Category: Global

10th June 2011
The pro-independence group denounces the population’s lack of involvement in the construction of new hydroelectric plants. They have blocked the work, but have withdrawn their militias after the payment of a “tax”. Environmentalists fear possible damage to the ecosystem.
Update 15.6.11:
Burmese rebels say they have destroyed several bridges in the north of the country to prevent attacks by the army.

The rebels, from Kachin state, said they had blown up two bridges in neighbouring Shan state.

The Thailand-based Kachin News Group reported that the destroyed bridges were on a major trading route into China.
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The Kachin pro-independence movement is opposing the construction of a series of hydroelectric dams along the northern border between Myanmar and China. This is revealed by sources close to the ethnic rebel group which, despite signing a peace agreement with the Burmese junta in 1994, exercises substantial control over the area and frequently engages in armed clashes with government troops.

The Kachin denounce their lack of involvement in the agreement, signed in 2007, between the ruling dictatorship and executives of the multinational China Datang Corporation; the agreement provides for the construction of nine hydroelectric plants along the Chinese border.

Tension broke out two weeks ago over the refusal on the part of Chinese authorities to pay a sort of “construction tax” to the leaders of the ethnic rebels; in response, the rebels sent militia groups to the construction sites to block work on the dams. Tarpein 1 and Tarpein 2 are the first two in a series of nine dams planned by the Burmese energy ministry, in collaboration with Chinese companies. They take their name from the river that runs through the northern city of Momauk, and once they begin functioning, they will provide 240 and 168 megawatts respectively.

Sources close to the pro-independence movement confirm that the work resumed a week ago, after the payment of 1.5 million yuan (a little more than 220,000 dollars) by executives of the construction companies. The agreement was overseen by the new commander of the northern brigade, General Soe Win, who mediated between the parties, permitting work to resume.

In addition to the economic interests and control of the territory involved, the Burmese-Chinese project has unleashed protests from environmentalists who are afraid of serious repercussions for the environment. “The fear”, reveals environmental expert Naw La in interview with the Irrawaddy, “is that the local population is not being involved in the project, and must pay the consequences. The benefits will go only to the Burmese government and to the Chinese companies, while the inhabitants of the villages will suffer serious damage from deforestation and flooding”.

The most important of the nine hydroelectric plants being built is the one in Myitsone: it will be located 42 kilometers north of Myitkyina, capital of the state of Kachin, and will produce about 3,600 megawatts of electricity.

A recruiting drive in recent years by the Kachin rebels has increased their strength to about 7,000 men, according to Aung Kyaw Zaw. This would seem no match for Myanmar’s army which, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers, is one of the largest forces in Southeast Asia.

But the Kachin know the terrain well and have a reputation as able jungle warriors going back to World War II, when they allied themselves with the United States and Britain and terrified Japanese soldiers by cutting off their ears as trophies.

“Our strategy is guerilla warfare,” said Brang Lai, who is an aide to Gun Maw, one of the Kachin’s senior leaders. “We don’t have sufficient supplies but our spirit is the most important thing.” The Kachin have laid land mines in the path of the government army, he said.

He did not rule out making targets of Chinese projects in the area, such as the gas pipeline, which is under construction. “Until now we don’t have the intention to disrupt the gas pipeline,” Brang Lai said. “We are waiting for the Chinese response.”

Chinese investment in northern Myanmar has increased manifold in recent years, including plantations, jade mines and infrastructure projects. The fighting complicates Chinese efforts to foster a peaceful balance between the central government and the rebels.

The fighting in the Kachin areas is the most serious outbreak of violence since clashes in August 2009 when Burmese government troops defeated the Kokang, an ethnic Chinese rebel group, sending thousands of refugees fleeing into China.

Background

31st May 2011
For the past three weeks, more than 10,000 Indigenous People, mostly Aymaras, have been protesting against the oncoming Santa Ana silver mine in southeastern Peru near the border with Bolivia.

The Indigenous people are concerned that pollution from the new mine would threaten their livelihoods and contaminate local rivers and lakes. For those reasons, the protesters want to see the Peruvian government revoke the mining license it granted to the company behind the mining project, Canada’s Bear Creek Mining Corporation. The protesters are also calling for a definite ban on all mining in the region.

The massive protest, for which the Aymara and some Quechua have set up a sequence of blockades along a 300km stretch of road on both sides of border, was facing a media blackout until this past weekend.

On May 27, a number of government buildings in the Peruvian border town of Puno were looted and set ablaze.

That seemed to give the media what they needed; however, the organizers of the protests are insisting that they aren’t responsible for the violent lash out. Rather, they say, it was brought on by individuals who have infiltrated the protests.

In hand with the lack of media coverage, the police and military presence throughout the protest has been almost non-existent. On May 28, Reuters reported that President Garcia has indeed authorized the military to “maintain order”, but so far they haven’t tried do so.

That’s partly because of the sheer scale of the protest; but moreso because of the upcoming presidential election in Peru, which is set for June 5. According to Reuters, Garcia has stated that he won’t give the order to stop the protests until after the election concludes.

There was, however, at least one violent confrontation before the protest was in full swing. As noted on the WW4 Report,

At least one is reported dead in Peru’s southern region of Puno after the National Police fired on protesters April 26, the second day of a 48-hour civil strike or paro called by campesino groups to demand a halt to local mining and petroleum leases. The deceased, identified as María Choque Limache, 61, died after inhaling tear gas as police broke up a protest at the village of Yohoroco, in Huacullani district of Chucuito province, according to Walter Aduviri Calisaya, president of the Puno Front for the Defense of Natural Resources. National Police commander Jaime Cordero Ayala denied this version of events, insisting she had not been at the protest and had died of natural causes.

Most recently, on May 29, the protesters rejected a deal to stand down in exchange for a 12-month moratorium on mining. Negotiators for the protesters initially agreed with the offer, but the protesters themselves said they won’t settle for anything less than a definitive ban on mining which must be ratified through a presidential decree.

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