Activists criticise lack of transparency on China railway project

Activists criticise lack of transparency on China railway project

Published on Thursday, 18 July 2013 19:11

An environmental NGO has criticised a multibillion-dollar Chinese railway project during a press conference on Wednesday for not releasing environmental and social impact assessment reports and failure to notify the public.

The Thailand-based Shwe Gas Movement were publicising their report titled 'Good Governance and the Extractive Industry in Burma' in Yangon. They used the event to draw attention to China's US$20 billion railway project which aims to connect the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port in Rakhine State to Kunming, Yunnan province, saying it lacked transparency.

"Any parties engaging in these activities choose to ignore serious environmental, social, and transparency related issues. They may, therefore, be accused of lacking the due diligence necessary to ensure good global governance in Burma," said the report.

The project is being implemented by China-based CITIC Group and will provide China easier access to Indian Ocean trade routes through a 800km high-speed railway network. Arkan Oil Watch, another activist group who have also criticised the project, claim that China's investment in the railway and special economic zone in Kyaukphyu will cost US$109 billion over 35 years. Officials of the project were unavailable to comment.

Myanmar's Ministry of Rail Transportation and China's Railways Engineering Corporation, the parent company of China Railway, signed a memorandum of understanding in April 2011 outlining a 50-year BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) agreement, whereby China will build and run the railway and eventually hand it back to Myanmar after 50 years. High-speed trains will carry up to 4,000 tons of goods running at speeds of up to 170 km per hour, according to a report from Arkan Oil Watch.

Residents from Kyuakphyu also say that they were not informed about the Chinese-run Shwe oil and natural gas pipeline project, due to start operating in coming months, and they only found out after the project started. The residents say they will not accept any new projects including the new railway and motorway projects which lack transparency and don't notify the public.

"The local residents don't know anything about this Kyaukphyu-Muse railway project," said Tun Kyi, a local resident from Kyauk Phyu.

Activists from the Myanmar-China Pipeline Watch Committee earlier told the Daily Eleven that they accept investments are being made in Rakhine State but she wants the locals to benefit from these projects, rather than just the government and companies involved.

The proposed railway project is 868.262 kilometres long (539.19 miles) and will pass through Kyaukphyu, Ahn, Mandalay, Lashio and Muse. The project includes 79 train stations, 409 bridges, and 101 tunnels and will also connect with Kunming, Yunnan province in southern China. It will be built with investment from China, but no further information is currently available.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/activists-criticise-lack-of-transparency-on-china-railway-project/