Signature campaign to halt dam construction for Chinese premier

The computer sketch of Myitsone dam in Irrawaddy River, over 20 miles north of Myitkyina, northern Burma. Photo: Kachin News Group.

A signature campaign to stop China’s state-owned company, which is leading the construction of the Irrawaddy Myitsone dam in Kachin State, northern Burma has started. The signatures will be sent to Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

Signatures from overseas Kachin ethnic people, community and other solidarity social and activists group will be sent along with the letter addressed to the Chinese leader Wen Jiabao to the Embassy office in each country on 26 January, said activists.

Burma River Network, media spokesperson Ms. An Nan said, it is time to make the Chinese government aware and to make them understand the wishes of the ethnic people and the real danger of its investments in hydropower project for civilians in Burma.

“We want the Chinese government to realize how badly affected the people will be from their dam project not only in Kachin State but the whole country,” said Ah Nan.

“Kachin people from inside Burma are trying to protest to the best of their ability because it is becoming a nightmare for them. It can destroy not only their place but also their lives,” added Ah Nan.

The appeal letter to be addressed to China’s Premier said, “Millions of people will be badly affected downstream and 15,000 will be immediately displaced upstream”.

The Myitsone dam construction project officially kick started on 21st December, 2009 by the Burmese military junta amidst an outcry of residents and its widely unpredictable impact on the environment and the millions of people who depend on the Irrawaddy River, also called Mali Hka in Kachin for their livelihood.

“They (China) have already experienced the same problem with their own people in their country, and they have set up norms for building hydropower projects; they should understand,” said Ah Nan.

The letter said that the construction site was around 100 kilometres from the earthquake prone zone of the Sagaing fault line. And if dam collapses, millions of people, especially in Myitkyina the capital of Kachin State would die.

In India over 50 people have already signed including the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh C.C. Singpho in Northeast India where thousands of Indian Kachin (Singpho) people live.

“Now we are facing a terrible situation. This project will destroy our historic place and kill our people including our family members. We want the Chinese government to understand our plight and halt it,” said an India based Kachin community leader.

Mr. Awng Wa, the president of Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG) said, “We Kachin and Chinese are neighbours. We will continue to have a relationship with each other and they should recognize and respect our desires, rights, our places and stop this construction right now.”

Source : http://www.kachinnews.com/News/Signature-campaign-to-halt-dam-construction-for-Chinese-premier.html