Myanmar’s China-backed mega dam revival risks Kachin rebel backlash

AI Summary

The revival of Myanmar’s $3.6 billion China-backed Myitsone hydropower dam in Kachin state risks reigniting tensions with local rebel groups. The project, shelved more than a decade ago after public backlash, is drawing attention amid ongoing military rule and contentious public consultations.

Deep in the forested highlands of northern Myanmar, where the Irrawaddy River rises from two tributaries in the hills of Kachin state, a contentious infrastructure project is stirring again – and threatening to reopen wounds that never fully healed. The Myitsone Dam, a US$3.6 billion Chinese-financed hydroelectric megaproject that was shelved more than a decade ago after igniting a storm of popular fury, is back on the table. Myanmar’s military rulers have begun holding public consultations on...