Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Lao Villagers, Facing Eviction for Dam, Are Leery of Government Promises

Zsombor Peter

   HOUAYGNO - On a remote bend of the Mekong River in northern Laos, where
   its muddy waters make a hard right turn through steep verdant hills,
   the 330-odd residents of Houaygno village are bracing for an imminent
   exodus.

   Vietnam's state-owned PetroVietnam Power has chosen the site for the $3
   billion, 1,460-megawat Luang Prabang hydropower dam; construction is
   set to start next year. Its sprawling catchment will flood 23 villages
   in whole or in part -- home to 10,000 people in all -- and locals have
   been told to start packing.

   They say government and company officials have promised to compensate
   them in full, but trust is scarce.

   "We don't really trust them because we heard about the dams they built
   before, that people were supposed to get support but they didn't get
   it," said a Houaygno rice farmer over a lunch of noodle soup and
   curdled cow's blood on the porch of his cinderblock home facing the
   river.

.