Theun-Hinboun: Expanding Failure

By: 
International Rivers and BankTrack
Date: 
Monday, November 16, 2009

An assessment of the Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project’s compliance with Equator Principles and Lao law

The Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project – a dam and diversion project under construction in Central Laos – violates the Equator Principles and Lao law, according to this report. Expanding Failure documents how Lao villagers are being sold down the river in a hydro deal that will displace thousands of people from their homes and land, and deprive thousands more of access to fertile rice fields, riverbank vegetable gardens, grazing lands, forests and fisheries. The dam project undermines local communities’ rights to access food.

The project is being financed by international banks including ANZ (Australia) and BNP Paribas (France) that have adopted the Equator Principles, a set of social and environmental guidelines for private banks. The report appeals to the three banks to investigate the project and immediately bring it into compliance with their own policies and Lao law.

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