{"id":1632,"date":"2018-08-08T03:12:35","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T03:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shanhumanrights.org\/?p=1632"},"modified":"2022-05-29T09:22:06","modified_gmt":"2022-05-29T09:22:06","slug":"csos-in-hsipaw-township-strongly-oppose-dams-on-namtu-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shanhumanrights.org\/?p=1632","title":{"rendered":"CSOs in Hsipaw township strongly oppose dams on Namtu river"},"content":{"rendered":"

Media Statement by CSOs in Hsipaw township<\/strong><\/p>\n

August 8, 2018<\/p>\n

CSOs in Hsipaw township strongly oppose dams on Namtu river<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

One of the leading CSO members, Nang Leng Leng said, \u201cOur 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There is already one dam on the Namtu\/Myitnge \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The CSOs organizing the public awareness raising event are:<\/p>\n