Local activists have sent an open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that Myanmar people will pay compensation to China, for all incurred costs for  the Myitsone Dam Project, according to a talk show titled “Redeem Ayeyawady” at Novotel Hotel in Yangon on April 20.

In an open letter, Myanmar citizens oppose any dam projects to be developed on Ayeyawady River including Myitsone Project. As an answer to the problem, we would like to offer the fact that Myanmar citizen will contribute one dollar each dutifully to compensate China for all costs incurred for the Myitsone dam project.

Of many matters that may cause anxieties to Myanmar people, special attention should be paid to the silting of Ayeyawady River which is a national character of Myanmar, the possible destruction of cultural heritage of Kachin ethnics, adverse environmental impacts and the prospects for peace filled with conflicts, the letter says.

Myanmar people have agreed to the concept that the President’s the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an opportunity platform that opens the door to cooperation of all people in respective countries. We would like to request the President to accept the offer made by Myanmar people for the Myitsone Project as an opportunity platform for the BRI. The acceptance of Myanmar people’s request amounts to reiterating the fact that China is a neighbouring paukphaw country which has fairness, mutual respect and sympathy. This decision also reiterates that the BRI is a program which reflects the needs and desires of respective people, it says.

Critics point out that more efforts should be made to enable the people to know more about the facts included in the Myintsone dam contract rather than the contribution of one dollar each by citizens and to seek the solution to the problem in coordination with those who started the project. There is widespread criticism of it on the social media.