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ASSEMBLY OF POOR
Long dam march starts
Bangkok Post 10 oct 2001
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10Oct2001_news24.html
Seventy members of the Assembly of the Poor yesterday
kicked off a long march from the Pak Moon dam in Ubon Ratchathani to
Government House to campaign for permanent opening of the dam's sluice
gates.
The protesters began marching about 9am yesterday after a traditional
Northeastern baisee sookhwan ceremony.
Somparn Khuendee, a leading figure, said the march would air the hardships
of people living above the dam, whose livelihoods had been affected by the
closing of the gates. She demanded the government keep its promise by
opening the watergates.
Ms Somparn said people joining the march would walk 15 kilometres a day
until they reached Government House.
Wanida Tantiwitthayapitak, adviser to the assembly, said people affected by
other dams including the Sirindhorn, Fai Huana and Lam Khanchoo dams would
join the march.
Villagers along the Moon river want the sluice gates open to allow fish in
the Mekong river to migrate upstream and spawn.
In April, cabinet told the Electricity Authority of Thailand to open four
sluice gates to study the environmental impact. The period ended on August
31. Egat, however, has left the gates open to relieve floods in Ubon
Ratchathani.
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