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dam-l LS: Viets say sorry for se san flow

> Viets say sorry for Se San flow
>
> By Bou Saroeun
>
> VIETNAMESE authorities have apologized for discharging water from the
> Yali falls dam in the recent months causing flooding and current surges
> that claimed the lives of at least five people.
>
> Bun Hom Oun Many, second deputy governor of Ratanakkiri province, said
> the Vietnamese provincial authorities have met with the Ratanakkiri
> authorities to apologize and assure them that no more water will be
> released without adequate warning to Cambodian residents likely to be
> affected.
>
> The Yali falls dam was built in a gorge in Vietnam on the Se San river.
> The river then flows through Cambodia to the Mekong. When water from
> the dam has been discharged it has had a huge impact in Cambodia where
> the river widens and travels through farming areas. The sudden surges
> in current have destroyed crops, fishing equipment and boats have been
> swept away and in the single most tragic incident, three young women
> were swept away and drowned when their boat was overturned.
>
> Oun Many said he is now hopeful such incidents won't be repeated. He
> said he told the Vietnamese authorities that: "You must be careful of
> incidents in the future. We live close to each other; don't do it
> again."
>
> Kham Khoeun, governor of Ratanakkiri province, said the Cambodian
> Government had not demanded compensation from the Vietnamese but it
> urged them not to repeat the discharge of water without warning. He
> said he would be pleased if they did pay compensation but was not going
> to demand it.
>
> He said the physical damage had not been too great and the Vietnamese
> authorities had just provided 10 tonnes of rice seed to Ratanakkiri
> province
>
> Meanwhile a Cambodian delegation led by Hou Taing Eng, Secretary
> General of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC), and composed
> of relevant ministries and provincial authorities, met their
> counterparts in Vietnam at the site of the dam last week.
>
> They agreed to a five-point plan on information sharing and management
> of operations:
> 1. Vietnam is to give appropriate warning and information on the
> release of water from the dam.
> 2. Water discharged was to be released gradually.
> 3. Under normal circumstances 15 days advance notice of discharge would
> be given.
> 4. In emergency, water could be immediately discharged.
> 5. An environmental mitigation study needs to be completed.
>
> Phnom Penh Post, Issue 9/9, April 28 - May 11, 2000
> © Michael Hayes, 2000. All rights revert to authors and artists on
> publication.
> For permission to publish any part of this publication, contact Michael
> Hayes, Editor-in-Chief
> http://www.newspapers.com.kh/PhnomPenhPost - Any comments on the
> website to Webmaster
>



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Aviva Imhof
South-East Asia Campaigner
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley CA 94703 USA
Tel: + 1 510 848 1155 (ext. 312), Fax: + 1 510 848 1008
Email: aviva@irn.org, Web: http://www.irn.org
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