereignty. But it also has very negative impacts on the country’s natural environment and harms the local culture. A wide spectrum of community groups, ecologists, scientists and NGOs and people across the country are opposed to the Myitsone mega-dam.
