Tuesday, March 20, 2012

China faces another suspension


COUPLE weeks ago, I read a news in ST saying China is winning a hydroelectric power project over usual dominance India firms in Nepal. I was surprising to learn China's hungry on generating power all over the world. I even told my wife that no wonder China is exploring opportunities in our country for power generation by citing Nepal's news. China Three Gorges International Corporation signed an agreement with Nepal's government last month to build the 750-mega watt hydroelectric power plant. The project is estimated to cost US$1.6 billion (S$2 billion).

One month after commencing project, Nepal's parliamentary committee ordered the company to suspend work while investigating possible irregularities in the granting of the firm's license. Nepal's parliamentary Natural Resources and Means Committee said it was probing the government's decision to grant the project to the Chinese company without calling for international bidding. I am really impressed to learn their reason for suspension. It's totally different from our own version of awarding projects to China's companies. Till now, people are not subject to know about the detail of story why the ruling party is awarding to a particular company.

Five months ago, our president suspended the China invested hydroelectric power project which is tend to generate 2000 MW in order to avoid public outrage. Now authority is asking local villages to move by certain dateline. So the ethnic residence and the whole country are worrying about resuming the job. Initially, the president promised to the public that he won't allow the project during his term (5 years). Now five months later, the project is apparently going to restart. In fact, the project will sit on the junction of two small rivers which make our life-blood river, Irrawaddy at the end. Thus people are so much concern with the effort of killing our 100% own river. Besides, all the people who rely on the river for their life would be severely affected. The ruling party will get negative response in the upcoming by-election and next general election if they are moving against people's wills.

There are others things to be developed in Burma. I just don't understand why our leaders are still very obedient to China. People are not really like the attitude of China. You go ask people if they like China, I am sure you will get 99% of them answer "NO". The rest 1% are likely to be ethnic Chinese or those immigrant Chinese who take double citizen illegally. It's not wise to go China way against people's desire. I wish our leaders will review the mega dam project that will sink our invaluable natural resources in ethnic Kachin region and change plan to the best interest of our people. May our people free from modern colonization threaten by big boys like China.

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