The dangerous pollution of the Mekong River blames mining without law in Myanmar Environmental news

Houayxay, Laos Fishing walked well today with Khun, Lattian hunter, who lives in a floating house built of plastic drums, scrap minerals and wood on the Mekong River.

“I was caught in the fish of the cat,” the 52 -year -old told the island proudly and raised his hunting for inspection.

Khon’s simple house boat contains everything it needs to live on this great river: some metal utensils, and fire to cook on it and to keep it at night, as well as some nets and some clothes.

What Khon does not always have is fish.

He said: “There are days when I have not taken anything. It is frustrating.”

“The water levels change all the time because of the dams. Now they say the river is also contaminated. There in Myanmar, they dig in the mountains. Mines, or something like that. All of these toxic things end here,” he added.

Khon lives in Los County in the northwest of Boko in one of the most stunning landscapes in the Mekong River, where it turns into the heart of the golden triangle – the borders shared by Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

This remote area has always been notorious to produce and trafficking drugs.

Now, it has been placed in the global stampede of gold metals and ground minerals, which is very important to produce new technologies and is used in everything from smartphones to electric cars.

Over the past year, rivers in this region, such as Ruak, Sai and Kok – showed all the milestones – abnormal levels of arsenic, lead, nickel and manganese, according to the pollution control department in Thailand.

Arsenic exceeded, in particular, the borders of the safety of the World Health Organization, which sparked health warnings for the societies of Riferside.

These tributaries feed directly in the Meking and the pollution has spread to parts of the main current of the river. The antiquities in Laos were observed, prompting the Mekong River committee to declare the situation “somewhat dangerous.”

Al -Jazira said: “The last official official water quality test clearly indicates that the Mekong River is on the Thai border, and is contaminated with arsenic.”

“This is worrying and only the first chapter of the crisis, if mining continues,” said PianPorn.

“The fishermen recently discovered the young catfish. This is a matter of regional public health, and it needs urgent work from governments.”

The source of heavy metal pollution is believed to be the state of Shan in Myanmar, where dozens of unorganized mines arose with the intensification of the search for rare ground minerals worldwide.

Zakari Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington and an expert in Southeast Asia, said that at least dozens, and perhaps up to 20 years, mines were created to extract gold and rare land in the southern state of Shan during the past year alone.

Myanmar is now four years in the Civil War, and chaos prevails in the border region, which is held by two strengthened ethnic armed groups: the RCSS and the United Washington State Army (UWSA).

Abuza said that the military government in Myanmar has real control, “regardless of the contract of the city of Tashilk, the main border crossing in the region between Thailand and Myanmar.

He said that RCSS or uwsa “fight the military council,” explaining how both are busy enriching themselves from chaos in the region and rushing to open mines.

“In this vacuum, mining exploded – probably with the Chinese traders concerned. The army in Naypyidaw cannot issue permits or impose environmental rules, but they still get their share of profits,” Abu Za said.

“Decrease vowing by danger”

Pollution from mining is not the only Micong River disease.

For years, the river health has deteriorated through a growing series of hydroelectric dams that greatly changed its natural rhythm and the environment.

In the upper tributaries of Mekong, inside China, nearly ten huge dams of hydroelectric energy were built, including the Xiawan and Nuzhhado dams, which are said to be able to curb an enormous amount of river flow.

Moreover, Laos rid her economic future on hydroelectric energy.

According to Mekong Dam Monitor, hosted by the Stimson Center Research Center in Washington, DC, at least 75 dam are now working on the Mogkong tributaries, two in Laos – Xayaburi and Don Sahong – on the main river.

As a rule, hydroelectric energy is a cleaner alternative to coal.

But the rush to the micong dam leads another type of environmental crisis.

According to WWF and the Mekong River Committee, the Mekong River Basin once supported about 60 million people and provided up to 25 percent of fishing in freshwater in the world.

Today, one in every five types of fish in the mickeng is at risk of extinction, and the river deposits and foodstuffs have been severely reduced, as is documented in the report and research of the Mekong Dam 2023-2024.

“The disturbing decline in fish groups in the Meking is an urgent awakening call to save these unusual species-and unusual-which do not support the region’s and economies societies in the region, according to Asia’s fish health in the Maung region.”

In Houayxay, the capital of Bokeo Province, the markets seemed mostly absent during a final visit.

In Kad Wang View, the city’s main market, fish booths were almost deserted.

“Perhaps this afternoon, or maybe tomorrow,” Mali, a seller in her 1960s. In front of her, Mali arranged her small stock of fish in a circle, and perhaps in the hope of making the offer seem more complete to potential customers.

In another market, Sydonemy, outside the city of Houayxay, the story was the same. Fish kiosks were naked.

Another seller said: “Sometimes fish come, and sometimes don’t do it. We just wait.”

Velasai, 53, who comes from the hunting family but now works as a taxi driver.

“Now the river gives us a little. Even water for irrigation – people are afraid to use it. No one knows if it is still clean,” Al -Jazeera said, referring to pollution from Myanmar mines.

“The river was predicted”

Ian Ji Bird, professor of geography and Southeast Asian studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, said the dams – especially those in China – had serious effects in the river course in northern Thailand and Laos.

“The ecosystem and a river -based life have evolved to adapt to specific hydrological conditions,” Bird told Al -Jazeera.

He said: “But since the dams were built, these conditions have changed significantly. There are now rapid fluctuations at the water level in the dry season, which were rare, and this has negative effects on both the river and the people.”

Another main effect is the reflection of the normal cycle of the river.

“Now there is more water in the drought season and less during the rainy season. This reduces floods and environmental effects that are useful for annual flood pulse,” Bird explained.

“The dams carry water during the rainy season and released in the dry season to increase energy and profits production. But this also kills the water that was flooded by the water season and disrupts the environmental function of the river,” he said.

Bon Chan, 45, lives with his wife, Nana Code, 40, at a floating house near Houayxay. He hunts as his wife sells everything he holds in the local market.

In the last morning, he threw his network over and over again – but nothing.

“It seems that I will not pick up anything today,” Bon Chan told Al -Jazeera to raise his empty net.

He said: “On the last day, hold each other, but we did not sell it. We keep it in cages in the water, so at least we have something we eat if I do not take more.”

Home Van was a fisherman for his entire life.

It is directed by its wooden boat across the river, after a road known to the instinct. In some parts of the river, the current is strong enough now to withdraw everything, says the 67 -year -old.

Everywhere around it, silence is only broken by its small external engine and the calls of remote birds.

“The river could be predicted. Now we don’t know when it would rise or fall.”

“Fish cannot find spawning lands. They disappear. We may also be, if nothing changes,” he said to spend the island.

The evening is approaching Houayxay, Khan, Al -Sayyad, wrapping his nets and dinner is in his floating home.

While the fire awaits to pick up a meal, he is quietly thinking about the great river on which he lives.

Despite the dams in China, the contamination of mines in the neighboring Myanmar, and the increasing difficulty in landing on the hunting that relies on to survive, Khun was calm abroad as his next day was in hunting.

“We are trying again tomorrow,” he said with a smile with his eyes on the water that depth deeply under his home.