Aung San Suu Kyi
August 12, 2011
A 6,000-megawatt dam project on the upper stretch of the Irrawaddy river that is being built as a joint venture between the Myanmar government and the China Power Investment, has now called forth Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in her new role of conservationist.
In a statement issued through her National League for Democracy (NLD) party on Thursday, Suu Kyi calls on the Myanmar government and their Chinese partner to "reassess" the project that began in 2009 in the northern state of Kachin.
The Myitsone hydro-electric dam is being built at an estimated cost of 3.6 billion dollars. The project has already come against violent opposition on the part of the local Kachin population. The project site was reportedly hit by a series of bombs in April, 2010.
'One of the most important rivers in Asia'
In her statement, Suu Kyi focuses on the economic, social and environmental importance of the longest river in Myanmar. She appeals to the international conservationist community "to join us in a campaign to create a worldwide awareness of the dangers threatening one of the most important rivers in Asia."
Some of that awareness is already there: The dam is expected to displace up to 12,000 people from 63 villages, apart from flooding important cultural heritage sites, the International Rivers environmental group has reported.
Suu Kyi not only points out that the Irrawaddy river faces various threats that include pollution and illegal logging, she also questions the geological safety of the project. "The presence of fault lines in the vicinity of the dams and the sheer immensity of the reservoir raise the specter of horrendous devastation in the event of an earthquake," she warns.
Meanwhile, Suu Kyi's talks with the government continue. She defied the authorities by attending a ceremony at a monastery in Yangon to mark the anniversary of the country's 1988 uprising.
She was also planning a "political tour" to Bogo, 50 kilometers to the north-east of Yangon, on Saturday, despite the government's warnings.
Author: Arun Chowdhury (dpa, AFP)
Editor: Anne Thomas