USAID-funded Mekong Partnership for the Environment is helping communities in Myanmar understand the EIA processes related to development projects that may impact their environments and communities. On 26 June 2016, MPE partner Forests Resource Environment Development and Conservation Association (FREDA) conducted the first of two workshops on “Community Awareness Raising for Public Participation on EIA” in Mandalay, Myanmar. The next one will be held in Yangon in August 2016.
Around 40 members of community-based organizations participated in the activity, including representatives from the North-South-Lake communities along the Myit Nge River who were severely impacted by contamination of the waste water from the Mandalay industrial zone. Most of the participants have no knowledge on these issues and the workshop allowed space for project affected communities and other community-based organizations to understand the new EIA procedures of Myanmar and how they could participate in EIA processes of future development projects in Myanmar. It also allowed them to share experiences and harmful impacts of development projects in their respective communities.
Among the presenters was Mr. Mya Hlaing from the Thilawa Social Development Group who shared his experiences from the Thilawa Special Economic Zone, especially on the impacts of the project, and how the group has engaged with the government, developers and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Mr. Htun Paw Oo, a civil society member of the Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) on EIA discussed about the articles related with the public participation of the EIA procedures of Myanmar, which was enacted in December 2015 while Ms. Yi Yi Cho, (RTWG on EIA member from Myanmar’s Environmental Conservation Department) shared about the processes and development of Regional Guidelines on Public Participation in EIA, and the National Public Participation Guidelines.
This is an outreach announcement from the USAID-funded Mekong Partnership for the Environment (MPE), a key supporter of The Mekong Eye.
Lead Photo: Participants share experiences on how to effectively engage in local EIA processes, Credit: MPE
