December
1999 Vol. 4.
Contents:
1.
2.
WHAT'S THE DEAL HERE?
-
Some arguments to show that the dams and elated infra-structure projects
between
3. Final Studies For
Shan
Herald Agency For News,
4. Alert issued over
5.
YEYWA, BILIN AND THAUKYEGAT DAM FEASIBILITY STUDIES PRESENTED,
New
Light Of
6. SHAN PEOPLE DON'T WANT THE
7. Statement of the Karen Youth Organisation on the 5
plans to build dams on the Salween River Karen Youth Organisation; Central Executive Committee; 11 September
1999
8.
RADIO MESSAGE FROM SSA
10.
From
the World Bank's Development News
11. JAPANESE BUSINESS INTEREST IN
BBC:
12.
By
David Brunnstrom, Reuters -
15.
Earthquake Hits
Associated
Press, in
17.
SENIOR LEADER MAUNG AYE STRESSES SELF-SUFFICIENCY: BBC Summary of World Broadcasts;
1.
The most advanced dam
studies are:
1)
Tasang Dam
Location of dam: 6 km north of Tasang
Bridge (linking Murng Pan and Murng
Ton in southern Shan State); 80 km north of Thai-Burma border
Height
of dam: 188 m
Installed
capacity: 3,300 MW (3/4 to be sold to
Flood area: Reservoir will flood 230 km back up along the
flooded,
including the densely populated Nam Pang valley
Cost
of dam: At least 3 billion
Developer: GMS Power Public Co. Ltd. (
Status of dam plans: Feasibility Study has been completed (=
Step 4 in the 5-step dam planning process). The Definite Plan survey, as
suggested by the GMS company representatives, appears to have been started in
the beginning of December 1999
[Important
Note: The developers, and various
interested government and multilateral institution parties may already be using
the Feasibility Study to find financing
from international banks to build the dam.]
2) Hutgyi Dam
Location
of dam: 25 km from Burma-Thai border, near Pa-an
Height
of dam: 37 m
Installed capacity: Only
300 MW
Note: The dam would possibly form part of a scheme to divert
water to
Flood area: Reservoir will flood back (about 30 km) up to the Thai-Burma
border
Developers: Marubeni
Corporation (
Developers consultant: NEWJEC
(
Status of dam
plans: Pre-feasibility study completed (= Step 3 in the 5-step dam planning
process)
Around
the dam site:
-
During construction, cutting of new roads would lead to increased settler
migration and deforestation
-
The dam and related infrastructure is likely to be built with forced labour
-
The huge labour force needed to build the dam would lead to sewage problems and
forest clearance at the dam site
-
Greatly increased militarization of the area by the Burmese Army to protect the
dam is already underway - and is likely to worsen
-
Forced eviction of villagers from the flooded area with no likelihood of
compensation (many tens of thousands of villagers have already been forcibly
relocated above and around the dam site)
-
- The ecosystem of the water in the
reservoir would be changed completely, killing off indigenous fish species
-
The still water in the reservoir will cause an increased risk of water-borne diseases
such as malaria
-
The vast weight of the water in the reservoir will lead to an increased risk of
earthquakes in the area (where there have recently been severe earthquakes)
Downstream
of the dam
-
Fisheries will be destroyed (due to inability to migrate, change in river flow,
and water quality)
-
Lack of sediment brought down by the river will deplete nutrients to sustain
fish and other marine animals at the
-
Reduced sedimentation will deprive large areas of fertile agricultural land of
nutrient rich silt, causing greater dependence on expensive and toxic
agricultural chemicals
-
Reduced water flow will cause salt water to intrude up the river and
underground, which will damage crops, soil and water supplies in
-
This is likely to cause die-back of the extensive mangrove forests around the
estuary
Key Points for
Consideration:
-
Very serious human rights violations committed by the regime will bring
discredit to any parties involved in the dam building (particularly
-
The military activities aimed at clearing the people away from the dam site
have already resulted in huge numbers of displaced people, many of whom are
terrorized, totally impoverished and desperately seeking refuge in
-
The dams are being planned in a war zone where there can be no guarantee of
security for the developers
-
The costs of any dam on the
-
-
Relying on
2. WHAT"S THE DEAL
HERE?
SOME
Between
October and mid-November 1999
Two
main possibilities seem on the cards. Firstly there are the plans to continue
the studies for the Tasang site on the
A
power transmission line joining
It
also appears that the go-ahead may have been given for the Tasang
Dam definite plan study. As of the opening weeks of December 1999 there are a
number of indicators that this is the case. Representatives of GMS, the company
holding the "developer" contract signed with the Burmese military
owned Myanmar Economic Corporation, have again entered into discussions with
various Shan leaders with a view to going in to do an SIA and EIA without
disturbance. This they are highly unlikely to have done had the feasibility
study been rejected, and without new money flowing to carry out further
studies.
A
large team of 39 surveyors entered the
Another
indicator is that an American professor who was involved in arranging a
workshop in September that included dam builders, govt
officials and academic engineers endorsing the dam construction that was called
"Transboundary Waters: The Salween Basin", has returned to
In
regard to finance for the projects, especially the
Representatives
from the "Japanese Federation of Economic Organisations Keidanren"
were reported in SPDC media and the BBC to be visiting
The
subject of resuming economic assistance - and not just humanitarian assistance
- to the SPDC marks a major change of policy. It indicates that
The
Japanese LDP coalition government's move threatens to neutralise the real
pressures for change the sanctions have slowly been able to build up to. This
pressure has built despite the refusal of some countries to endorse the
sanctions, and the acts of self serving generals and corporate apologists who
have been doing business with the regime.
It
is possibly also of significance that some of the Western governments, who have
frequently been
uncomfortable with the idea of economic sanctions anyway (as
borne out by their long vacillation over
Put
these seemingly disparate threads together and it is possible that a major deal
has been quietly reached, or is coming together.
Some
supporting points:
There
must have been substantial contacts between the Burmese and Thai governments,
and probably players from the corporate, diplomatic and multilateral
organisational community in reaching the agreement. It has been pointed out
that there was been a lot of traffic of businessmen shuttling between Burma and
the Thai FM’s office in the lead-up to the settlement of the diplomatic
conflict. The dam building companies are suspected to have played a prominent
role.
The
230KV Mae Sot - Myawaddy - Pa-an - Bago Transmission Line, if built, would run along the same
route from Mae Sot towards Pa-an as the Asia Highway that Thailand has offered
the 300 million Baht towards.
According
to a leaked Thai government document dated January 1999 the power transmission
project would be a Build - Operate - Transfer [BOT] project. It asserts that
many businessmen have expressed interest in helping finance it. They noted the
companies “GMS, EGCO, CITIC and others” as being keen. That GMS Power
Development Co., the "developer" of the Tasang
site, is involved in this offer is obviously suspicious.
The
document notes that vital to the viability of the idea is (1.) the cost of the
power to be sold to
A
power transmission line through Mae Sot to connect with the Burmese grid is
directly in line with the ADB’s 1994 recommendations for the “Urgent
Interconnection” of a sub-regional power grid and power sharing system. [Note:
These are implicitly joined in the ADB consultant's recommendations to the
Salween Dam studies. Indeed, the current series of studies of potential Salween
Dam sites fit in perfectly with the ADB’s recommendation to study the
hydropower potential of the whole
The
official documentation states that one of the goals of the project is to
deliver power to Burma from Tasang [3,600 MW] and Dawei [1,500MW] (the latter being a planned gas fired power
plant to be located near the Tavoy deep-sea port and
the Yetagon and Yadana gasfields). It says the power line would be "to import
the present surplus power in
Money
used by BOT contractors could be privately raised, allowing the governments of
both countries to avoid costs, also helping the Thai government evade some
criticism. It is however still a possibly that there would be some government,
multilateral bank or ECA {export credit agency] funding for the power line -
and in the longer term even more so for the dams. Such financing is hard for
opponents to trace, and even harder to stop. Indeed, some may think that the
power transmission lines are not a bad idea anyway. Some may even think that
the dam is not such a negative development. For those who do think this way, it
is suggested that consideration be given to the reality that the dam is being
used by the Burmese regime as a political, economic and environmental weapon in
an attempt to subdue ethnic opposition - and that it has already had up to
300,000 victims - the internally displaced, and the refugees, and the hordes of
"illegal migrants" driven from their homes in the Salween Basin. The projects, particularly the dam plans,
represent an exceptionally cynical example of a whole structure of
unsustainable, inequitable and brutal form of development that supports
oppression and inequity….
===================================================================
3.
Final Studies For
Shan Herald Agency for News,
Source
from the Thai border reported that Thai-Burmese group had entered the
The
group of 39 included members from the GMS Power, EGAT (Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand) and Faculty of Geology from
The
Burmese team of 4, led by Dr. Min Sway, would find out the mineral potential up
to 60 km downstream from the project site. EGAT, meanwhile, would be engaged in
drilling rock samples on both banks at the site.
The
purpose of the 7 month project was to draw up what the GMS Power termed as
"a conceptual design", that would be studied
by potential dam builders.
The
project has stirred fear and opposition among the Shans, Karennis,
Karens and
absolutely no right to undertake or give sanction for the
building of such dams" and that "they must not be implemented without
the approval of the Karen people".
The
GMS Power, in the meantime, said there should be no undue worry by the local
people, because funds for the construction would not be forthcoming until the
social and environmental impact studies were completed and the people's opinion
polled out.
///END\\\
For
further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at:
Shan Herald Agency for News. P.O.
Box. 15, Nonghoi P.O., 50007,
Ph/Fax:
(053) 807 121; e-mail: <[email protected]>
S.H.A.N.
is a non-profit making, independent Shan media group. It is not affiliated to
any political or armed organization.
Based
on an Images Asia bulletin & a news report in NLM: updated to
CHIANG
MAI -- A Thai-Burma border group that has been monitoring plans to develop the
hydroelectric potential of the
Images
Asia (IA) issued a bulletin alert this week saying that the planning process
for the Ta Sang hydroelectric project is now at the stage where a decision is
necessary to proceed with the preparation of detailed
plans for exploiting the river's enormous potential for producing electric
power.
The
site for the megadam on the Salween has been set a few
kilometres from the Ta Sang bridge about 40 kilometres north of big bend that
sends the river's waters flowing southeast towards Karenni state If carried through as envisaged in
feasibility studies, the huge concrete faced, rock-fill dam at the site would
create a reservoir 230 km long reaching up to the Tangyan
area in northern Shan state and would flood low lying areas in several
tributaries of the Salween, including the densely populated Nam Pang valley.
With
a dam head waterfall of 142 m and installation of generators having a 3,300 MW
potential, it is estimated that the Ta Sang facility would be capable
of producing 23 billion kwh of electricity
annually. This would be three times the
current potential for the whole country and almost six times national
production at the present time.
Sources
within GMS Power, the company that has been responsible for the feasibility
stage of the planning process, have provided much of the information about the
current status of planning for the project.
GMS is a subsidiary of the Thai construction conglomerate MDX, which
entered into an agreement with Myanmar Economic Corporation to carry out the
study two years ago. MEC is a private
company whose shares are entirely held by active military personnel in
A decision on whether to proceed with the final, detailed
and costly stage of technical planning could come as early as December, the IA
bulletin cautions. It would require the spending of millions of
dollars and approval by governments on both sides of the Thai-Burma border.
Eventually,
The
IA alert also revealed that senior members of the Shan resistance movement have
been consulted about plans for the project.
It said that they are "under heavy pressure from the Thais to
refrain from obstructing [it]".
Troops of Yordserk's Shan States Army, which
has strong ties to the resistance movement, have been increasingly effective in
challenging Burmese army control in central parts of Shan state that would be
affected by the building of the dam.
Strong
objections to any moves to proceed with planning and construction of the Ta
Sang dam and another planned dam and power facility on the lower Salween at Hutgyi in Karen state were voiced at a meeting in October
of representatives of over forty organizations representing the Shan, Lahu, Pa-O, Palaung, Karenni and
Karen peoples who live in the Salween basin that would be affected by the
development.
A
joint letter signed by the organizations and four exiled members of Burma's
parliament complained about being shut out of a workshop on transboundary
waters held recently by academics, technical experts, Thai and Burmese
government officials and multilateral banks.
While construction consultants and developers had been present, it said,
"the indigenous peoples who would inevitably bear the costs of such development [were]
conspicuously lacking".
The
letter warned that any damming of the
If
5. YEYWA, BILIN AND THAUKYEGAT DAM FEASIBILITY STUDIES PRESENTED
New Light of
YANGON, 11 Nov-The Special Projects
Implementation Committee held meeting No 2/99 at the Office
of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) this afternoon, with an address
delivered by chairman of the Special Projects Implementation
Committee Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
Commander-in Chief of the Defense Services Senior General Than Shwe.
Also present at the meeting were
Vice-Chairman of the Special Projects Implementation Committee Vice Chairman of
the State Peace and Development Council
Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services
Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung
Aye,
members of the
Special Projects Implementation Committee Secretary-l
of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt,
Secretary-2 Lt Gen Tin Oo, Secretary-3 Lt Gen Win Myint, Deputy Prime
Ministers Vice-Admiral Maung Maung
Khin and Lt Gen Tin Tun, and who was
specially invited to the meeting, Deputy Minister U Tint
Swe and departmental personnel and
Director-General of the
State Peace and
Development
Council Office Lt-Col Pe Nyein acted as
master of ceremonies.
Minister Maj-Gen
Tin Htut presented feasibility
studies on implementation of the 600-megawatt Yeywa Hydel Power Project in Patheingyi Township, Mandalay Division, the l
50-megawatt Thaukyekhat Hydel
Power Project in Thandaung
Township, Bago Division, and Bilin Hydel Power Project
with two stages, each with a 140-megawatt power station, in Bilin
Township, Mon State.
6. SHAN PEOPLE DON'T WANT THE
SNA,
S.H.A.N.'s reporter in eastern
SNA
said he visited the villages on both banks of the
The
villagers told them they had been worried about their future ever since "a
group of foreigners" began surveying the area early this year. The group
was believed to be members of the AAM, a consultant firm working in contract
for the GMS Power, a Thai engineering company. It was reportedly escorted by a
unit from the 7th Brigade, Shan State Army North, a ceasefire group, stationed
in Kali, Loilem District, "in order to avoid
unnecessary clashes with the SSA South of Yawdserk".
"In
our opinion, there is no need for them to spend time and money doing Social
Impact Assessment (SIA) or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) anymore",
said a villager, "since they are going to destroy both the society and the
environment anyway and are not going to say sorry to us, let alone paying
compensations for our losses".
///END\\\
For
further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at:
P.O. Box. 15, Nonghoi
P.O., 50007,
e-mail: <[email protected]>
S.H.A.N.
is a non-profit making, independent Shan media group. It is not
affiliated to any political or armed organization.
7. Statement of the
Karen Youth Organisation on the 5 plans to build dams on the
1.
We absolutely oppose the building of the dams without the consent of the local
people.
2.
There should be no projects drawn up until there is a government in
3.
The projects should only be carried out after proper assessment of all the
impacts.
4.
Any dam projects should be carried out from start to finish with complete
transparency.
Karen
Youth Organisation
Central
Executive Committee
NR. 4/315
772 to M.K.
D. 201600 Dec, 98 RG. 85
. . . . . . . . . . . . Whether the dam should or should not be
constructed depends on the decision of the people of
Yawdserk
D 2016
The message was also in Burmese and Thai. With the message was the following quote from
the International Rivers Network:
“In general, opponents of large dams do not believe that no dam should
ever be constructed. They do believe that dams (and other development projects)
should only be built after all relevant project information has been made
public; the claims of project promoters of the economic, environmental and
social benefits and costs of projects are verified by independent experts; and
when affected people agree that the project should be built”.
(Note:
Due to danger of reprisals, exact details of the participants, date and place
of the meeting have been withheld)
On XXXXXXX 1999, in the town
of
At
the meeting all the above representatives unanimously agreed to oppose the
building of the dam on the
Chiang
Mai
[From
the World Bank's Development News
In
a possible reversal of policy, Burma (Myanmar)'s military regime yesterday
suggested it would be open to closer cooperation with the World Bank, reports
the International Herald Tribune (p.17). The apparent shift follows the
disclosure of a recent World Bank report that condemns the Burmese government's
economic management and calls for domestic political reforms.
Responding
to questions yesterday, the government said in a terse statement that it wanted
to develop a dialogue with the development bank. "The government of
The
Bank welcomed the reaction, but added that many hurdles remained before it
could follow up with further aid. "We are very pleased by this government
response," World Bank spokesman Peter Stephens is quoted as saying.
"We will consider their request, but it is clear that much will be
required before we can begin considering a lending or advisory program."
The
Bank's involvement will be greatly restricted by
Assessing
the government's statement, Georgetown University Professor of Asian Studies
David Steinberg meanwhile said, "Their conciliatory tone shows they are
now very keen not to rule out foreign assistance. Until recently, the top
generals have said they could do just fine without any outside help.
11. JAPANESE BUSINESS
INTEREST IN
BBC:
A
delegation from the Japanese Federation of Economic Organisations Keidanren is
in
State-controlled
media in
Leading
Japanese companies are said to be represented in the delegation, including Mitsubishsi, Mitsui and Sumitomo.
12.
MANILA,
Nov 28 (AFP) -
Japanese
Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi
said at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit here he would
send former Japanese premier Ryutaro Hashimoto on a
mission to assess
Obuchi told the junta leader, Senior General Than Shwe, during a meeting that
if
"If
your country is to tackle economic reform seriously, we are ready to support
your country's economic reform with our experience," he was quoted as
saying by a Japanese official.
"I
would like government officials of the two countries to discuss what exactly we
can do for you."
"Former
prime minister Hashimoto is to visit
A
World Bank report leaked to a newspaper this month reportedly warned that
The
country is viewed as an international pariah by Western nations which accuse
the junta of gross human rights violations including forced labour and torture
and of suppressing the democratic opposition led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi.
A
reported initiative supported by the United Nations and the World Bank last
year to barter aid for political reform came to nothing, with the junta
apparently reluctant to ease its iron grip on the country's tortured political
climate.
The
Japanese official said Than Shwe was well aware of
the need for economic liberalisation, saying, "economic reform is indispensible."
He
said the junta, known as the State Peace and Development Councilalso
planned to hand over power eventually to a democratic government, "but we
are still in the middle of it."
Critics
say a constitution currently being drafted by a commission in
The
party won a sweeping election victory in 1990 but the military, surprised at
the scale of the party's support, has refused to hand over power.
World
Bank sources have said any new initiative in
Observers
in
Ministers
said recently
Signs
of
Power
cuts are frequent, plunging streets into darkness at night.
Copies
of the scathing World Bank report were delivered secretly to
A
--
+============
Burma Group Tuebingen ============+
|
Heiko Schaefer | [email protected] |
|
Beim Herbstenhof 42 | |
|
72076
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| http://www.burmagroup.de/
|
13.
Obuchi Will talk to
BURMANET
-
Prime
Minister Keizo Obuchi plans
to meet with the leader of
The
summit will bring together the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations plus
The
meeting would be the first between a Japanese prime minister and a leader of
the junta, which seized power in 1988.
Obuchi reportedly has yet to decide whether to include
With
the announcement,
It
also comes as ASEAN members are divided on how to move the grouping forward in
a quickly globalizing world. At an ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in July last
year Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan
suggested that the group consider easing its policy of noninterference in
member countries' internal affairs.
Surin got support only from the
But
the democratic reforms in
All
of which could lead other ASEAN members into Surin's
camp from where they could encourage democratization in
Obuchi appears to be stepping in that direction. He is
expected to press for economic and political reforms in
The
NLD won 392 seats out of 485 in the 1990 general elections, but the junta
insisted that a new constitution is necessary before transferring power to a
new government.
Out
of the 485 candidates elected in 1990, only 176 remained as of the end of
October, according to official Election Commission records.
The
rest have died, resigned or been disqualified by the junta. Most of those
disqualified are either in prison or out of the country.
But
there are signs the junta may be taking a new direction.
In
Government
newspapers quoted Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt as saying, "The military has no
intention of holding power for a long time."
But
Khin Nyunt, the first secretary of the State Peace and Development Council,
said any move toward democracy would take time because of "special
circumstances" in
He
made the comment while speaking Thursday at the Foreign Ministry.
"Some
Western countries are pressuring us for not establishing a democratic system
immediately, (but) they should realize we have the common objective of
establishing a democratic system in
No
formal talks between
By
David Brunnstrom, Reuters -
quoted in Burmanet -
High-level
contacts between
The
concern appears two-fold -- that
Like
Western powers,
Hashimoto
met senior members of the ruling military council, including Senior General Than Shwe, to discuss Obuchi's offer to help should
Toshiro
Kudo, a researcher at the
``
A
European diplomat in
``They
are worried that if this country gets weaker, China might take it as an
opportunity to do something -- ASEAN and Japan take this as a real danger,'' he
said.
Already
northern
``Of
course, at the moment
``I
believe the Japanese see the danger in the middle to long-term and they see a
relatively stable
Even
so, analysts do not foresee a full-scale resumption of Japanese aid, suspended
after
Obuchi told Than Shwe it
would be easier for
A
Japanese diplomat said this could include resumption of dialogue between the
generals and Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace prize winning leader of the National
League for Democracy (NLD).
NO
RAPPROCHEMENT IN SIGHT
But
it has made clear no rapprochement with the opposition is in the offing, by
reviving hardline rhetoric denouncing opponents as
``traitors'' and ``axe handles of neo-colonialists.''
An
Asian diplomat was not filled with optimism.
``There
seems no way out of the
``They
are totally confronting each other and it's very hard to imagine any
substantial change could be made in the future.''
The
Japanese diplomat said the most likely result of
Kudo
could not see significant Japanese money going in without firm commitments to reform
obstacles to progress, including the parallel exchange rate and moribund state
sector.
Apart
from political considerations, there were practical difficulties, including the
need for
Associated
Press; Wednesday,
24thh November 1999
From:
Rangoon Post <[email protected]>
The
early morning quake hit Chengjiang county
in
The
brief Xinhua report gave no other details.
AP-NY-11-24-99
2049EST
Salween
Watch suggestions and requests:
(a draft list to be added to as suggestions and new ideas
arise)
(1.) Monitor the possible /
actual hidden roles of the Japanese Government, the World Bank, the Asian
Development Bank, German institutions [banks? govt?
private corporations?] in organizing for the dams
(2.) Write a letter or
statement of opposition to the harmful and unsustainable developments on behalf
of your group or yourself.
(3.) Encourage as many other
organisations to write similar statements or letters,
or to endorse an email petition (to be prepared and circulated soon).
(4.) Help to build a national
and international coalition to lobby in opposition to the dams through
informing and organising people in environment, human rights, pro-democracy,
cultural survival and other groups you may be associated with.
(5.) Stage or facilitate
events like talks by guest speakers, demonstrations, displays, etc.
(6.) Help find support for
local groups struggling to address the issue. This could be in the form of
providing good contacts, helping find funding and equipment, or as volunteers
who can work with us and them to investigate, collect info, write up
information, etc.
(7.) Help find good
publications that will publish articles written by indigenous or
(8.) Consult with the Burmese
democratic opposition for their views on the dams,
especially the elected ethnic MP's who most truly represent the people in the
areas to be affected by the dams.
(9.) Research and write
articles focussing on various aspects of the dams and their impacts
(10.)
If
visiting Burma, visit any of the 102 places where the SPDC / SLORC claims to
have built dams since 1988, and ask the people whether they were consulted,
forced to labour or compensated for land, time, loss of health, etc. Also use
any such opportunity to really investigate the realities of the matter - don't
just accept things at face value….
(11.)
Collect
human rights interviews and other information relating to the forced
relocations in areas in
(12.)
Help
affected groups and researchers to access information and insights into the dam
plans and what they imply. Useful information would include:
·
Documents
relating to the dam from subcontractors, govt. depts., financial institutions,
army and intelligence units, multilateral banks, academics and others working
in association with the project(s)
·
Reports
and news clippings / articles relating to the actions and history of those
promoting the projects (such as EPDC, NEWJEC, Nippon Koei, Italian Thai, MDX /
GMS, Marubeni, AIT, UNU, the ADB(?), World Bank(?), etc.)
·
Further
detailed information from and about the areas that will be affected themselves
(such as 1:50,000 scale maps, UN agency reports, information from groups and
individuals working in Burma
·
Feasibility
and pre-feasibility studies such as::
§
The
feasibility study for the Tasang Hydropower Project
prepared by the Electric Power Development Corporation of Japan in 1999
§
The
Pre-feasibility Study Tasang Hydropower Project in
the Union if Myanmar, 1998 Myanmar Economic Corporation, prepared by Lahmeyer International
§
The
Preliminary Feasibility Study of Hutgyi Hydropower
Project in the Union if Myanmar, prepared for MEPE by NEWJEC Inc, 1998
§
The
Pre-feasibility Study of the Moei – Salween- Chaophraya Diversion Project, prepared for the DEDP by Panya Consultants in 1995
§
Any
recent study on the power transmission interconnection plans from EGAT, MEPE,
DEDP, ADB, JICA or other organisations
(13.)
Follow up contacts within academia to find what papers have been prepared and
by who, and who is involved in the current and planned studies. As a start,
attention could be given to the following institutions and academics for their
role in the promotion and planning of the dam :
·
Chiang
Mai University, Thailand -- Ajarn Suporn
·
Rangoon
University, Burma
·
Asian
Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand -- Prof. Ashim
Das Gupta & Dr M.S. Babel
·
United
Nations University, Tokyo, Mr Luohui
Liang & Dr Zafar Adeel
·
Mekong
Institute [Institute for Economic Development and Cooperation for the Greater
Mekong Sub-region], Khon Kaen
University, Dr Vanchai
Vatanasapt
(13.)
Help
facilitate for people from affected areas to go on speaking tours in countries
where companies, institutions & governments are or may be playing a role in
promotion or financing of the dam [Japan, Germany, etc?]
(14.)
Find
out about the legal requirements for environmental and social impact
assessments for approving and financing the dam construction in regard to the
Thai constitution, multi-lateral banks, ECA’s and
ODA.
(15.)
Find
out what UNEP and Hans Seidel Foundation have been doing in regard to advising
and facilitating on the EIA law drafting process in Burma, and if it is
possible to get a draft of the EIA law (may now also be possible through
Rangoon University or CMU) pull it apart to see what is wrong with it. It is
bound to be full of gaping loopholes.....
17. SENIOR LEADER MAUNG
AYE STRESSES SELF-SUFFICIENCY
BBC
Summary of World Broadcasts
Myanmar,
Rangoon, in Burmese 1330 GMT 22 Aug 99
Speaking
at a ceremony to commission the Wegyi Dam, Burma's
senior leader Maung Aye has said the main thing is "to ensure
self-sufficiency in food, clothes and shelter". He said dams were being
built as part of an endeavour to conserve water for
agricultural use during the dry season, and that the expansion of arable land
would ensure food sufficiency for the future population.
Excerpts
from report by Burmese radio on 22nd August A ceremony to commission the Wegyi Dam, constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Irrigation, was held at 0845 [local time] this morning in Paungde
Township, Pegu Division...
Speaking
at the ceremony, Lt-Gen Tin Oo, secretary-2 of the State Peace and Development
Council [SPDC], explained the Wegyi Dam, which is
part of the western network of dams in Pegu Division,
is capable of irrigating 45,000 acres of farmland... Lt-Gen Tin Oo said that
since 1988, the Defence Services government has constructed and commissioned
100 dams which have the combined capability of irrigating 1.4m acres of
farmland...
He
said Pegu Division, which plays a vital role in the
production of paddy, is also growing other crops such as beans, pulses, oil
crops and sugar cane on 1m acres of land. He said the Pegu
Division hopes to increase the acreage to 1.2m this year...
Lt-Gen
Tin Oo spoke on the need to have unity and explained that the government, the
people and the Defence Services are working together for economic, social and
infrastructural development of the country.
He
said the dams, roads, bridges and railway lines had been built in the country
with its own internal resources, without any foreign assistance. These
accomplishments, he added, demonstrated to the world the ability of the
They
demonstrated the
He
said while united and determined endeavours are being made in the interests of
the farmers and the nation, the internal destructionist group, which cannot
bear to see the success being achieved in the public welfare endeavours, is
engaged in instigations aimed at undermining national unity, the unity of the
Defence Services, and national progress. He warned against these divisive
instigations being carried out under the pretext of human rights and democracy.
He said this destructionist group is foolishly and mistakenly interpreting the patience
and goodwill of the government as a sign of weakness. This destructionist
group, which enjoys the support and encouragement from some Western powers, is
towing the non-constructive path of subversion and conflict. They live off the
As
for the SPDC, which upholds the correct national belief that the internal
strength of the country lies within the country, it will continue to work for
the national peace and stability and preservation of the
He
said the new force in the country's agricultural sector – the national
entrepreneurs - are employing new technology and equipment in developing
thousands of virgin and fallow land into productive farmland. He said 21
private groups are currently engaged in the development of farmland in the Pegu Division... He said the potential for future
development of the nation is very promising and that no matter who tries to
deprive the country of a good future, the country has a firm potential for
development.
He
called on the national people to further promote the nation's development
through their labour and productivity...
Speaking
at the ceremony, Gen Maung Aye, chairman of the Central Committee for
Development of Industries, deputy chairman of the SPDC, deputy
commander-in-chief of the Defence Services, and commander - in - chief of the
Army, said our country stood on its own feet and relied on agriculture behind
the closed-door policy for 26 years. He said the open-door policy is being practised in the country, while endeavours are being made
for integrated development on all fronts. As long as we have sufficiency in
food, clothes and shelter, we do not have to care about anybody. The main
point, he said, is to ensure self-sufficiency in food, clothes and shelter.
He
said the country's population would reach over 60 million by the year 2010 and
100 million by the year 2050. By that time, the government alone will not be
responsible for sufficiency food, clothes and shelter, but it will be the
responsibility of the people as well. Therefore, the people of today are
responsible for ensuring sufficiency in basic necessities of the future
generation.
Gen
Maung Aye explained efforts are being made to cultivate 14m acres of monsoon
paddy and 4m acres of summer paddy, out of the 45m acres of arable land. He
said the expansion of arable land will ensure food sufficiency for the future
population. He said when the arable land acreage has reached the limit, measures should be taken to acquire improved farm
technology, multi-cropping and quality seeds. He said dams, such as this Wegyi Dam, are being built as part of the endeavour to dam and conserve water from the rivers,
streams, creeks and lakes for the use in agriculture during the dry season. He
said the Wegyi Dam is the 100th dam to be built as
part of these measures.
Gen
Maung Aye said these are the works of the constructive force in the country
which comprised of the government, the Defence Services and the people - the
auxiliary force. He said construction of infrastructure throughout the country
has boosted the Union spirit and patriotism. He attributed the achievements in
the economic, social and administrative affairs to the cooperation of the
people. He said these are the works of the constructive forces. He said
internal and external destructive elements are, meanwhile, scheming together
through various means to undermine the country's economy by discouraging
foreign investment, tourism and economic opportunities. The country would have
achieved more economic progress had they not hindered these efforts. Therefore,
he urged the government, the Defence Services, and the people to work together
in accordance with the desire of the people...