Event: The Ayeyarwady and the Union of Myanmar
Parkroyal Hotel,
Saturday 24 Sept 2011, 1 - 4 pm
(Organized by four local groups)
Opening address by U Ohn of FREDA
Presentations by Win Myo Thu, U Tun Lwin, and Duwa Zau Gam
Closing address by Dr Than Tun Aung of Weekly Eleven
It was a superb event - educative and full of facts, well-argued, stirring,
and most of all, it was deeply political and has delivered a rallying cry.
Without histrionics, it shows how the environment can be strongly political.
The Myitson Dam issue shot up on to the national stage a couple of weeks
ago: today's event puts it on track forward, and on a higher trajectory.
The ballroom was packed, and more tables had to be laid outside, where there
was a large TV screen. The audience included some monks, other religious
leaders and a gaggle of political party leaders.
Everyone spoke eloquently against the dam, quoting studies, data and
examples (this is to say that it wasn't merely activism). They were
frequently punctuated by applause. But the clincher came from Dr Than Tun
Aung - a natural politician if I've ever seen one. He repeated what had been
written in his weekly - that the Chinese experts in the EIA had
categorically told him that the report had advised against building the dam.
He called upon the CPI not only to pay heed to the EIA but also to desist
from harming Myanmar national unity. He elaborated on the ethnic conflict,
and told the ethnic nationalities to allow for time in getting broader and
full understanding of their plight and aspirations. He closed by stating
that an all-inclusive conference on national reconciliation will be held not
at Panglong, but at Myitson.
(ASSK was reportedly invited but she didn't show up. To be fair, she had
said national unity should be regained at Myitson. But she is the poorer for
not having been at the talk).
COMMENT
It is still a bit early to say for sure, but it would be very reckless of
the Chinese and the pro-dam faction to continue after today.
Linking Myitson to national unity was a brilliant move. Further continuation
of the construction would be tantamount to openly harming national unity.
Parkroyal Hotel,
Saturday 24 Sept 2011, 1 - 4 pm
(Organized by four local groups)
Opening address by U Ohn of FREDA
Presentations by Win Myo Thu, U Tun Lwin, and Duwa Zau Gam
Closing address by Dr Than Tun Aung of Weekly Eleven
It was a superb event - educative and full of facts, well-argued, stirring,
and most of all, it was deeply political and has delivered a rallying cry.
Without histrionics, it shows how the environment can be strongly political.
The Myitson Dam issue shot up on to the national stage a couple of weeks
ago: today's event puts it on track forward, and on a higher trajectory.
The ballroom was packed, and more tables had to be laid outside, where there
was a large TV screen. The audience included some monks, other religious
leaders and a gaggle of political party leaders.
Everyone spoke eloquently against the dam, quoting studies, data and
examples (this is to say that it wasn't merely activism). They were
frequently punctuated by applause. But the clincher came from Dr Than Tun
Aung - a natural politician if I've ever seen one. He repeated what had been
written in his weekly - that the Chinese experts in the EIA had
categorically told him that the report had advised against building the dam.
He called upon the CPI not only to pay heed to the EIA but also to desist
from harming Myanmar national unity. He elaborated on the ethnic conflict,
and told the ethnic nationalities to allow for time in getting broader and
full understanding of their plight and aspirations. He closed by stating
that an all-inclusive conference on national reconciliation will be held not
at Panglong, but at Myitson.
(ASSK was reportedly invited but she didn't show up. To be fair, she had
said national unity should be regained at Myitson. But she is the poorer for
not having been at the talk).
COMMENT
It is still a bit early to say for sure, but it would be very reckless of
the Chinese and the pro-dam faction to continue after today.
Linking Myitson to national unity was a brilliant move. Further continuation
of the construction would be tantamount to openly harming national unity.
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