Statement on Hsipaw township authorities questioning four leading organizers of open letter to State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi to stop dam construction on Namtu/Myitnge river
January 26, 2021
On October 27, 2020, about 2,000 impacted villagers in Hsipaw, Namtu, Kyaukme and Lashio townships signed a petition and sent an open letter to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi urging her to halt all dam construction on the Namtu/Myitnge river in northern Shan State.
There are three large dams planned: the 735 megawatt Middle Yeywa dam, invested in by Norway’s state-owned SN Power; the 280 megawatt Upper Yeywa dam, invested in by Chinese, Japanese, Swiss and French companies; and the 210 megawatt Namtu (Hsipaw) dam invested in by Natural Current Energy Hydropower Company.
On January 25, 2021, the Hsipaw township administration committee called the four leading organizers of the open letter to meet them at the Hsipaw general administration office.
The committee asked about the sending of the open letter to Aung San Suu Kyi, personal information, impacts of the respective dams, and local people’s opinions on dam building. They said that our answers would be sent to relevant departments and to the State Counselor’s office.
However, there was no response when we asked for an answer to our main appeal in the open letter to Aung San Suu Kyi to stop building dams on the Namtu/Myitnge river.
During the meeting, we reiterated our original demands: to stop all dam building on the Namtu/Myitnge river, not to be relocated, and to establish peace in our area.
Sai Phone Myint 09 45313 2755
Nang Lao Kham 09 7731 64541
Sai Thein Myint 09 6673 56474
Sai Kyaw Saw Harn 09 696 456 848
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