Burmese Military Stokes War in Northern Shan State to Clear Way for Salween Dam

The Burmese Army has given an ultimatum to the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) to clear its troops from the west bank of the Salween River in an area where Chinese companies are planning a mega dam.

On March 26, the Burmese Northeast Regional Commander ordered SSA-N troops to move out immediately from east of the Tangyan-Mong Kao road or face attack. SSA-N had been permitted to operate in this area under their original 1989 ceasefire agreement as well as under their new 2012 peace agreement […]

Love Salween Group Condemns Blocking of Free Expression in Karenni State

We, the Love Salween Group, condemn government authorities for denying local villagers their democratic rights by blocking them from organizing a prayer ceremony to mark the Global Day of Action for Rivers on March 14, 2013 at Wan Awn village, Pasaung township of Karenni state […]

Current Status of Dam Projects on Burma’s Salween River

In late February 2013, Burma’s Deputy Minister of Electric Power informed Parliament that six dam projects on the Salween River in Shan State, Kayah State (Karenni) and Karen State had gained approval. With a combined installed capacity of 15,000 MW, the projects will include the Upper Salween or Kunlong Dam, Mai Tong or Tasang Dam, Nong Pha Dam, Mantawng Dam (on a tributary), Ywathit Dam, and Hatgyi Dam. The investment will come from five Chinese corporations, Thailand’s Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand (EGAT) International Co. Ltd and three Burmese corporations.

Investors’ Haste to Build Big Dams is Undermining Fragile Peace Process in Karen State

The push by investors to proceed with large dams in Karen areas of Burma is threatening to undermine ongoing ceasefire negotiations between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burmese government.

Increased Burma Army security around dam sites and blatant disregard for concerns of impacted communities are heightening tensions, and throwing into doubt the government’s sincerity in conducting ceasefire talks […]

Escalation of Civil War in Burma Necessitates Immediate Halt to Salween Dam Plans

Following recent heavy fighting in northern Shan State, all the planned Salween dam sites in Burma now lie directly in active conflict zones. The Salween Watch Coalition is therefore demanding an immediate halt to all plans […]

Stop Damming Burma’s Rivers

Burma Rivers Network is calling on foreign investors to immediately stop plans to build large dams on Burma’s major rivers and their tributaries, as these dams will have huge social and environmental impacts across the country, and fuel Burma’s decades-long civil war […]

Junta Launches Covert Dam Offensive in Karenni State

Engineers are secretly surveying for dams planned by China hydropower giant Datang on the Salween and its tributaries in Karenni State under the armed guard of Burma’s junta, according to local researchers.

The Karenni Development Research Group (KDRG) launched today a campaign publication exposing how three planned dams proceeding in secret will block waterways across the state, tightening the junta’s control and causing further widespread disruption to the war-torn population […]

New Rail Link to Eastern Shan State Spells War Escalation

Shan rights groups today launched a campaign against the new Mong Nai-Kengtung railway, denouncing it an expansion of the Burmese regime’s war apparatus in Shan State. In recent months the regime has accelerated construction of the planned 361-km railway, the first rail link across the Salween River to eastern Shan State. The Shan Women’s Action Network (SWAN) and Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) have documented how thousands of acres of farmlands have been confiscated along the route. Farmers complaining have been told the railroad is an “army project” and threatened with prison[…]

Karenni people oppose new Salween dam plans by SPDC and Chinese investors

On the occasion of the 62PndP anniversary of the Karenni national resistance movement, the KDRG strongly denounces the new plans by the Burmese military regime and Chinese investors to build a giant hydropower dam on the Salween River in Karenni State[…]

China to build two more hydropower plants in Shan State

The Burmese military junta had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chinese officials to build two more hydropower plants in Shan State North during the visit of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to Naypyitaw in December 2009, according to a report from the China-Salween, an Environment group that focuses on hydropower developments along the Salween (Thanlwin) River and its tributaries […]