The Salween River Trip

程淑玲在泰国一个美丽的小村庄的见闻。这里没有都市的繁华与喧嚣，他们想要的只是简单平凡和平的生活，但是政府想要建设的水坝威胁着他们的村庄是时候，他们也会团结一起保护他们的家园。

From June 24 to 28, we had a trip to Salween River. We visited DCCN in Mae Sariang the first day, and went to Mai Sam Leap and Sop Moey the next day. I enjoyed this trip because I could see ordinary life in Thailand, and could enjoy the sight of beautiful mountain scenery.
 
After we departed Chiang Mai, I saw the scenery through the window, and found it was beautiful. When we went to Sop Moey by boat, could see the mountains and forest on both side of the river. The climate changed very quickly. It was sunny for one second, and then rainy. This area very damp and I could always see the mist rise from the mountain, making it look live an unsearchable place. Even in the summer, it is very cool in the mountain.
 
People in Sop Moey have a traditional and simple life. They live in the mountains, far away from the city. Their houses are built with the wood and it departed the land. I think it is too drippy in the rainy season, and this design can make the house dry, also can keep out insects. The village looks very clean and orderly, and they have the hospital and school. It seems to be a self-contained system.
 
Sop Moey’s residents are very nice. We live in our mother P Pikoun’s house. She prepared everything for us, and sometimes helped us to cook. She is also very friendly and talked about the Hat Gyi dam with us. Her daughters are very shy, when we try to talk with them, they would like run away. In fact, other people also very shy. They didn’t like to talk too much with strangers. Sabrina also told me that because Karen people very shy and like to live in peace, so they choose to live in the mountains, far away from dispute. I think it is very good, because they all have a happy life. When we talked with a store owner, he said he didn’t know the annual income, but that the money was enough for his family in one year and they don’t need other things. If in the city, people always want to make more and more money, and to have better and better life, but they may not have happiness.
 
 
In China, a poet who lived 1700 years ago, wrote an essay that said in his dream, he found a beautiful village name Tao Hua Yuan, and people live in peace. He hoped he could find the village in reality. When I lived in Sop Moey, I think it may be a little like the village in poet’s dream.
 
On this trip, we focus on the issue of dams. The China, Thailand and Burma governments plan to build the Hat Gyi dam on the Salween River. It will flood more than 40 villages along the river, including Sop Moey. The villagers have a strong attitude to protest the dam. They said if the dam is built in future then they just want to die. I can feel they are very angry with the project. They are doing something to combat the dam before they are built. For example, they used the Karen language to do Thai Ban Research, and collected the local information. I think it is a good way to show the special environment and culture in Sop Moey, and to tell the government that they don’t want be flooded.
 
There is a network including villages, local NGO and international NGO to help them. There hold a ceremony for the River every year on March 14^th, along with people all over the world who holds actives to protest dams that day.
 
Eventhough they have a strong network, it is difficult for them to protest the Hat Gyi dam. The dam will be built in Burma, and China is a major investor. Burma has a military government, and China has a strong wish to build the dam.
 
In fact, I can’t find too much information about Hat Gyi Dam when I check in China’s internet. News from China International Contractors Association in 2006 was all very affirmative. It said Thailand has a lack of hydroelectricpower, Burma has a lack of capital, so the two governments wanted a hydroelectric cascade development project on the Salween River, and that China could be a good cooperation partner.
 
I think that natural resources are the main interest. Companies from the three countries have more interest in their own benefits, but don’t care about the river, community, or ecosystems. In China, it is difficult to protest against dams. I don’t know about in Thailand, but maybe there is more space for citizens to express their wishes. If the Thai people can stop the Hat Gyi dam successfully, the dam may go on because they can’t stop the Burma and China governments.
 
Thanks for this trip; I like the simple life in Sop Moey. Compared with the villagers, the companies are too greedy. I hope we can work together to stop the dams on Salween River. I have seen many times that say Salwween River is the longest free river in Southeast Asia, and it is also the last free river in China. I hope we can let the river run freely forever.