Kachin Forces Reject Myanmar Junta’s Move to Restart China-Backed Myitsone Dam
The ethnic Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its powerful KIA armed wing have rejected the junta’s push to revive the long‑suspended Myitsone hydropower project, saying any restart of the controversial project must reflect the will of the people as public opposition and conflict intensify in Kachin State.
KIO spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy that public opposition remains overwhelming. “This concerns the people deeply. It was strongly opposed before, and public sentiment remains central to the KIO’s position,” he said.
His comments follow junta deputy chief Vice Senior General Soe Win’s December 17 visit to Myitkyina, where he told residents that the regime intended to “review and implement” the Myitsone project, started during his tenure as Northern Command chief.
Launched in 2009 under the previous junta, the Myitsone Dam is part of a massive China‑backed hydropower scheme involving six dams along the Mai and N’Mai rivers and one where they meet to form the Irrawaddy River.
The project was designed to generate up to 100 billion kWh annually, with most of the electricity exported to China. It was suspended in 2011 by then‑President Thein Sein after unprecedented nationwide protests over environmental threats, seismic risks, and displacement of thousands of residents.
Despite this history, the current junta has reconstituted a committee to evaluate Irrawaddy River hydropower projects and is working closely with SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment (SPICYN), formerly China Power Investment (CPI), the original developer. Local sources say Chinese teams have resumed technical assessments and outreach activities in preparation for restarting construction.
Residents in Myitkyina and surrounding areas say the renewed push has heightened fears of further conflict and displacement. “If they restart the project, fighting will only increase,” said one local woman. “We have suffered for more than 10 years since the first relocations. This will make things worse.”
More than 15,000 people were forcibly relocated in just over two months in 2009 during construction of the Chiphwe dam, one of the seven planned hydropower sites. Today, the KIA controls 13 towns in Kachin State—including upstream of the Irrawaddy in Putao District—while junta airstrikes continue to displace civilians across the state.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has repeatedly pledged to advance Chinese‑backed megaprojects—including the Myitsone Dam, the Kyaukphyu deep‑sea port, and the Mandalay–Muse railway—during meetings with President Xi Jinping and other high-ranking Chinese officials. The renewed dam push reportedly comes amid junta efforts to persuade Beijing to mediate a truce with the KIA.
Seismologists and environmental experts warn that the Myitsone site lies within a high‑risk seismic zone, just 25 kilometers from the Sagaing Fault and near several other active fault lines. They argue that no redesign will eliminate the inherent dangers posed by the location.
At a meeting with locals in Myitkyina, Soe Win said experts will ensure that the dam—a concrete-faced rock-fill design—is capable of withstanding earthquakes even more powerful than the 7.7-magnitude quake that struck Sagaing in March. Junta media duly reported that attendees were “reassured’’ by Soe Win’s explanation.
However, a Myitkyina resident monitoring the issue said the project is not merely a regional concern. “This affects the entire country. No single committee or authority should make this decision. If they push ahead, conflict will only escalate,” he said.
Geologist and earthquake expert U Myo Thant said the risks posed by all active faults within 150 km of the dam project must be considered.
According to International Rivers, the project was to be jointly handled by the Myanmar government and Asia World Co on the Myanmar side, with 70 percent of profits going to CPI, 20 percent to the Myanmar government, and 10 percent to Asia World as a service fee.
A Kachin political analyst said the public will not accept the junta restarting the Myitsone project. “People across Myanmar, including the Kachin public, have already made it clear they do not support the Myitsone Dam. That won’t change,” he said.
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