Lao Villagers Displaced by Dams Struggle to Survive in Resettlement Sites
Hundreds of Lao families displaced by Chinese-backed dam projects and now living in resettlement villages are facing hardships due to poor housing and a lack of work, with many still waiting for compensation promised for fields and orchards lost when they were forced to move, sources say.
Three dams have now been built by China’s Sinohydro Corporation on the Nam Ou river, which runs through Luang Prabang and Phongsaly provinces in the northern part of Laos, with four more scheduled for completion this year.
Speaking on Dec. 31 to RFA’s Lao Service, a member of the Nam Ou 1 Dam Resettlement Village management team said that compensation offered to the 134 families moved there from villages in the province’s Pak Ou district has not covered villagers’ losses.
