New protests against Myanmar dam

Approximately 10,000 people in northern Myanmar have protested against the Chinese-backed Myitsone dam.

The US$3.6 billion project was put on hold in 2011 due to environmental concerns.

If built the dam would be one of the largest hydropower plants in the world, but would flood an area twice the size of Singapore.

The Chinese-based firm China Power Investment Corporation was awarded the contract for the project in a joint venture with the Burmese Government’s Ministry of Electric Power and the Asia World Company.

At a recent press conference, U Thaung Tun, Myanmar’s minister of investment and foreign relations was reported to have said that there was, “no need for this dam now,” but concerns remain among the people of Myanmar.

The dam was planned to be a concrete faced rock-fill dam, which would have been 139m high and 1,310m long.

If the project is cancelled completely then the government of Myanmar would face substantial penalties for work that has already been completed.