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Letter to the editor re Burma and Y



Subject: Letter to the editor re Burma and Yandana Gas Pipeline

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

BEGIN

The Thai government, through the statement of the deputy Prime Minister Korn
Dabaransi said that the Governmnet would modify the Yandana gas pipeline
project two weeks ago.

The decision made by the Thai government and relevant authorites involved in
the project, including the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) and the
Forestry Department, who met to discuss saving the trees that are along the
route of the pipeline, which comes from Burma's off-shore gas field in the
Mataban gulf, would end up at a power plant in Kanchanaburi province in
Thailand. 

There has been much controversy over this project since it's inception as it
is beleived that Burma's illegitimate 'government', the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) used forced labour to complete the Burmese side
of the pipeline. Pro-environment groups, human rights groups and ethnic
groups whse homelands stood in the way of the pipeline have been strongly
protesting the project on various grounds from the both sides of the
project. The effects of the project are widespread including forced labour
and mass relocation of indigenous and other peoples. It is widely recognised
that the project will continue to badly affect the environment and local
communities on both sides of the border. 

The decision made by the PTT and the Forestry Department has shown that
these sutorities are afraid that their trees would have to be cut down for
the width of a six kilometre strip of land that would be used for the gas
pipeline.

If the Thai government and tha PTT are really concerned about the trees, so
much more they should express their sympathy for the Burmese poeple, who are
not trees.

As the 21st century arrives, history will record the facts of this case and
people will remeber the brutailty of the SLORC and the complancency of
Thailand and other ASEAN nations.

Shwe Hla,
Burmese Studnets Association
Ratchaburi,
Thailand.

END
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Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB),
328 Phayathai Road,
Rajthevee,
Bangkok 10400,
THAILAND.

tel/fax:  (+662) 216 4463
email:	  carol@xxxxxxxxxx
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