Kachin forces reject junta’s Myitsone dam revival

KDNG

The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), have firmly rejected the Myanmar junta’s renewed push to restart the long‑suspended Myitsone hydropower project, warning that any attempt to revive it would deepen conflict and ignore overwhelming public opposition.

KIO spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy that sentiment among the Kachin public remains unchanged since the dam was first halted in 2011. “This concerns the people deeply. It was strongly opposed before, and public sentiment remains central to the KIO’s position,” he said.

The junta’s deputy chief, Vice Senior General Soe Win, visited Myitkyina on 17 December, telling residents the regime intended to “review and implement” the project. Originally launched in 2009 under the previous military government, the Myitsone Dam was designed to generate up to 100 billion kWh annually, with most of the electricity exported to China. It was suspended after nationwide protests over environmental damage, seismic risks and mass displacement.

Despite that history, the junta has reconstituted a committee to evaluate Irrawaddy River hydropower projects and is working closely with SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment, the Chinese developer. Local sources say Chinese teams have resumed technical assessments in preparation for construction.

Residents in Myitkyina and surrounding areas fear the project will trigger further unrest. More than 15,000 people were forcibly relocated during earlier dam works, and the KIA now controls 13 towns in Kachin State, where junta airstrikes continue to displace civilians. “If they restart the project, fighting will only increase,” one local woman said.

Experts warn the dam site lies just 25 kilometres from the Sagaing Fault, within a high‑risk seismic zone. Geologist U Myo Thant cautioned that all active faults within 150 km must be considered, arguing that no redesign can eliminate the dangers.

The project also raises national concerns. A Myitkyina resident monitoring the issue said: “This affects the entire country. No single committee or authority should make this decision. If they push ahead, conflict will only escalate.”

With profits heavily skewed towards China—70 per cent to the developer, 20 per cent to Myanmar’s government and 10 per cent to Asia World—the dam has long symbolised fears of exploitation and loss of sovereignty. Analysts say public opposition remains resolute: “People across Myanmar, including the Kachin public, have already made it clear they do not support the Myitsone Dam. That won’t change.”

-2025-12-23