Protest At Chinese Consulate Against Pipelines In Burma

[ChiangMaiMail]

Protest at Chinese Consulate against pipelines in Burma

Protestors gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai to rally against the Trans-Burma Pipelines through Burma citing human rights violations and environmental impacts.

Nopniwat Krailerg

Over 50 people from more than 20 countries protested in front of the Chinese Consulate General at 10:10 a.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2012 to submit letters calling on Burma’s President Thein Sein to postpone China’s Trans-Burma oil and gas pipelines project.

The protestors voiced concerns of human rights violations, and the social, economic and environmental impact such projects would have on the country. Wong Aung, the coordinator of the Shwe Gas Movement based in Thailand said, “The Shwe Gas and Trans-Burma Pipelines Project is under construction. The starting point is the western coast of Burma to Yunnan province in China, and will come online in 2013. The project will become the country’s largest source of foreign revenue generating US$ 29 billion over 30 years.

In our open letter to President U Thein Sein we strongly condemn the confiscation of the thousand acres in the region to be developed and the military offensives against ethnic armies in the pipeline corridor in northern Shan State. The letter references previous suspension of the Myitsone Dam and Dawei coal-fired plant and calls for a consistent policy of social and environmental accountability , and an immediate postponement of the project”

According to Wong Aung, the Shwe Gas will be exported to China at the same time that 75% of the population does not have access to electricity from the national grid. He noted, “Resentment to these pipelines is growing day by day. Thein Sein should listen to the will of the people.”

The Chinese Consulate General did not respond to the protestors nor give a statement to the media.

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[chiangmaimail]2012/03/08[/chiangmaimail]