• Burmese
Saturday, July 12, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
26 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Citing Grave Risks, Shan Groups Demand Halt to Salween Dams

Moe Myint by Moe Myint
August 18, 2016
in Burma
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
The first large bend in the Salween River—also called the Nu River—in China. / Salween/Thanlwin/Nu River / Facebook

The first large bend in the Salween River—also called the Nu River—in China. / Salween/Thanlwin/Nu River / Facebook

3.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RANGOON – Describing the potential for earthquakes, military conflict, displacement and damage to agriculture, 26 Shan civil society and environmental organizations have called for an immediate halt to major dam projects planned for construction on the Salween River. The community demands were outlined in an open letter to State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and delivered on Wednesday.

Suu Kyi is currently on a five-day state visit to China to discuss bilateral relations, and likely, planned China-backed hydropower initiatives in Burma. The letter described how such hydropower dams on the Salween River would block water flow and create hardship for those who rely on the waterway, particularly for agriculture, in Burma, Thailand and China. In Shan State alone, environmental rights groups estimate that 170 villages—with a population of over 10,000 people—would suffer displacement or damage to their farms due to the impact of damming the Salween.

“We urge the new government make these decisions very carefully, because, for us, the disadvantages of the dams are greater than the advantages,” said Nang Kham Mai, the campaign coordinator with Action for Shan State Rivers, one of the organizations behind the letter to Suu Kyi.

RelatedPosts

Myanmar Junta Outposts Fall to Karenni Resistance in Kayah State

Myanmar Junta Outposts Fall to Karenni Resistance in Kayah State

June 26, 2023
3k
The press conference in Rangoon on Wednesday staged by ethnic activists opposed to the Salween dams. / Nang Seng Nom / The Irrawaddy

Ethnic Activists Voice Alarm Over Salween Dams

September 8, 2016
4.6k

The statement comes after the Burmese government confirmed plans on Friday to go ahead with the proposed Salween dam projects, those of which in Shan State are expected to collectively generate nearly 10,000 megawatts of electricity, but an estimated 90 percent will be exported to neighboring countries.

“Coming only weeks before the planned 21st Century Panglong Conference, this green light to the Salween dams is highly worrying,” the letter stated, referring to the upcoming Union Peace Conference scheduled to begin on August 31 in Naypyidaw.

A “unilateral decision” on the part of the government to continue the construction of the dams is effectively ignoring local communities’ right to determine the use of their own natural resources, the letter continued, describing the move as an unwelcome start to the upcoming peace conference.

The organizations also described how exported electric power obtained from the Salween dams would not address Burma’s own energy needs, rendering the projects impractical for domestic communities.

“The government will merely distribute 10 percent [of the electricity] to locals. So it is hard to say what the locals’ benefits are,” Kham Mai said.

Highlighting the decades-long conflict between the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups which has plagued the Salween River region, the letter’s signatories warned that unpopular hydropower projects could exacerbate unrest in the area.

Between the Burma and ethnic Shan armies, “territory designation [around the dam sites] could become a big problem,” added Kham Mai.

Dam locations also coincide with an earthquake fault line. This alone, Kham Mai said, makes these projects “too risky to construct.”

Stretching more than 1,700 miles, the Salween River is one of the world’s longest waterways, flowing through Yunnan in China, and Shan, Karenni, Karen and Mon states in Burma.
Ethnic minority communities in eastern Burma have consistently objected to plans to build dams on the river, which are planned for Shan and Karen states, specifically.

“In the interests of ethnic reconciliation and environmental sustainability, we therefore strongly urge you to immediately cancel the Salween dams,” the letter to Suu Kyi said.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Salween
Moe Myint

Moe Myint

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Myanmar Junta Outposts Fall to Karenni Resistance in Kayah State
Burma

Myanmar Junta Outposts Fall to Karenni Resistance in Kayah State

by The Irrawaddy
June 26, 2023
3k

Combined anti-regime forces have taken control of Maese town in a ‘boost for the revolution’.    

Read moreDetails
The press conference in Rangoon on Wednesday staged by ethnic activists opposed to the Salween dams. / Nang Seng Nom / The Irrawaddy
Burma

Ethnic Activists Voice Alarm Over Salween Dams

by Lawi Weng
September 8, 2016
4.6k

Ethnic Shan, Mon and Karenni environmental activists voice strong concern over alleged plans to push ahead with hydropower dams on...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
A map of northern Shan State / Palaung Land

Three Bodies Found Burned and Buried in Shan State

TNLA, MNDAA and AA delegates meet at the Law Khee Lar ethnic armed organizations’ summit in Karen State in 2015 / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy

Three Armed Groups ‘Ready to Join’ Peace Conference

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

3 days ago
1k
Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

3 days ago
1k

Most Read

  • Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Deploying Conscripts in Major Push to Reclaim Lost Territory

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Chief Thanks Trump for Shutting Down VOA and RFA

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • KIA Denies Rumor Chief Under House Arrest in China

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ‘Not a Witch Hunt’: Upholding Survivor-Centered Justice in Myanmar

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.