Chorus of complaints greet Xayaburi plans
The US yesterday criticised Laos for announcing it will begin building the 1,285-megawatt Xayaburi dam on the Mekong River today without studying its potential effects on Cambodia and Vietnam. A spokesperson from the US State Department in Washington said the government was concerned construction of the $3.8 billion dam was proceeding before impact studies had been completed. “The extent and severity of impacts from the Xayaburi dam on an ecosystem that provides food security and livelihoods for millions are still unknown,” the spokesperson said. … Cambodia, meanwhile, did not rush to condemn the announcement of the dam. A statement from the Council of Ministers released yesterday says that Lao president Choummaly Sayasone told Prime Minister Hun Sen during a Sunday meeting that Laos had studied the impacts, and that the premier supported construction in principle provided there was clear evidence that it followed MRC guidelines and didn’t negatively affect Cambodia or the river. …
