BANGKOK, May 2 (Bernama) -- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from the Mekong region, East Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States are urging the Laos Government to abandon its plans for the Don Sahong dam in the Mekong River.
In a statement Wednesday, the NGOs said Mega First Corp from Malaysia was conducting a feasibility study on Don Sahong which was expected to be completed shortly.
"Once the feasibility study and the draft Environmental Impact Assessment are received by the Laos Government, a public hearing should be scheduled in Vientiane," they said.
The NGOs said that the 240 MW dam, the first to be built on the lower Mekong and which could generate power possibly for export to Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam, would block fish migration and undermine fisheries-based livelihoods in the four countries.
"We are concerned that the feasibility study currently under development for this project will fail to adequately consider the extremely negative and widespread impacts that the dam would have on Mekong River fish and fisheries," they said in an open letter to the four governments.
The NGOs said they are especially concerned that the Laos government and others would be deceived by claims by the project developers that installing a fish pass on the dam would enable fish migrations.
I hope for once the LPDR Gov. thinks of it's citizen and natural surrounding. "MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING, IF EVERYTHING BECOMES HISTORY"...then again if they thought of their country before themselves our country wouldn't end up this way.
*sorry if this's off topic*
Funny thing is that I recently met some Laotians here in America on visa (Minneapolis to be exact), applying for their Alien card to stay. Sad thing is I can't say anything about their government or compare Laos. I never hate or a shame of my old country, I have every rights to compare Lao if I want. "IF ONE DOESN'T COMPARE HOW CAN ONE BETTER THEMSELF" They told me if Laos was like the old days, which was Monarchy...we would be 500 yrs behind everyone, since they follow their so called Peoples Party now they're only 30yrs or so behind they say. What a loser...I don't blame them for getting brain wash, but they keep trying to tell me America is Laos number one enemy, but at the same time the ASS HOLE wanted to live here. I don't know how Lao was when Somded Pra Chao Yu Hua ran the country...I wasn't even born, but I have a hint the country was prob way better than this. I know I heard the King didn't do much to help his people, but it was better than being control by guns and knieves right...elderly folks of generation before me. When I was visting Laos, at the time of Visit Lao Year 2000, my auntie in Laos told me, before we was communist...there was Lao Movie producer, great musician (not stating we don't have any now)...foreign products like china,beautiful chandelier etc etc, for sale, our country was on it's move.
I'm always proud of Lao people, the country and the past ruler Pra Chao Mengrai, Khun Borum, Chao Fa Ngum...and Last Chao Anou <~~~a great King who died for his people. There's more Kings but I don't need to name them, we Laotian should let our history melt...should keep it frozen for next generation if u know what I mean.
