17 December 2003
In this petition more than 80 groups claim that these dams, planned for the upper part of the river in China's Yunnan Province, will have severe negative impacts on the ecosystem and livelihoods of people living along the river in Thailand and Burma.
More than 80 environmental, human rights and ethnic groups in Thailand and Burma called on China to consult countries downstream before going ahead with its plan to build 13 large hydro-power dams on the Salween River (known in Chinese as "Nujiang" or Nu River). The groups claim that these dams, planned for the upper part of the river in China's Yunnan Province, will have severe negative impacts on the ecosystem and livelihoods of people living along the river in Thailand and Burma. According to China's plan, these dams will be built over the next 20 years and collectively will generate 21,320 megawatts. China, Burma and Thailand have no agreement on the utilisation of this transboundary river. Despite the potental negative impacts on the people and the environment in Thailand and Burma, so far an environmental impact assessment has been done only in China.