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dam-l LS: Pak Mun villagers occupy dam, demand decommissioning
The Assembly of the Poor at the Mae Mun Man Yeun Village,
For Immediate Release
May, 15th, 2000
“Decommissioning the Pak Mun dam, open the water gate, regain the fertility
of the river”
Holding a 14-month-long demonstration next to the Pak Mun Dam since March
23rd, 1999, at 2.00 am of May 15th, 2000, 2,500 villagers, who are members
of the Assembly of the Poor at the Mae Mun Man Yeun Village No.1, occupy
the crest of Pak Mun dam and the fish ladder.
Mr. Thongcharoen Srihadham, the villagers’ leader said that “our experience
has proved that the Pak Mun Dam has destroyed the river’s fertility. It has
also caused the end of the peaceful livelihood of the Pak Mun community.
The fish ladder, which was proposed to be a solution to the fish’s
breeding, could not be a substitution to natural river for fish to migrate
upstream to breed in the Mekong river. Hence, we are demanding that the Pak
Mun dam’s gate be opened in order to regain the abundance of the Mun river.
The gate opening will also prove that if the river is not dammed, fish will
be able to move upstream to breed”
Mr. Thongcharoen also said that “this action is done in a peaceful manner.
We are holding fast to non-violent means. We will not block any roads, nor
will we destroy public properies. We will definitely not use any violent
actions, which will cause harm to the general public. If any violent
incidents happen, it is certain that the AOP has nothing to do with it. It
is most likely that the incident may be created by the government officials
or the EGAT’s officials to deligitimize the non-violent action of the AOP.”
Mr. Thongcharoen insisted that the Pak Mun dam’s seizure will continue
until the villagers’ demands are achived.
Regarding the villagers’ activity, since today is the Puudchamongkon day,
which is a great day for farmers, at 11.00 am. villager did a “Keun Pla
Klap Wang” ceremony, which is symbolically meant to return fish to their
origin and to prolong life of fish in the Mun river. The villagers brought
a 25-kg Mekong Giant Catfish, from the foot of the fish ladder and walked
up across the dam and let it return to the Mun River upstream of the Pak
Mun dam.
______________________
Declaration of the Assembly of the Poor at the Mae Mun Man Yeun Village, No.1
“Open the Pak Mun dam’s gate, regain the fertility of the river”
Since March 23rd, 1999 the Assembly of the Poor has been holding a
demonstration so as to demand the Thai Government to provide a solution to
villagers’ problems, which are as follows;
1. Solving problems resulting from the construction of the Pak Mun,
Sirindhorn, Lam Khan Chu and Huay La Ha Dam.
2. Stop the construction of the Pong Khun Phet and Lam Dom Yai Dam
3.Solving problems stemming from the Chong Meg Checkpoint Developmental
Project
4. Solving problems resulting from the Royal Forestry Department’s
implementation of a protected areas stategy through the demarcation of
forest areas, where has long been inhabited by villagers, as national
reserve forest and national parks.
Throughout the 14-month-long peaceful demonstration, it is evident that the
Thai Government led by Mr. Chuan Leekpai has not at all tried to solve the
problems. Consequently, we, about 2,500 members of the Assembly of the Poor
at the Mae Mun Man Yeun Village, are compelled to occupy the crest of Pak
Mun Dam and seize the fish ladder at 2.00 am of May, 15th, 2000. We are
demanding the Thai Government and the Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand (EGAT) to open the Pak Mun Dam’s gate so that fishes can migrate
up from the Mekong to the Mun river to breed as before. The Pak Mun Dam has
destroyed the river’s abundance and livelihood of local fishermen and the
fish ladder could not be a substitution to the natural migration route of fish.
We are demanding that the government solve the above mentioned problems. We
declare that the protest will be held in a non-violent manner. We will not
destroy any public properties, nor will we block a road, nor use any other
violent means.
As thousands of police are ordered to stand by at the Pak Mun site, which
has a tendency to lead to the use of force
in order to disperse the protesters. We are anticipating that the EGAT may
create a situation which will justify the suppression of demonstrators by
using the government’s armed polices. We declare that any violent actions
will definitely not be caused by us.
Lastly, we would like to request our alliances, the media and other
concerned people not to let our struggle go in insulation. We are fighting
for the rights, livelihood and future of our younger generation on behalf
of the poor people, who has long been deprived of the process of decision
making in any developmental projects and resource allocation for the past
four decades.
With solidarity,
The Assembly of the Poor at the Mae Mun Man Yuen
May 15th, 2000