Laos dam elephant in room

A boat glides along a river where construction workers build a bridge for the Don Sahong hydropower dam site in southern Laos last year. INTERNATIONAL RIVERS

Conservation groups have called on Prime Minister Hun Sen to address the elephant in the room and lobby Laos president to postpone his countrys controversial Don Sahong dam project when the leaders meet later this week.

Arriving on Thursday, Laotian Head of State Choummaly Sayasone will spend two days in Phnom Penh on an official visit at the invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to Hun Sen, Sayasone will meet National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Vice-President Say Chhum.

WWF Greater Mekong director Teak Seng said Hun Sen should seize the opportunity to press for a postponement of the Don Sahong dam, one of 12 hydropower projects currently being planned for the lower stretches of the Mekong, as more studies are conducted about its impact, particularly on fish migration.

This is the main outstanding issue, the elephant in the room, between Laos and Cambodia, Seng said.

This is a great opportunity for Cambodia to put its position forward and request more studies before construction.

Lying less than 2 kilometres north of the Lao-Cambodian border, the 260-megawatt project could have deleterious effects on shared waterways and fisheries.

Conservation groups also maintain the dam will jeopardise Cambodias Irrawaddy Dolphin population.

Following six months of consultations, the four lower Mekong countries Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos referred the issue to the Mekong River Commission Council.

Continue reading here:
Laos dam elephant in room