Dawei SEZ is for the few, not the many
Dawei SEZ is for the few, not the many
Myanmar Times, 22 Feb 2018
URL: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/dawei-sez-few-not-many.html
A few elites will benefit from reviving Dawei SEZ, but what about the rest? Civil society organizations demand authorities to halt the controversial Dawei project and rethink.
CIVIL society organizations have demanded the authorities to reconsider the plans to revive the controversial Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ). They argued that a site-wide environment impact assessment must be carried out and all past problems must be “fully and completely” resolved before the project resumes.
The SEZ has been accused of grave human rights violations including forced evictions, a lack of transparency and environmental disruption as the land lease contract for its initial phase is expected to be signed before April.
Furthermore, the legality of the Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) is questioned while experts say that the project has destroyed farmlands, polluted rivers and is threatening the lands and livelihoods of communities.
The SEZ in Tanintharyi Region, which is divided into two phases, is one of the three SEZs in Myanmar -- the other two being Thilawa SEZ in southern Yangon and Kyaukphyu SEZ in Rakhine.
CIVIL society organizations have demanded the authorities to reconsider the plans to revive the controversial Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ). They argued that a site-wide environment impact assessment must be carried out and all past problems must be “fully and completely” resolved before the project resumes.
The SEZ has been accused of grave human rights violations including forced evictions, a lack of transparency and environmental disruption as the land lease contract for its initial phase is expected to be signed before April.
Furthermore, the legality of the Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) is questioned while experts say that the project has destroyed farmlands, polluted rivers and is threatening the lands and livelihoods of communities.
The SEZ in Tanintharyi Region, which is divided into two phases, is one of the three SEZs in Myanmar -- the other two being Thilawa SEZ in southern Yangon and Kyaukphyu SEZ in Rakhine.