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Dam busters pressure Abhisit
By: APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Bangkok Post. Published: 19/06/2009
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/18716/dam-busters-pressure-abhisit
Fears among countries of the Mekong River lower basin about excessive
dam building in China are expected to be tabled for talks at the
Southeast Asian summit later this year, Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva says. Environmentalists from the Save the Mekong Coalition
yesterday submitted a petition calling on the government to take steps
to protect the international river.
The coalition comprises members from Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
''We will try to put the Mekong issue on to the Asean forum's
agenda,'' Mr Abhisit said. ''We also want to support the people's
movement to protect the river. The power from the river is one option
for electricity generation. But there are still many options that we
would consider for energy generation.''
Thailand will host the summit between Asean and its counterparts
including China in October in Phuket.
The coalition was set up last year in a bid to protect the river. It
closely watches China's plan to build at least 11 hydroelectric dams
in the upper part of the river.
The group expressed concerns that the dams would destroy ecological
systems and threaten the traditional way of life of people who rely on
the river fisheries.
Premrudee Daoroung, coordinator of Towards Ecological Recovery and
Regional Alliance, welcomed the prime minister's response, saying it
was a good sign the government would take the issue into the Asean
agenda.
''Many agencies dealing with the Mekong issues have proved that they
failed to cope with the problem,'' Ms Premrudee said. ''I do believe
that the discussion under the Asean framework could produce more
effectiveness.''
Ms Premrudee also urged all governments sharing the river to stop the
construction of dams in China from damaging their countries.
Countries in the lower Mekong basin include Thailand, Laos, Burma,
Cambodia and Vietnam.
Chhith Sam Ath, executive director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia, said
the Mekong was the largest source of fishery activities that provided
food for 60 million people.
He said the construction of dams would block at least 70% of
commercial fishing activities.
''We are very concerned about the construction of the 11 dams in the
river,'' he said. ''We would like Prime Minister Abhisit to keep the
Mekong River free flowing.''The group has received more than 16,380
signatures for the river protection petition after launching a
campaign to save the river from dam construction a few months ago on
its website. |
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