Seminar on Impacts and Consequences of Overseas Investment in Burma and the Role of ASEAN

8/8/2019 Seminar on Impacts and Consequences of Overseas Investment in Burma and the Role of ASEAN

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Seminar on Impacts and Consequences of Overseas Investment in Large-Scale Resource Extraction Projects in Burma and

the role of ASEAN

Saturday 18 th September 2010

Conference room, Student Christian Center Huachang Bridge, Phyathai Road, Tel: 02 215 0628-9

Co-orgnizersTowards Ecological Recovery (TERRA); Thai Action Committee for Democracy inBurma (TACDB); Shan Women Action Network (SWAN); Pa-O YouthOrganization; Arakan Oil Watch; Human Rights Foundation of Monland; BurmaRivers Network (BRN); Master of Arts in International Development Studies(MAIDS) Programme, Faculty of Political Sciences, Chulalongkorn University

BackgroundOverseas investment in large-scale resource extraction projects in Burma, including inthe energy sector (hydropower dams, coal-fired power plants) and the extractivesindustry (mineral, natural gas and oil) have proved to be catalysts that exacerbatecommunity and environmental problems and human rights violation.

Currently, the biggest foreign investors in Burma include ASEAN countries and itsdialogue partners, namely Thailand, Singapore, China and the UK. As the largestinvestor, Thailand invested a total value of US$7.4 billion in 59 projects during the

period of 1989 -2008, equivalent to 47% of the total foreign direct investment inBurma. The UK and Singapore ranked as second and third largest investors, investingUS$1,861 mllion in 17 projects and US$1,502 million in 71 projects respectively. Inthe meantime, China is growing rapidly as a major investor in Burma; In January2009, China was reported to have invested in Burma a total of US$1,800 million.Major sectors that attract foreign investment include energy, fisheries, petrochemicals,construction, hotels and tourism, and agricultural goods processing.

The flood of overseas investment into Burma demonstrates that the country is blessedwith rich natural resources. Yet these major investments also represent a major threatto the regions environmental sustainability and social stability. If the ASEAN

community, as well as the international community, fail to recognize these threats - or even proactively encourage such investments - it is difficult for the people of ASEAN, particularly the people of Burma, to believe that the objectives of the ASEANcommunity will be fulfilled in the present or even in the future.

The upcoming ASEAN Peoples Forum in Hanoi, Viet Nam during 24-26 September is an important venue for civil society to highlight the adverse impacts of overseasinvestment in large-scale resource extraction projects in Burma which remain largelyunrecognized, unacknowledged and unaddressed to date. Also, the seminar workshopwill be held to reinforce civil societys call for the forth strategic environmental pillar of ASEAN, demanding that the leaders of the ASEAN community, its dialogue

partners and related regional and international organizations to put in place strongmeasures that protect and foster people and the environment.


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We call on ASEAN to:

Recognize that large-scale resource extraction projects are threatening thefood security and livelihoods of millions of people in the region, and toreview, revise and, if necessary, stop any destructive investments, in doing sogiving priority to peoples livelihoods, ecosystems and biodiversity.

Review and revise economic activities in Burma, in particular cross-border investments, to ensure that they comply with ASEANs charter, promotehuman rights, generate income for local people, respect justice for labor,

preserve the environment, when sharing transboundary rivers, coastal andmarine resources and forestry resources.

Put in place measures that compel large and transnational corporations toadhere to international environment and human rights standards andconventions, and to be accountable for their actions that violate national lawsand ASEANs commitments.

Develop and implement strategies that establish and operationalize anEnvironment Pillar that reinforces the above principles and practices.

Registration (8:30-9:00)

Introduction to the seminar (09:00 - 09:30)

Why the Environmental Pillar is needed in the ASEAN CommunityPremrudee Daoroung, Towards Ecological Recovery (TERRA)

Session 1: Overseas Investment in Large-Scale Resource Extraction Projects inBurma (9:30-12:00) Facilitated by Chairat Thomya, Reporter, Thai PBS

Mong Koks coal mine and power plant projects in Shan State by CharmTong, Shan Women Action Network (SWAN)

Iron mine projects in Shan State by Khun Chanke, Pa-O Youth Organization Natural gas pipeline and Shwe Gas project by Jockie, Arakan Oil Watch Burma-Thai gas pipeline project, by representative of Human Rights

Foundation of Monland Hydropower dam projects on the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwaddy) River by Ah

Nan, Burma Rivers Network (BRN) Hydropower dam projects on the Salween River by Montree Chantawong,

Towards Ecological Recovery (TERRA)

Lunch (12:00 -13:00)

Session 2: Analysis on overseas investments and civil societys role in monitoringand investigating overseas investment in Burma (13:00 15:30) Facilitated by

Laddawan Tantiwittayapitak, Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma(TACDB)

Surapong Jayanama, ex-diplomat and academic Rosana Tositrakul, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Corruption

Investigation and Good Governance Promotion


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Pornpimol Trichot, Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University Witoon Permpongsacharoen, Mekong Energy and Ecology Network (MEE

Net)

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Seminar on Impacts and Consequences of Overseas Investment in Burma and the Role of ASEAN