Sand exports from Gyaing River to Singapore to destroy ecosystem
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
The ecosystem and environment along the Gyaing River is in peril because of large scale excavation of sand for export to Singapore. The Burmese military junta, which permitted the export, has kept local villagers in the dark about the Myat Wadi Trading Limited project, inhabitants of a river-side village said.
The Myat Wadi Trading Limited collected sand from along the Gyaing River and exported it to Singapore 10 times in a month, claims a source from the 'Weekly Eleven Journal' last month.
"Although villagers saw the boats, they thought they were being used for construction in town. We only found out what they were really being used for when I asked them. Authorities did not inform anyone about the project, not even the village headmen along the river," a Kaowao reporter was told by a villager.
Star Height Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd. received permission in April 2007 to export sand from the Gyaing River, under an agreement between governments from both countries.
Earth Rights International Burma Project Coordinator, Ko Naing Htoo discussed some of the problems of this project with Kaowao.
"First of all the activity will disturb the ecosystem and environment in the area. Stored within the sand layers are chemicals that build up over time with pollution or sometimes through nature. Digging the sand banks out means these chemicals will be stirred up and released, whereas previously they were stored neatly in a water column. Also, this type of activity will have serious impact on downstream communities, including their access to clean, safe water."
He went on to say that the government should conduct intensive research on the impact of the project and provide the results of that, both positive and negative, to the local people.
Taing Pakao, of Mon Youth Progressive Organization (MYPO) based in Thai-Burma border, is a prominent environmentalist who was most recently published in a report about the Salween (Than Lwin) Dam titled 'In the Balance'. Discussing the social impact with a Kaowao reporter he stated, "This is destroying the community's livelihood. They have lived in this area for so long by means of agriculture. If the river's ecosystem is destroyed so too will their livelihood."
"If they absorb a lot of sand, water pollution occurs and underwater species will disappear. Erosion along the riverbank will undoubtedly cause trees to collapse," Ms. Mi Jarai Non, another Mon environmentalist said.
After collecting the sand, it is cleaned near the Mawlamyine Mottama Bridge. It is then exported from Mawlamyine seaport to Singapore by the large HENG- 8289 ship, capable of carrying 3500 tonnes.
Over the last five months, they have removed samples from the Irrawaddy , Chindwin and Than Lwin rivers for experimentation. In the end however they chose the Gyaing River.
The Weekly Eleven' news said that, "On September 5, 2007, they started to carry out the sand to a Singapore Company."
According to this weekly news publication, the Myat Wadi representative did not say how much money this trade with the Singapore Company would generate.
bnionline.net
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sure looks like a whole lot of dirty water has been stired up ...........
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