Coal-fired power plant in Myanmar backed by China that villagers feel powerless to oppose
13 June 2021
Almost two decades ago, in a small hillside town in southern Shan State, Myanmar’s largest coal-run power plant was built. Tigyit has been forever changed by this joint venture between the China National Heavy Machinery Corporation and a group of Myanmar businessmen affiliated with the country’s ruling generals who were responsible for the coup d’état on February 1, which ended the nation’s all-too-brief flirtation with democracy.
About 60 hectares of land were confiscated to build the Tigyit plant, yet local communities surrounding the site, such as the Pa’O and Taungyo people, say they have seen no compensation for the land appropriated for the power station or for the adjacent forests that have been razed to make space for mining the coal that fuels the plant.
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