Kachin Democratic Party (KDP) sent open letters to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the Chinese government to not continue the Myitsone dam project on April 14, sources said.

Gum Grawng Awng Hkam, Chairman of the KDP said they send the letters urging the State Counsellor and Chinese government not to discuss about the project in the State Counsellor’s visit to China during Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum held at the end of April.

“We cannot allow the construction of Myitsone dam. Another fact is we intend to discuss about the project after we have been allowed to make decision ourselves,” he said.

The dam project was secretly agreed to during the former military government era to which the opinions of locals were not asked. Locals that had to move from the dam project area are in need of food and other requirements after seven years, it said.

Moreover, the projects in related with electricity should make a plan to supply to fulfill the energy requirements in each state to implement area development and peace, it said.

Although the current government didn’t say about the construction of the dam project specifically, the State Counsellor said during a public meeting held at Pyay on March 14 that the government should consider about the mega projects including the dam project from every point of views such as politics, economics, social and environmental conservation.

Activists held a nationwide meeting to abolish Myitsone dam project at Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS) in Yangon on April 1 and are preparing to organize a working committee and an advisory team with scholars and political activists to end the dam project.

Khun Tun Oo, Chair of the 1990 Elected Candidates Group, said on April 5 that they will not look on with indifference in concerned with the dam project and they will stand with people to object the project.