Groups slam ministers' failure to discuss Xayaburi Dam

Laotian authorities said they would confirm their decision to go ahead with the hydropower project in the mainstream Mekong River if there were any special request to discuss the matter at the meeting.

Despite widely held concerns over the project’s environmental and social impacts, Vientiane decided in November last year to begin construction of the dam. 

“By failing to address the Xayaburi Dam at the Council Meeting, the Mekong River Commission governments are evading their responsibilities,” said Niwat Roykaew of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group. 

“Silence will not make the problems caused by the development of the destructive Xayaburi Dam and any future Mekong dams go away.”

Heavily invested in by Thai construction company Ch Karnchang, the US$3.5-billion (Bt104.5 billion) hydropower project would be the first one built in the mainstream of the lower portion of the Mekong River. China has already built many in the upper Mekong in its territory.

Downstream countries Cambodia and Vietnam have urged Laos to reconsider its decision. The MRC also agreed earlier on a prior-consultation process to take any negative impacts of the dam into consideration. A committee advised Vientiane to delay construction until necessary studies were carried out. 

International donors have also raised concerns. Most recently, in November, the US government announced it was “concerned that construction is proceeding before impact studies have been completed”.

According to Pianporn Deetes of conservation organisation International Rivers, “For over two years, the proposed Xayaburi Dam has sharply divided the region’s governments and become one of the world’s highest profile transboundary water disputes. 

“As Laos has consistently refused to cooperate with its neighbours, it’s no surprise that the issue is not on the agenda. Laos has violated the Mekong agreement, made false claims that the dam is environmentally sustainable, and ignored the general consensus among fishery experts that its proposed mitigation measures for fishery impacts are unlikely to work,” she said.

A legal analysis published this week by International Rivers alleged that Laos has violated the 1995 Mekong Agreement and international law by proceeding with the Xayaburi Dam.

“Regional governments hold the power to prevent the tragedy of the commons that will likely occur if the Xayaburi and other Mekong mainstream dams move forward. Yet to do so depends upon the Mekong governments taking immediate action to demand that construction of the Xayaburi Dam and other mainstream projects halt until further studies and public consultation occur,” said Chhith Sam Ath of the NGO Forum on Cambodia. “We are appealing to regional governments and donors to ensure that a review of the prior consultation process is conducted before any other projects move forward to prevent other projects from following the same problematic path of the Xayaburi Dam.”

 “The extent and severity of the impact that the Xayaburi Dam will have on the livelihoods and food security of the Mekong people remains unknown,” said Lam Thi Thu Suu of the Vietnam Rivers Network and Centre for Social Research and Development.