“Myanmar: Dawei Special Economic Zone should protect rights of area residents”, 10 October 014

As Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-Ocha visits Myanmar to revive the stalled Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the governments of Thailand and Myanmar should cooperate to establish a legal framework protecting the human rights of the area’s residents, said the ICJ....“Any effort to revive the development now has the chance to avoid the mistakes of the past…” [said Daniel Aguirre, ICJ’s International Legal Adviser for Myanmar]…The project has faced consistent questions about its potential impact on the area residents’ right to an adequate standard of living, an in particular in respect to the rights to housing, food and water...“[A]ll investors in Dawei should ensure communities are consulted and free prior informed consent guides the investment process, and undertake negotiated settlements with displaced communities, including villagers affected by the original development of the SEZ.”…