"CSOs express concerns on Lao’s Mekong hydro project", 03 June 2020

Five civil society organisations (CSOs) in Cambodia working on the Luang Prabang hydropower project in Laos said in a press statement … that it should be delayed because Lao authorities have insufficient details concerning the transboundary impact assessment and don’t have concrete measures to mitigate its impact on lower Mekong countries.

The press statement further said the issues are related to fish migration, hydrology and sediment flow which could impact the Tonle Sap lake. Without concrete mitigation measures, the CSOs said, negative impacts would result.

Mak Bunthoeurn, the coordinator of the Rivers Coalition of Cambodia (RCC), which is led by the NGO Forum on Cambodia, said … that the change of natural water flow would impact Tonle Sap lake, fish farming and Cambodian food security…

“Given the potential risks caused by mainstream hydropower dams to Cambodian communities who rely on the Mekong for their livelihood, CSOs working on water governance in Cambodia are requesting a delay on the proposed project,” he said…

Deputy secretary-general of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC) Kol Vathana said the Luang Prabang hydropower project is located more than 1,000km from the Cambodia-Lao border.

Vathana said according to the laws concerning the Mekong, member states have no right to oppose the project. The Lao side has no right to develop it without consideration of impacts on other countries either, he added…

It is a development project between Laos and a company connected to the Vietnamese government, Petro Vietnamese Corporate…