Peter Bosshard
Policy Director, International Rivers
Posted on The Huffington Post
The mighty Mekong River is about to face its greatest test. This month, the governments of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam will decide whether to give approval to the first ever dam planned for the lower Mekong mainstream, the Xayaburi Dam.
Much is at stake in this decision. The Mekong River is the world's largest freshwater fishery, providing the main source of protein for 60 million people in the lower Mekong basin. The amount of fish caught here is staggering -- about 2% of the world's fish catch is caught from this one river basin each year.
The Mekong's strong currents and scenic rapids in the remote province of Xayaburi in Northern Laos are important spawning grounds of several important migratory fish species, including the critically endangered Mekong Giant Catfish. This riverine cornucopia is now at risk. Since 2007, Ch. Kamchang, a large Thai construction company, has been planning to build the massive Xayaburi Dam on the Mekong's Kaeng Luang rapids.
The Xayaburi Dam would have a capacity of 1,260 megawatts, comparable to the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. According to an independent review, it would directly affect 202,000 people and put at least 41 fish species -- including the Mekong Giant Catfish -- at risk of extinction. The Xayaburi Dam could also open the floodgates to further dam building on the river. It is the first of a total of 11 dams on the lower Mekong mainstream under consideration.
A healthy Mekong is priceless, and local communities are fighting the Xayaburi and other proposed projects. In 2009, more than 23,000 people signed a petition appealing to the governments of the region to keep the Mekong flowing freely. Ten days ago, 263 environmental organizations from 51 countries sent a letter to the prime ministers of Laos and Thailand calling for the Xayaburi Dam to be canceled.
Around the same time, affected communities and local civil society groups held spiritual ceremonies and public events to protect the Mekong. "As local people have already suffered from dams built upstream in China and watched the ecosystem change, we are afraid that the Xayaburi Dam will bring more suffering to our livelihoods," said Kamol Konpin, the mayor of Chiang Khan municipality, at a local event in Thailand. "Our lives and livelihoods depend on the health of the Mekong River."
Alternatives to the destructive projects exist. Thailand, the main market for the electricity to be generated by the Mekong dams, has other ways of meeting its energy needs. In a report, environmental organizations documented that the country has a renewable energy and cogeneration potential of more than 15,000 megawatts. Making existing power plans more efficient could provide 7,700 megawatts, and demand-side management, 2,500 megawatts. The capacity of the Xayaburi Dam pales in comparison.
Official sources have confirmed the concerns of local communities and environmental organizations. In October 2010, a scientific report commissioned by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) recommended that any decisions about dam building on the Mekong mainstream be deferred for 10 years because of the huge impacts to the river's fisheries and people's livelihoods. The MRC brings together the four governments of the lower Mekong basin.
A few days ago, the MRC secretariat published a review of the Xayaburi Dam's environmental impact assessment and other project documents. The review confirmed the grave social and environmental harm that the project would cause, and identified considerable information gaps that still need to be addressed. "If any delusional fantasies remained that mainstream dam building could be sustainable, the Mekong River Commission's new independent technical review of the proposed dam has surely dissolved them," comments Ame Trandem, International Rivers' Mekong campaigner.
The governments of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam will decide about the construction of the Xayaburi Dam on April 21. Will they give in to the short-term interests of a well-connected Thai corporation? Or will they listen to the voices of local communities and scientific experts?
2 comments:
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Khmer’s Actuary Financial and economic investigation found that Dr. Hun Sen and his families’ money is not less than US$ 100 billion in all around the world including banks deposited, investments and properties around the world.
All relatives of Dr. Hun Sen ( above 380 families of Dr. Hun Sen together ) is not less than US$ 200 Billion including all their properties and banks deposited and investments all around the world.
Plus the secret money such as drugs dealer, Gold, Silver, diamonds, forest trees cut down, Angkor watt and over 1000 Khmer ancient temples tourist income, oil in the year 2012...During Dr. Hun Sen’s regime, his economic miss calculation and management make Cambodia loss revenue not less that US$ 1 600 Billion to Thailand and mostly Vietnam.
Plus foreign aid Japan alone donates US$ 150 Billion so far. Where is the money? Interesting isn’t it?
Approximately 10 000Km2 to Vietnam (10 000Km2 of sea with full of sea foods protein, oil, minerals include Koh Trol)
65% of Cambodia forest trees have been cut down for private selling only.
Dr. Hun Sen and his families, relatives and friends are stealing from 90% Cambodian people that earn less than $2 per day. They steal 90% Cambodian people health, well being, Khmer dignity, cut down 90% Cambodian people life expectancy, foods...from 90% Cambodian people. Plus pump in more Vietnamese (approximately not less than 5 million Vietnamese in Cambodia) into Cambodia to make 90% of Cambodian people poorer and sufferer.
By Khmer’s Actuary Economic science internal revenue investigation,
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