THA NOO HTOO AUG -2009

oElxl
OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
KAREN NATIONAL UNION
KAWTHOOLEI
Update Statement of KNU on Hatgyi Dam Construction Project
March 14, 2009
1. We, the KNU, issued a statement on the construction of Hatgyi dam, dated February 13,
2006. In the statement, we called upon the external countries investing in construction of
the dam to withdraw their investment, as the construction of the dam would cause massive
damage to the environment, to a large area of agricultural land down stream due to salinity
and bring on widespread human rights violations on local population in the forms of burning
down villages, destruction of harvests, looting of property, killing of livestock, extortion of
money, torture and killing of suspects, rape of women, forced relocation and forced labor
by troops of the SPDC military dictatorship.
2. The dam site is in a conflict zone and near a geological fault line. Since the security and
political situations have not improved, there has been no proper survey for determining the
extent of the damage until now. As a result, no effective plan for limiting the damage to the
environment and eliminating human rights violations can be made.
3. For the reasons given above, we again earnestly call upon the investors and the authorities
concerned not to continue implementation of the project until there is a viable peace in the
Karen State and in Burma.
4. The SPDC military dictatorship which has no concern for the interest of the people is
attempting to hold election in 2010 and form a government according to its fraudulent State
Constitution. Accordingly, the election is nothing but a scheme by the military dictatorship
to hoodwink the world community and perpetuate its hold on power behind the façade of a
civilian government.
5. So long as the military dictatorship remains in power in one form or another, we would like
to urge justice and peace loving countries of the world to impose trade, economic, investment
and financial sanctions and arms embargo on Burma.
The Executive Committee
Karen National Union
August 2009 39