Opposition from civic groups, notwithstanding, the Burmese military junta and Chinese investors are forging ahead with the construction of the Salween river dam and hydropower plant in Karenni state.

Civic groups claim the project is having an adverse impact on the environment and is causing human rights violations, according to a politician, who monitors the Karenni political situation.

He said, "There are no more villages, no more farms and Karenni people at the dam site. They chose these areas that could not hurt people, where villages have already been forced to relocate in 1996, while the other projects like Hat Gyi dam project were suspended by the Karen National Union and Thai nongovernmental organizations."

In recent months, opposition organizations like the Karenni Development Research Group (KDRG) submitted a report requesting the regime and Chinese investors to consider the dam's environmental impact and to tackle problems created by human rights violations.

The Salween river dam at Ywa Thit village in Maese Township, it will produce an estimated 600 megawatts of electricity.

However, "There has been no transparency and no consultation with the local Karenni people about this project, which will submerge large tracts of land along the Salween, the original homelands of thousands of Karenni refugees sheltered in Thailand," said KDRG.

Speaking to Kantarawaddy Times on March 2009, a spokesperson of the BRN, said that the dam projects will only earn revenue for the Burmese junta but will not benefit the masses. As a consequence of these projects, human rights violations will be rampant in the project sites, said the Burma River Network (BRN).

Ko Aung Nge said, "The major aim of the dam projects was to earn money for the military junta. Our people have to face many difficulties once the dams are built. Army battalions will follow to set up bases in the areas after the dams are constructed.  Human rights violations will follow as a result."

Meanwhile, the military regime and Chinese investors have sent to Kyauk Kyin near Ywa Thit village, hundreds of workers from central Burma to construct roads. Construction materials have begun to be transported to the dam site.

The regime has discussed progress on the Salween projects and other hydropower dams with the Chinese Datang (Yunnan) United Hydropower Developing Co. on the basis of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on January 7, 2010.

The junta and Datang's MOU have also agreed to dam the Thabetchaw and Pawn rivers in Karenni State to produce 110 megawatts and 130 megawatts of electricity respectively.