Tuesday, 13 September 2011 21:46 Tun Tun
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The National League for Democracy (NLD) will publish a book about the controversial dam projects being built on the Irrawaddy River, and it will include Aung San Suu Kyi’s open letter “Irrawaddy Appeal” urging the government to reconsider the dam projects.
The book will also include the signatures of the people who support protection of the river.
Suu Kyi’s open letter on August 11 said: “There is a downside to such projects. The river course is fragmented and the strength of the flow is weakened; there is a decrease in sedimentation that aggravates erosion problems; although the water becomes clearer, there is a greater concentration of impure elements; and during the course of the construction work much industrial refuse is generated, adding to the despoliation of the environment and the pollution of the river.”
Presently, to support the appeal, about 300 signatures of NLD central executive committee members, prominent politicians, students, journalists and writers have been gathered.
“The Irrawaddy River is not only the life of Burma but also the lifeblood of all ethnic people. So, it is not worth it to take the risk. It’s the dignity of our people. It’s the symbol of our people. It’s priceless,” said Ohn Kyaing, an NLD information official.
Suu Kyi’s letter said a particular problem resulting from the weakened flow of water in the Irrawaddy is the intrusion of salt water into the delta which is detrimental to paddy production.
“Since the commencement of the Myitsone Dam project, the perception long held by Kachin people is that successive Burmese governments have neglected their interests,” the letter said.
Similarly, a book titled “We don’t want to yearn for The Irrawaddy” about the 2,170-km-long river by writers, musicians and artists will be published sometime this week.
An anthology, the book will include articles, poetry, photos, news stories and songs by 51 artists including writer Shwe Oo Daung (now deceased), writer Zawgyi (now deceased), writer Paragu (now deceased), film director Maung Wunna (now deceased), singer Htoo Ein Thin (now deceased), singer Khin One (now deceased), singer Lay Phyu and singer Zaw Win Htut.
“All of us are concerned for the survival of the historic Irrawaddy River,” said Yin Tun. The Yin Myo printing house will release the book.
The book, with more than 250 pages, will be the size of an ordinary magazine and is intended to be an historic collector’s item.
“Now, we can’t see [ancient] Bagan. But, we can see [ancient] Bagan by reading books written by writers including Dr. Than Tun. Similarly, if the Irrawaddy River is extinct, by reading our book, a new generation of Burmese can know about the Irrawaddy,” said Daewi Thant Zin, who helped organize the artists for the book.
The government has plans to build eight dams across the Irrawaddy River to generate electricity. The largest is Myitsone Dam, which will generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity. For the Myitsone Dam project, five embankments need to be built along the Maykha River and two embankments along the Malikha River. The area of the Myitsone Dam project is 18,000 square miles.
The height of the dam is 152 meters (500 feet) and the height of the upper reservoir is 299 meters (980 feet), according to the Kachin Development Networking Group.
No. 1 Electrical Power Ministry Minister Zaw Min said in a press conference in Naypyitaw on Sunday that the Myitsone Dam project would be continued and urged Burmese to support the project in the national interest.
“Disrupting the project by citing environmental issues will bring nothing but loss to the national interests of our country. That’s simple,” said Zaw Min.
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The National League for Democracy (NLD) will publish a book about the controversial dam projects being built on the Irrawaddy River, and it will include Aung San Suu Kyi’s open letter “Irrawaddy Appeal” urging the government to reconsider the dam projects.
The book will also include the signatures of the people who support protection of the river.
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| The book cover of “We don’t want to yearn for The Irrawaddy” to be released this week. |
Suu Kyi’s open letter on August 11 said: “There is a downside to such projects. The river course is fragmented and the strength of the flow is weakened; there is a decrease in sedimentation that aggravates erosion problems; although the water becomes clearer, there is a greater concentration of impure elements; and during the course of the construction work much industrial refuse is generated, adding to the despoliation of the environment and the pollution of the river.”
Presently, to support the appeal, about 300 signatures of NLD central executive committee members, prominent politicians, students, journalists and writers have been gathered.
“The Irrawaddy River is not only the life of Burma but also the lifeblood of all ethnic people. So, it is not worth it to take the risk. It’s the dignity of our people. It’s the symbol of our people. It’s priceless,” said Ohn Kyaing, an NLD information official.
Suu Kyi’s letter said a particular problem resulting from the weakened flow of water in the Irrawaddy is the intrusion of salt water into the delta which is detrimental to paddy production.
“Since the commencement of the Myitsone Dam project, the perception long held by Kachin people is that successive Burmese governments have neglected their interests,” the letter said.
Similarly, a book titled “We don’t want to yearn for The Irrawaddy” about the 2,170-km-long river by writers, musicians and artists will be published sometime this week.
An anthology, the book will include articles, poetry, photos, news stories and songs by 51 artists including writer Shwe Oo Daung (now deceased), writer Zawgyi (now deceased), writer Paragu (now deceased), film director Maung Wunna (now deceased), singer Htoo Ein Thin (now deceased), singer Khin One (now deceased), singer Lay Phyu and singer Zaw Win Htut.
“All of us are concerned for the survival of the historic Irrawaddy River,” said Yin Tun. The Yin Myo printing house will release the book.
The book, with more than 250 pages, will be the size of an ordinary magazine and is intended to be an historic collector’s item.
“Now, we can’t see [ancient] Bagan. But, we can see [ancient] Bagan by reading books written by writers including Dr. Than Tun. Similarly, if the Irrawaddy River is extinct, by reading our book, a new generation of Burmese can know about the Irrawaddy,” said Daewi Thant Zin, who helped organize the artists for the book.
The government has plans to build eight dams across the Irrawaddy River to generate electricity. The largest is Myitsone Dam, which will generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity. For the Myitsone Dam project, five embankments need to be built along the Maykha River and two embankments along the Malikha River. The area of the Myitsone Dam project is 18,000 square miles.
The height of the dam is 152 meters (500 feet) and the height of the upper reservoir is 299 meters (980 feet), according to the Kachin Development Networking Group.
No. 1 Electrical Power Ministry Minister Zaw Min said in a press conference in Naypyitaw on Sunday that the Myitsone Dam project would be continued and urged Burmese to support the project in the national interest.
“Disrupting the project by citing environmental issues will bring nothing but loss to the national interests of our country. That’s simple,” said Zaw Min.
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