Nam Theun 2 Trip Report and Project Update - BankTrack

International Rivers NetworkResettled villagers discussing their concerns on the Nakai Plateau. Photo by Henrik Lindholm, SwedWatch.NAKAI PLATEAU RESETTLEMENTProblems with transitional resettlementSeventeen villages of more than 6,200 indigenous peoples on the Nakai Plateau are being resettled to makeway for the Nam Theun 2 reservoir. In May 2008, the NT2 dam is supposed to be closed so that reservoirfilling can begin, and all villagers must be established in their new resettlement sites by then.The resettlement program has been fraught withdelays, missing its original deadline to have all villagesresettled by the 2006-2007 dry season. As a result ofthese delays, NTPC began moving people to temporaryhouses in their new villages in April 2006 underwhat has been called “transitional resettlement.” 16At the time of IRN’s visit, the more than 550 familiesthat had been moved were still in temporary houses.According to NTPC 17 , only 20 to 30 permanent houseshad been finished due to a shortage of timber. 18NTPC says the problems with timber supply have nowbeen solved and all permanent houses are expected tobe completed early in the 2007-2008 dry season.Many villagers complained that their temporary homes—built to last for just a few months—are falling apart.Villagers are concerned about facing the coming wetseason in substandard housing. NTPC says it willensure that “resettlers who will need to spend part ofthe 2007 wet season in their temporary houses willreceive necessary tools, materials and assistance toensure that their houses are secure.”Resettled villagers depend on fooddistributionFor now, villagers in the resettlement sites are survivingon rice and protein supports from the company,23