Thursday, March 28th 2024

Locals protest against China Sea port project in May Day island



Narinjara News 29 October 2022
The local residents on Thursday put up vinyl posters asserting that they do not want the deep seaport, built in May Day island under Kyauk Phyu township of Rakhine State.

The agitators claimed that the port was constructed without the will of locals and it has been affecting daily activities of the fishermen.

The letters on posters read, ‘Don't let the deep seaport project poisoning local fishermen’, ‘Stop the deep seaport project immediately’, ‘Immediately stop the project without the consent of local residents’, etc.

Those posters were displayed near May Day island, which is a part of Kyauk Phyu Special Economic Zone.

“The posters have been put up since Thursday morning. I saw a ship there carrying sandbags for the project. Often the fishing nets are damaged by these ships. Even when I contacted the company but no response was available. The company people are taking advantage of the country's troubled situation and thus oppressing the Rakhine people,” said a local resident.

Center for Peace and Development director, U Tun Kyi, who is monitoring the Kyauk Phyu Special Economic Zone project, informed Narinjara News that the protests surfaced as the company went ahead with the project ignoring the local fishermen’s grievances.

“While EAI was engaged in the deep seaport project, the company started the construction activities. Local fishermen are suffering from the construction works. They have invested at least Kyats 50,000,00 each in the fishing industry. Now they are losing the business. The company people need to resolve it. If it is not resolved, the problems may arise,” he added.

The deep seaport project agreement was signed by the Burmese government and the CITIC consortium in 2018. It is expected to be implemented in four phases. The deep seaport is understood as first phase of the project.

Presently, constructions of docks and piers are going on at the site. A sum of USD 1.3 billion is planned to spend in the ambitious project.

 

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