52 organisations from Burma call for an end to the blasting of the Mekong rapids December 12, 2002

Opposition to Mekong Navigation Project

December 12, 2002 To: The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, Bangkok Our organisations, representing grassroots communities and people's movements from Burma, are writing to express our concern over the Mekong Navigation Channel Improvement Project. We are strongly opposed to this project, which does not represent the interests of the people of Burma or many of the other peoples in the region. We believe the project will do great and unacceptable harm to millions of people living along the river

as well as to the natural environment. The plans for the blasting of the rapids and shoals of the river have been drawn up in agreement with the illegitimate military government of Burma, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and without consultation with affected communities. In the natural resource rich ethnic areas of Burma, including the Mekong watershed, the Burmese military regime has ruthlessly suppressed the local peoples. These areas have become highly militarized, and the Burmese Army regularly

commits human rights abuses against ethnic civilians, including forced labour, land confiscation, extortion, torture, sexual violence and extra judicial killing. In Eastern Shan State, the eastern boundary of which is formed by the Mekong River, such abuses are commonplace, and are compounded by the presence of local militias who, in return for cooperation with the junta, are allowed private business concessions. Such concessions include rights to exploit natural resources and to produce drugs. Local ethnic villagers,

including Akha, Lahu, Loi La, En and Shan, remain impoverished, while the natural resources, such as timber and gold, are being ravaged for the benefit of the armed elites. It is certain that the Mekong Navigation Channel Improvement Project, if implemented in conjunction with the current military regime of Burma, will benefit only the military and business elites. They alone control the trade in the area, and the increased transportation opportunities will simply enable them to speed up the devastation of Eastern

Shan State's natural resources. Already, deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate, with no environmental controls whatsoever. Apart from the increased exploitation of natural resources which will ensue from the project, we are deeply concerned about the irreversible impacts that the blasting of the rapids in the Mekong will have on fisheries, the ecology of the river as a whole, and on the livelihoods of the local people who depend on it. The environmental impact assessment which was conducted for this

project has been strongly criticized for serious flaws, failing to take into account the real impacts. The Burmese military has paid no attention to these environmental impacts, while other governments and institutions party to the project have not given environmental sustainability the priority it deserves. We believe that any decisions to develop an area should be taken in consultation with affected local peoples, and that there should be widespread consensus amongst them. Until the peoples of Burma are granted

the right to participate in decisions affecting their land and resources, no international development agreements should be entered into with the Burmese regime, especially ones with such serious and permanent effects. We therefore demand an immediate halt to the Mekong Navigation Channel Improvement Project until the following conditions are met: ·

Conditions for Project Halt

Full and adequate Environmental and Social Impact Assessments involving affected communities, independent academics, civil society organizations and representatives from all the affected countries should be completed and publicly disseminated ·

All potentially impacted communities should be fully informed about the effects of the blasting; they should be consulted with and the consensus of the majority obtained. ·

The blasting should have agreement between all the countries that the Mekong passes through, including Cambodia and Vietnam. ·

The approval of the legitimately elected representatives of the people of Burma, not only the military authorities, must be sought and given for the project. ·

Signatory Organizations

Alternatives modes of transport that give training and employment to more local people should be seriously investigated rather than the use of large ships. Yours sincerely, All Burma Muslim Union All Burma Students' Democratic Front Arakan Liberation Party Burma Medical Association Democratic Party for a New Society Green November 32 Human Rights Foundation of Monland Images Asia – Environment Desk Karen Environmental and Social Action Network Karen Student Network Group Karen Youth Organisation Karenni Evergreen Karenni Farmers' Union Karenni Human Rights Legal Education Team Karenni Information Network Group Karenni Literacy Committee Karenni National Women's Organisation Karenni National Youth Organisation Karenni Students' Union Karenni Social Welfare Committee Karenni Teachers' Union Lahu National Development Organisation National Committee for Civil Society National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) National Reconciliation Program Nationalities Youth Development Program Network for Democracy and Development Palaung Youth Network Group People's Liberation Front People's Progressive Front Salween Watch Shan Democratic Union Shan Herald Agency for News Shan Human Rights Foundation Shan Sapawa Organisation Shan State Organisation Shan Youth Network Group Shan Youth Power Media Team Students and Youth Congress of Burma United Nationalities League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Wa National Organisation Women's League of Burma, comprising 11 groups:

All Burma Democratic Lushai Women's Organisation

Burmese Women's Union

Chin Women's Organisation

Kachin Women's Association (Thailand)

Karen Women's Organisation Lahu Women's Organisation

Pa-O Women's Union Rakhine Women's Union Shan Women's Action Network

Tavoyan Women's Union Women's Rights and Welfare Association of Burma

cc:

The Ambassador of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos, Bangkok

Mr. Praphat Panyachartrak, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand