Letter to President: ‘Nawi Dam will destroy Hakha’

Dear President U Win Myint:

I am writing to protest the proposed Nawi Dam construction in Hakha, Chin State.
The proposed dam will destroy a beautiful area of Hakha without any public benefits.

I grew up in Hakha and attended BEHS No. 1 in Hakha from 5th to 6th grade. For many Hakha children like me, Nawi valley was a special place to go fishing, crab hunting, and hiking. It’s a pristine area in Hakha that has not been touch by development. Nawi still serves that purpose.

The proposed dam would destroy all of that without much benefits. As you know, Hakha doesn’t have a proper sewage system. All the trash and debris from Hakha flow into Nawi river during the rainy season. The river is bone dry during the summer.

In addition, the proposed dam is impractical. The proponents have said that it will provide drinking water and recreational opportunities. As mentioned above, the proposed dam and resulting lake would be filled with filth if it doesn’t dry up. Not only that, the proposed dam will destroy several farms that many have depended on for food for generations including my aunt’s family.

The push to create this dam is also shrouded in secrecy. There has not been any serious feasibility study on the proposed dam. It’s also unclear who is pushing this proposal—the Chin State government or a few individuals with deep connections to government officials. I am worried that the Nawi Valley I knew will go to a few individuals without any public benefits.

I respectfully request that you look into the proposed Nawi Dam that will destroy a beautiful area of Hakha.

Siang L. Sang
Dallas, Texas