Cambodia "suspends" construction of dam on Mekong
Vientiane (AsiaNews) - Laos
has decided to suspend the construction of the Xayaburi dam on the Mekong River.
The
decision, announced Wednesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane is linked to the protests of environmental
groups and Cambodia
(pictured).
The
construction of the dam, was subject to the go ahead from an Intergovernmental
Commission (MRC) comprising stakeholders from the Mekong countries, namely Cambodia, Laos,
Thailand and Vietnam. In
December, the MRC had said that no project should go forward before further
assessments were completed on the environmental impact of damming the river. There
is talk of 11 dams, which would add to the five already built by China in the
highest part of the river. The
Xayaburi would be the first after the Mekong crosses
the Chinese border and a group of experts had recommended a 10 year halt to the
construction of dams to assess the potentially hazardous environmental and
socio-economic impact.
Nevertheless,
in April, the Thai company Ch Karnchang announced it has signed a contract
worth 1.7 billion dollars with the Xayaburi Power Co to build a dam to get
1,290 megawatts.
The
announcement was followed by protests from environmental groups - for whom the
dam, would prevent fish from swimming upstream and would undermine the food
system of millions of people - and the Commission itself.
A
spokesman for which, last Tuesday, said the project had to be subjected to
further tests to assess their environmental impact. "The
construction of the dam must stop until the conclusion of the studies," said
Surasack Glahan, interviewed by Radio Free Asia.
The
Commission's conclusion was backed up by Cambodian protests and the Vientiane announcement
that the construction "is suspended, postponed."
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15/02/2021 12:20
