Minority Communities Say Burma Development Projects Lead To Abuses, Environmental Damage

Minority communities in Burma say the exploitation of the country'snatural resources is damaging the environment and increasing themilitary presence in their areas. The activists say greater public participation is necessary in thedevelopment process to ensure that communities benefit.

TheBurma Environmental Group says the government's development policiesand efforts to extract natural resources have destroyed the homes ofthousands of people in border areas and is increasing hunger amongethnic minority groups. On Thursday, the group released a report sayingthere are more troops in minority areas and environmental damage isspreading.

The group includes representatives from the Kachin,Karen, Lahu, and Shan ethnic communities in Burma. Most of thesecommunities live in Burma's border areas.

Saw Paul Sein Twa, Director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action NetworkSaw Paul Sein Twa isthe director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network. Hesays development projects have displaced half a million people becausetheir livelihoods are disrupted. Thousands of them have fled toThailand.

"So the path that the military government is taking usis to environmental problems, lead us to crisis and will furthermarginalize our ethnic people who are in the rural areas," he said. "Soyou can see that many people are in refugee camps, as I said, more than8,000 people in one area are facing starvation."

The reportaccuses the Burmese military of human rights abuses against localcommunities, including beatings, killings, and sexual violence, as itprotects economic projects.

The group and other rightsorganizations have called on the Chinese government to halt itsinvestment in an offshore oil and gas project, and seeks a halt inseveral dam projects.

Saw Paul Sein Twa says the groups do notoppose development in general but say public participation and isneeded before projects go ahead.

"The fundamental question isdevelopment for whom? needs to be addressed," he said. "Thelocal people have to benefit from any development project and numbertwo is people participation in this development process must be assuredthat people participate. Before you start an environmental impactstatement must be done."

The report says as long as Burmaremains under military rule and communities can not take part indecision-making, increased development in the border region willaccelerate environmental destruction and lead to unsustainable andinequitable development.