ASIA/MYANMAR - Civil society and Christians mobilize to "save the Irrawaddy"; the Bishops wrote to the government

Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - Environmentalists, singers, poets, journalists, fishermen, Christians, activists, monks, Bishops: all united to "Save the Irrawaddy", the great river that crosses from north to south Myanmar, and is the largest source of supply and livelihood for large parts of the Burmese people. This is what is happening in Myanmar, where there is an unexpected turmoil in the Burmese civil society, at a time when the regime appears to give some signal of openness inside and outside the country.
To attract the attention of society is the construction project of the gigantic dam of Myitsone, which should rise on the Irrawaddy (precisely at the confluence of Mali and N'Mai rivers, which join to form the Irrawaddy) in the northern part of the country. This is the project that triggered the reaction and the guerrillas of the ethnic Kachin people and the harsh military reaction of the government, with the consequences of displacement and suffering among the Kachin civilian population in the diocese of Myitkina and Banmaw (see Fides 1, 5, and 16/07/2011).
His Exc. Mgr. Raymond Saw Po Ray, Bishop of Mawlamyine and President of the "Justice and Peace Commission" of the Burmese Bishops, notes with favor, and as a "positive sign, the interest and the awakening of civil society", he explained to Fides: "In Rangoon and surrounding areas, there have been, in recent days, several meetings of people of all walks of life and profession. The population is united in expressing a negative opinion on the dam project, which concerns not only the Kachin people: it would affect the entire nation, thereby penalizing farmers, fishermen, flooding areas, with serious consequences on the environment. The government is asked to abandon the project. Together with three other Bishops and many faithful Christians, we participated in some of these meetings. Moreover, as Christians, in a recent meeting organized between the leaders of the Episcopal Conference and the Protestant Churches, we have agreed to write a letter to the government to ask to hear the voice and the legitimate concerns of the population. We are on their side, as hundreds of thousands of people suffer for this project".
The dam is in the works since 2005, causing the forced relocation of thousands of ethnic Kachin. It plans to produce from 3,600 to 6,000 megawatts of power, and the Chinese territory which benefit from this. The project should be completed in 2018. At the end of 2009, a team of 80 Chinese and Burmese scientists conducted a study of 945 pages, on the environmental, economic and social impact of the dam and concluded that it should not be built. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/09/2011)