A huge dam project between Thailand and Burma is about to damn thousands of ethnic peoples inside Burma. Activists slammed the project, called Salween dams, as a precursor of more misery to peoples inside Burma shuddering under the iron rule of a military junta.
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Activists picket Thai embassy in Manila, slam hydro power dams project of Thais in Burma
A huge dam project between Thailand and Burma is about to damn thousands of ethnic peoples inside Burma. Activists slammed the project, called Salween dams, as a precursor of more misery to peoples inside Burma shuddering under the iron rule of a military junta.
The Salween Dams will give the Thais cheap electricity but will result in more human rights violations and environmental destruction in Burma as the illegitimate junta will displace thousands of ethnic nationalities to pursue this project”, said Egoy Bans, spokesperson of the Free Burma Coalition-Philippines as the group together with the Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) picketed the Thai Royal Embassy in Makati City, Philippines. The same group blew Valentine kisses for jailed Burmese democracy icon Aung San Syu Kyi at the Burmese embassy recently.
The project will be the biggest foreign investment in Burma to date at an estimated US $10 billion. Villagers claimed that the military regime did not even conduct consultations for the dam projects.
The agreement between the two ASEAN countries forged last December will construct five dams in Burma with the first to be built in the Karen state. The Karen people have been the most resilient is resisting the junta with the Karen National Union leading an army that has stalemated the military regime in the jungles of the state.
The FBC-Phils and APSOC is calling on the Thai government to immediately pull out its dam projects in Burma claiming it will only benefit the illegal military regime. The groups also claim that there are already reports of torture, rape, house burning and killing of villagers as more government troops are being deployed while landmines are likewise laid in the areas.
The group also brought with them a “petition” addressed to the “Caretaker Prime Minister of Thailand” appealing for the review and withdrawal of the dam projects in Burma.
A fight for survival
Bans added, “this is more than fighting against the construction of the dam. The ethnic villagers are fighting for their survival. They are fighting for their lives. We hope that the Thai government would consider social obligation more than profit gain.”
According to the group, the Salween Dams, if built, will permanently degrade Southeast Asia’s longest free flowing river, fisheries, floodpains, teak forests and wildlife and environmental consequences of this dam project will be irreversible.
Dam means rape and forced labor in Burma
Because of the junta’s anti-insurgency campaign, many of the ethnic villagers also fear that rape cases and forced labor practices will again occur. The ILO has testified that the military regime still practices forced labor in Burma. A sensational report issued a few years ago ruled that rape has been used as a weapon of war against ethnic nationalities.
“The entire decision making process for this project is questionable. There is no public consultation among the dam affected communities. Also, the junta will draw blood for this dam projects using forced labor and rape to intimidate the ethnic villagers,” Bans explained.
ASEAN must act!
The activists likewise challenged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to look into the matter and side with the peoples of Burma in their fight against the Salween Dams.
“During the ASEAN summit, the regional grouping trumpeted their vision of a caring and sharing Asean community. Now that thousands of ethnic nationalities have already been displaced in Burma because of these dam projects, now is the time for the ASEAN to prove it really cares. ”Bans concluded.
FBC-Phils and APSOC said that the protest action is just the first of their series of campaign against the Salween Dams and that they will also hold forums and video showing in schools and communities to educate the people on what’s happening in Burma.
For inquiries, kindly refer to:
Egoy N. Bans +639209132472
Isagani Abunda +632 4352900 and +632 9110205
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