Mekong - River Politics

Mekong - River Politics The Mekong is a trans-boundary river in Southeast Asia. With an estimated length of 4,350 km and total catchment area of 795,000 km2. From the Tibetan Plateau the river runs through China's Yunnan Province, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. This transnational river reinforced a connection between these countries. In 1995, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam established the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to assist in the management and coordinated use of the Mekong's resources. In 1996 China and Myanmar became "dialogue partners" of the MRC and the six countries now work together within a cooperative framework. The river is an interconnected series of greater basin streams, these streams create habits that allow for greater biodiversity, enabling the communities around them to benefit from them. These countries along the Mekong have established trade routes, fisheries, agriculture and markets. The river provides life to the cultures of these societies. The politics of which has created much controversy as water management becomes a large concern. Large Scale damming projects up stream have begun to effect communities downstream, creating pressure between certain groups, while parties attempt to control the resources of the Mekong. China has begun to establishing large scale hydroelectricity dams within its border controlling large quantities of water. While additionally controlling large amounts of electricity that is then sold off to Myanmar and Thailand. Expanding these utilities China has begun investing in damming projects in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. These projects have had large protest to their construction and have lacked proper community consultation. Resulting in the destruction of fisheries, farming communities and existing infrastructure. These projects have also called for the mass removal of people from certian areas making way for new flood baisns. All of this results in a total reconfiguration of the Mekong River, changing the way that the river functions from the Delta on the coast of Vietnam to the Mountains in China. These effects can be say to have had a net negative impact on the ecosystems and biodiversity of the catchment, while also destroy much of the communities and economy of the river. China now sees this area as an assest and has begun moving to utilise these resources. Under the pretext of proctection from rebels China has begun military patrols deep into Laos, while also reinforcing its postions in SEZs. These situations with the addition of these dams creates a system of control, as the Mekong acts as the main highway of movement for all people along it. Acting now as walls and barriers the dams trap, divert and control the populations along the river, creating micro cosomos of control. Therefore the power of the river comes from the control of these walls and the ability of movment between them.