Media Statement by CSOs in Hsipaw township
August 8, 2018
CSOs in Hsipaw township strongly oppose dams on Namtu river
11 civil society organizations (CSOs) and 37 villages representatives gathered today in Hsipaw township, northern Shan State, to call for a stop to all dams on the Namtu or Myitnge river, due to destructive environmental and social impacts.
One of the leading CSO members, Nang Leng Leng said, “Our environment is under threat. There has been increased flooding during the past three years in northern Shan State, due to loss of natural resources. Building dams on the Namtu river will further endanger our environment and our communities. All dam plans must be halted.”
There is already one dam on the Namtu/Myitnge – the Yeywa dam, completed in 2010, at Kyaukse, Mandalay region – and another four dams are planned: one in Mandalay, and three in Kyaukme district of northern Shan State.
The most advanced dam project is the Upper Yeywa dam in Kyaukme township, involving companies from China, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan. If completed, the dam will submerge the entire village of Talong, with 653 inhabitants, 637 acres of orchards, 140 acres of rice fields, and countless hill-farms, as well as temples, pagodas, and schools.
There was a landslide at the Upper Yeywa dam site last February, due to poor construction.This and the recent dam disaster in Laos are fuelling fears of future dam breakage along the Namtu. One of the planned dams, the Middle Yeywa dam – invested in by Norway – lies near an earthquake fault line.
The CSOs organizing the public awareness raising event are:
- Shan State Farmers Network
- Tai Youth Network
- Tai Youth Power United
- One More
- Shan Women Action Network
- Bo Taw Kyaung Parahida
- Sawn Son Shin Women Network
- Shwe Hsipaw Women Organization
- Jart Su Youth Association
- Hsipaw Women Network
- 37 villages representatives
Contact
Sai Thum Ai +95 (0) 9-453-132-755
Nang Lao Kham +95 (0) 9-262-108-062
Nang Khin Mar Aye +95 (0) 9-781-169-316
Ko Phone Kyaw +95 (0) 9-457-898-318
Sai Htay +95 (0) 9-444-997-738
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