[BBC]
“In a rare concession, the Burmese government has suspended a long planned and highly controversial hydroelectric dam project in the face of growing public opposition.”
“The campaign against the construction of the Myitsone dam brought together conservationists, scholars, and political activists including Aung San Suu Kyi, and had become a serious test for the new civilian-led, military-backed government.”
“Myitsone was being developed jointly by the state Myanmar Ministry of Electric Power, the privately-owned Asia World Company of Burma and the China Power Investment Corporation.”
“Scheduled for completion in 2019, the dam would have created a reservoir some 766 sq km (296 square miles) – an area slightly bigger than Singapore. The vast bulk of the electricity generated – some reports say as much as 90% – was destined for export to China.”
“What about other mega-projects with China, including the gas pipeline? I predict there will be more campaigns in the future,” says Aung Zaw, editor of The Irrawaddy.
Read more: Burma dam: Why Myitsone plan is being halted
2021-week28
