The villagers living near the future Lower Sesan 2 Dam, who have refused relocation, have now been warned to leave the area temporarily next month. The villagers were told last month that they would have to leave their homes in September for their own safety because of possible flooding. Now the villagers are worried that they are being asked to evacuate before 15 July for one month. One can imagine that they are also concerned with what they will find on their return.

Villagers near Sesan Dam warned to brace for floods
22 June 2017
Villagers living near the Lower Sesan ll Hydropower Dam in Stung Treng province have been warned to expect flooding in their villages soon as the operators of the dam close its doors for technical tests.

Men Kong, a spokesman for Stung Treng Provincial Hall, said there are about 100 families living near the dam that have still not accepted compensation and found new homes.

“The company will close the dam’s doors from July 15 to August 15 to examine their technical operations,” said Mr Kong. “The water level in the dam will be higher and that may lead to flooding in the area, so the company informed us to announce it to villagers, so that they can be careful and move to another place temporarily for their safety.”

Mr Kong said the villagers that may be affected are located in Sre Kor commune, including 91 families in Sre Kor village and 30 families in Kbal Romeas village.

Mr Kong added that about 90 percent of families affected by the dam’s construction had already accepted compensation and moved...
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39566/ ... or-floods/

Great photo.
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/special ... log05.html

Anchor Moy wrote: ↑Sun Jul 09, 2017 2:27 pm
Great photo.
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/special ... log05.html

Good on them, but I'm not sure resisting dams works that way...

Probably one of the only protests I have seen where they are not holding up pictures of ,,, um, um, cannot remember his name,,, and his wife.

StroppyChops wrote:

Anchor Moy wrote: ↑Sun Jul 09, 2017 2:27 pm
Great photo.
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/special ... log05.html

Good on them, but I'm not sure resisting dams works that way...

These people have been resisting quietly in their corner for years, casting spells on dam officials, and sending off petitions to officials. It's dignified, but not very efficient. They were not consulted, their wishes have largely been ignored, and now they being relocated on a dusty plateau. These are the rewards of pacific resistance.
Still love that photo. Damn they look so hopeful.

But, it's really happening now. All over bar the shouting and no more pretending about temporary evacuations. The dam is built and is due to start operating in September.

Officials in Stung Treng province say they will have boats and trucks at the ready to evacuate a pair of villages where residents are refusing to heed warnings that their homes will flood when testing of the nearby Lower Sesan II hydropower dam begins on Saturday.

The deputy governor said the Sesan river would rise 5 meters or more in a week and could inundate the villages within days.

Sut Thoeun, one of the holdouts who joined Sunday’s meeting, said he and his neighbors had yet to be convinced that the rising waters would reach their village, and they would stay put for as long as they could. In any case, he said they had a contingency plan of their own should the government’s warnings prove true: a 200-hectare plot of land atop a nearby hill where they can start anew.

The 400-megawatt Lower Sesan, a joint venture between Cambodia’s Royal Group and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy, will be the largest hydropower dam in the country once it starts operating in September.
Um Reth, a representative for Royal Group, said the reservoir should reach a maximum 68 meters in depth after one to two months of testing, a few more if the rains are heavier than usual.
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt ... ts-132366/

I posted the original story on a UK forum 'WTF Quotes from Local Newspapers' thread. It got these responses....

by Gravy » Tue Jul 11, 2017 4:54 pm
EasyAndy wrote: ↑
Tue Jul 11, 2017 4:46 pm
Chip Mong
Chip Mong sounds like a 3rd rate reggae singer

by EasyAndy » Tue Jul 11, 2017 5:04 pm
Pato Banton, Chip Mong and Garnett Silk sing the songs from the shows

Gravy » Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:57 pm

Chip Mong wrote:
Mi name Chip Mong I am a business MAN
Stung Treng Province, that where mi FRAM
Mi wan stop water, that called a DAM
But di Bunong posse no like di constructSHAN
So Bunong posse form an organiSHAN
Dem build up di Ting Mong inna SESAN
Dem waan curse Chip Mong, that is dem PLAN

Come in Pato Banton!

Pato Banton wrote:
Skiddly Widdly Boom Boom Beng Beng..........

Genius.

1 August 2017
Talks between officials and ethnic minority villagers were cancelled yesterday after disagreements on conditions for the meeting.

Meanwhile, after a two-week trial closure of eight of the Lower Sesan II dam’s 10 gates, the Hydropower Lower Sesan II Company reopened four of the gates yesterday.

The water levels at the dam itself now stand at around 69 metres, according to company representative Chhay Meng, who said the water levels would be reduced to 52 metres for the dam’s September 25 official inauguration, which will be presided over by Prime Minister HE.

To avoid serious floods, Meng said, the dam company will now only keep three or four dam gates open at a time until the opening ceremony. A combination of the gates’ closure and heavy rains led to flooding in Srekor last week, with some parts of the village 1.5 metres under water.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/m ... -cancelled

Map of Lower Sesan II Dam area.

Officials deny cutting off Sesan Dam communes
Stung Treng provincial hall has issued a letter refuting claims that authorities blocked access to flooded communities being affected by ongoing tests to the Lower Sesan II dam.
Local villagers in Kbal Romeas and Sre Ko commune have been battling floods due to heavy rains and the closing of the dam’s doors for technical tests.

Some villagers had reported that authorities blocked access to their villages in the communes, potentially endangering their lives if they were in need of emergency help.

According to a Stung Treng provincial hall letter issued yesterday, the claims are baseless.
Stung Treng provincial hall spokesman Men Kong said some villagers who still remain in the communes after refusing compensation from the dam builders to move have misinterpreted the police presence on the roads leading to their villages.
“In fact, we were preparing to help them during the floods,” he said. “Many foreigners also visit that area and don’t fully understand the flooding situation, so who will be responsible for their safety? Only the authorities can do so, which is why some were not allowed into the communes.”

Fort Kheun, a villager who has refused to abandon his ancestral lands, said the explanation provided by government officials is false.
Mr Kheun said visitors to the communes were not blocked for their safety, but rather so that they could not document the hardships being faced by villagers.

Soeung Sen Karona, a senior investigator for Adhoc who went to assess the situation, said authorities were focussed on blocking access to the communes for NGO workers and media members...
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5076132/off ... -communes/

Second road to flooded dam commune blocked
7 August 2017
- Sre Kor commune chief Seak Mekong said a road leading to the commune was blocked last week with rebar and now a second road is also being run as a checkpoint into the communities, at Sre Ker Thmey village.

Mr Mekong said the authorities are blocking the roads to prevent NGO workers and media from documenting the plight of villagers, who are experiencing floods as the Lower Sesan Dam II continues operational tests this month.

“The people who want to go to Sre Ker Thmey village must now get permission from authorities because the authorities are afraid of any newcomers or media going into the village to do any reporting,” he said yesterday. “And, now the villagers must present their ID cards to get back into their village.”
Mr Mekong added that the road is a public passageway. “This is wrong,” he said. “It is a public road. All passengers have the right to cross it.”
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5076789/sec ... e-blocked/