Mekong Committee
 

T Y BAN ЊN HI АNG SNG MEKONG 1957-1997
T Y BAN TI HI АNG SNG MEKONG 1957-1997 TRC NHNG THCH Џ V TRIN VNG

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ABSTRACT:  American dam builders have been eyeing the Mekong since 1940. They have recommended a series of dams not only for hydropower but also for the development of irrigation, agriculture, fisheries and transport. In 1957, the United Nations set up the MEKONG COMMITTEE. The governments of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam established their own national committee and a secretariat was set up in Bangkok. Under the rules of the committee, decisions about damming were to be unanimous with each member having Veto Power. By that time, the Vietnam war was spilling over into cambodia and Laos, the mainstream dams had to be postponed. The Vietnam war ended in 1975,at which time an Interim Committee was formed without Cambodia. In the 90s, with the acknowledgment of the great political,social and economic changes in these countries, efforts were made to reassess, redefine and establish the future frame work for cooperation. On April 5, 1995 the goverments of 4 countries signed an Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong Basin and for the establishement of the MEKONG COMMISSION.The parties agreed that a decision of the Joint Committee that resulte from a Timely Notification and Prior Consultation...is neither a Right to Veto nor an unilateral right to use the water by any riparian without taking into account the right of other riparians.FROM MEKONG COMMITTEE TO MEKONG COMMISSION 1957-1997: CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES , a brief overview of the development dilemmas in the Lower Mekong Basin.

THAY LI DN NHP

"H ly quyn g m bo l khng mun c p Pa Mong. Chuyn h mun hay l khng mun chng c ngha l g c, khi m chnh quyn nh n߾c[Thi lan] mun nh vy. Nu chng ta c nghe theo h l chp nhn cho s ri lon ng tr."Thng bo ca B Thy li Hong gia Thi (1990).

B tr߷ng Th߽ng mi Thi Narongchai Akrasanee, pht biu tr߾c Hi ng Th߽ng mi hn hp M v Hip hi cc Quc gia ng Nam (US-ASEAN) rng Thi lan mun ng Vai Tr Ch Cht - Anchor Role, trong k hoch pht trin sng Mekong. Tin bo Bangkok Post (05-23-1997).

MEKONG, CON SNG QUC T:

Theo nh ngha a d chnh tr (geopolitics), con sng c coi l quc t khi (a) n chy qua hai hay nhiu quc gia, hoc (b) n tiu t߾i vo vng lu vc bao gm hai hay nhiu quc gia, hoc (c) n lin quan ti vn bin gii thuc lnh vc cng php quc t, hay (d) n lin h nh h߷ng giao thng i li bng mt tha thun quc t. Th kho st tng kha cnh nu trn vi con sng Mekong.

  1. Bt ngun t vng ni non cao nguyn Ty tng, con sng chy sit v h߾ng ng nam ngang qua tnh Vn nam thuc Trung hoa, tip theo l on ranh gii gia Min in (Myanmar) v Lo, ri bt u chy vo khu vc h lu, vi mt khc sng ngn l bin gii thin nhin gia Lo v Thi lan, tip con sng chy v h߾ng ng nam trong ni a n߾c Lo. Ra khi nam Lo, con sng chy qua Cambt ri nam Vit nam tr߾c khi vo bin Nam hi.
  2. Lu vc tiu t߾i (drainage basin) ca con sng Mekong bao gm cc n߾c: Trung hoa, Min in, Thi lan, Lo, Cambt v nam Vit nam.
  3. Con sng Mekong, trong qu kh tng lin quan ti vn tranh chp bin gii gia cc n߾c. Hn mt trm nm tr߾c (1893), Php nhn danh s ton vn lnh th ca hai x bo h An nam (Vit nam) v Cao min (Cambt), a tu chin ti v ra ti hu th bt vua Thi lan phi nhng tt c t ai thuc pha ng sng Mekong; rt cuc Thi ch cn li khc sng 500 dm nh l ߶ng bin gii thin nhin vi n߾c Lo.
  4. Di chuyn trn sng Mekong - nh mt thy l quc t, l ra l hon ton t do theo b lut La m, nhng trong thc t t do ch c ngha rt t߽ng i. Khi con sng chy vo ni a mt quc gia th quyn t do giao thng vn c th b hn ch hay b t߾c ot ty theo cch din dch ca quc gia lin h. (Mt v d, cho d c mt Hip ߾c k ngy 29-12-1954 gia Lo, Cambt v Vit nam nhng theo bo New York Times, th ngay gia cuc chin tranh Vit nam, ngy 20 thng 9, 1964 do tnh bo ca chnh ph Si gn ghi nhn l cng sn Bc Vit chuyn ch v kh bng ߶ng sng xung Nam vang ri t a vo nam Vit nam, khin t߾ng Nguyn Khnh lc l th t߾ng tuyn b cn phi hn ch lu thng trn sng Mekong nu nh Cambt vn tip tc chnh sch thiu thn thin vi Nam Vit nam) (1).

Do hi tt c nhng c tnh y, Mekong ng ngha l mt con sng quc t (international river).

U BAN MEKONG & NHNG D N KHI ЅU:

Uy Ban Sng Mekong (The Mekong Committee) c hnh thnh t nm 1957 do chnh ph bn n߾c: Thi lan, Lo, Cambt v Vit nam, nhm mc ch khai thc v pht trin tim nng kinh t ca con sng Mekong trong cc lnh vc thy in, thy li, ngn nga l lt v thy l giao thng. T bn thp nin tr߾c y, c nhng d n pht trin trn dng chnh sng Mekong theo ngh ca y ban Kinh t chu v Vin ng ECAFE (Economic Commission for Asia and Far East, 1957) vi s gim st php l ca y ban sng Mekong.

C ba d n u tin bao gm cc p Pa Mong, Sambor v Tonle Sap:

Th n l cc d n mang th t u tin hai v ba, bao gm d n thc Khone v d n Khemarat.

CNH АNG SNG D MNG:

Con sng xanh cung n nhng thm lng y d߶ng nh vn cha c g thay i tri qua hng ngn nm, tng b qun lng, tng b hy hoi v nhng cuc chin tranh. Tuy l mt con sng ln hng th 7 ca chu v hng th 12 ca th gii - nhng li c coi l km khai thc nht trong vng ng Nam v c th gii . Vi s p hin nay trong khu vc h lu ( 9 p trong ni a Thi - ni ting l p Pak Mun vi cng sut 136 MW; 3 p Lo - ni ting vi p Nam Ngum cng sut 150 MW) ch yu l trn cc nhnh ph lu, ng߶i ta cng ch mi kim sot ngn chn a vo x dng cha ti 5% lu lng n߾c con sng hng nm ra bin.

Nhng khi thc hin c 9 p ln trn dng chnh sng Mekong v hn 50 p nh khc trn cc ph lu - theo nh d n ca Hi ng sng Mekong, nhm cung cp in cho cc vng kinh t ang mau chng pht trin, th phi ni rng trong mt t߽ng lai khng xa, ton h thng hoang d ca con sng Mekong s bin i su xa, nh h߷ng trc tip trn i sng ca hn 50 triu dn c sng bn nhng sng rch v rung ng - by lu vn ph thuc vo chu k 2 ma l-hn hng nm (annual flood-drought cycle) ca con sng Mekong. R rng hu qu tr߾c mt l cc con p s dm su trong n߾c nhng vng t ai, hng trm ngn ng߶i s b mt ht nh ca phi ti nh c, l cha k mi nguy hi cho cc loi mung th v nht l nh h߷ng tc hi trn ton h sinh thi ca tm c vn rt phong ph ca con sng Mekong. Ngoi ra, rung ng s khng cn c t bi hng nm bng lp ph sa mu m do nhng con n߾c l (4).

Khc vi sng Nil (Ai cp) v sng Hng (n ), d߶ng nh khng c mt nn vn ha sng Mekong thun nht. Min in, Thi, Lo v Cambt thuc vn ha Nam ; trong khi Trung Hoa, Vit Nam (cng vi i hn, Nht bn) thuc nn vn ha ng m cc nh bo v von gi l "nn vn ha cm a - la civilisation de la baguette". Li thm s khc bit v nhng ch chnh tr: dc theo con sng y, bn b ng t ngn trong mt thi gian di l thnh tr ca ch cng sn cng nhc, tn bo v l lm; trong khi pha b ty hu ngn l ch qun phit nhng theo kinh t t bn pht trin hoang d. Cho d d߾i ch chnh tr no th h vn gn gi nhau trong mt khung cnh kh hu nhit i, sng trong nhng t n߾c c mnh danh l ang pht trin, cha c t do dn ch v vi khong cch giu ngho cn ang rt nhiu cch bit (3).

By gi tnh hnh c nhng du hiu i khc t bn b pha ng sng Mekong, vi chnh sch "m ca" theo kinh t th tr߶ng , iu y mang thm ngha g trong vic trin khai d n sng Mekong? Khi m trong mi k hoch n cha nhng mu thun su xa v quyn li gia cc n߾c thnh vin nu ch ng trn quan im quc gia hn hp ca ring mnh. Khng d g vt qua tr ngi ny nu khng c c mt khng kh ci m i thoi dn ti s tin cy cng vi nhng tnh ton thn trng.

Mt v d lin quan ti d n Pa Mong rt c Thi lan nhit tnh c v khng phi ch do tim nng thy in ln lao cung cp cho k ngh v dn dng (2000 MW) m cn do k hoch dn thy bm t߾i cho c mt vng ng bc Thi lan ngho nn rng ln kh cn vi dn c chim ti 2/5 tng s dn Thi. Bi l ng߶i ta khng ngc nhin khi thy Thi lan l n߾c mong thc hin sm nht d n ny c thm c 2 triu ri mu Anh a vo sn xut - trong khi Thi lan ng u th gii v xut cng go v Vit nam th ng hng th hai. Nhng cn hu qu mi sinh ca Pa Mong i vi cc n߾c h ngun s ra sao? Nh lm trm trng thm nn xm ln n߾c mn t bin vo su trong vng chu th - m quc gia chu nguy hi trc tip khng ai khc hn l Vit nam. Nu y l mi e ngi ca Vit nam th thc s khng phi l mi quan tm ca Thi.

Mt v d th hai, trong khi k hoch Tonle Sap v Sambor rt c Vit nam tha thit quan tm, do hai h cha ny (mt thin nhin v mt nhn to) ngoi mc ch sn xut in, cn c kh nng iu ha mc n߾c theo hai ma l lt v kh hn ng thi ngn chn ngun n߾c mn t bin ln su vo vng ng bng sng Cu long; nhng d n y b Cambt nhn vi con mt nghi k - do bt ngun t m nh lch s vn l thiu thn thin gia hai n߾c. Cambt khng coi vn tng lng hi sn trong h Tonle Sap v vic ngn l l quan trng nn tng t khng hp tc v cng nhiu ln da rt ra khi y ban nghin cu d n (1).

Tr߾c ci cnh ng sng d mng y, cc quc gia hai bn b sng Mekong - trong qu kh cha h c nhng kinh nghim ng k v hp tc v pht trin, liu h c kh nng hay khng tm ra mt mu s chung tin ti xy dng mt cuc sng thnh vng trong khung cnh ha hp ca mt cng ng ng Nam - khng b chi phi bi cc n߾c Ty ph߽ng, Trung hoa hay Nht bn t bn ngoi v cng khng b khng ch bi chnh hai n߾c ln bn trong nh Thi lan hay Vit nam.

CH CN Y BAN MEKONG LM THI:

y Ban Sng Mekong t ngy thnh lp ti nay cng tri qua nhng b߾c thng trm song song vi nhng cn bo tp chnh tr trong vng. Trong thi k Khmer , Cambt khng tham d cc cuc hp ca y ban. Tip theo chnh ph Nam vang do Vit nam hu thun khng c Thi lan nhn nhn. Do m y ban sng Mekong hot ng mt cch hn ch d߾i hnh thc lm thi (interim) khng c s hin din ca Cambt.

Cng trong thi gian ny Thi lan c nh chuyn dng chnh sng Mekong nhm a mt lng n߾c ln bm t߾i cho cho c mt vng ng bc Thi - d n ny l ca ring Thi lan khng nm trong k hoch nghin cu v quyt nh ca y ban sng Mekong, c ngha l khng c chp thun bi cc quc gia h ngun l Lo, Cambt v Vit nam (4).

Vo cui nm 1991, Cambt yu cu c ti gia nhp y ban sng Mekong nhng gp s chng i bt ng ca Thi lan vi thm l ko di thm thi gian c li cho Thi. аng thi Thi lan cng li ph nhn tnh cht php l ca y ban sng Mekong tr߾c nm 1975 vin l do tnh hnh thay i v cn duyt xt li nguyn tc iu hnh v thnh phn ca y ban. iu gy cn vi Thi l k hoch chuyn dng khai thc n߾c t sng Mekong gp phi s chng i ca Vit nam. Nhng Thi vn khng khng vi k hoch ca mnh v vo pht cht n ph߽ng hy b cuc hp ca y ban sng Mekong ti Chiang Mai vo u nm 92, trong khi phi on Vit nam ti Thi lan, gy mt khng hong ngoi giao gia hai n߾c. Thi lan li o din cho mt hi ngh khc bao gm c Min in v Trung quc tm kim s hu thun ca hai n߾c ny cho d h cha h l thnh vin ca y ban sng Mekong v l hai n߾c pha thng ngun. Bi l do Vit nam t chi tham d hi ngh ny.

Trong iu kin chia r nh vy, y ban sng Mekong hu nh b t lit. Thi gian ny s c li nht thi cho Thi lan trong khi theo ui mc tiu ring r ca h.

T Y BAN LM THI TI HI АNG SNG MEKONG:

T 1959, Lin hip quc v Ngn hng Th gii h tr thnh lp t chc EGAT (Electric Generating Authority of Thailand) v EDL (Electricit du Laos) vi mc ch tng sn xut v phn phi in ti Thi v Lo, v EGAT cng l c quan chnh t n߾c ngoi xut vic pht trin thy in trn cc nhnh ph lu trong n߾c Lo. Do nhu cu pht trin kinh t v k ngh rt nhanh ca Thi (10% trong khong thp nin 81-91) nn cn thm nhiu ngun nng lng in, v Lo th ߾c mun c xut cng in c ngoi t (d tr thu v 350 triu M kim mi nm k t nm 2010) l nhng ng lc mnh m thc y cc k hoch pht trin thy in rng khp trong vng h lu sng Mekong.

T߷ng cng nn nhc li y, giai on tr߾c hi ngh nm 1992 nhm thng qua s ti gia nhp ca Cambt v phc hi hot ng ca y ban sng Mekong, b Ngoi giao Thi e da rt ra khi y ban bi v k hoch i dng sng Mekong ca Thi dn thy vo vng ng bc Thi b cc hi vin khc chng i nht l t pha Vit nam.

Ngy 05 thng 04 nm 1995, 4 n߾c hi vin gc ca y ban Sng Mekong (1957) (i din cho Vit nam l b tr߷ng Ngoi giao Nguyn Mnh Cm) cng k "Hip nh hp tc pht trin bn vng vng H lu sng Mekong" v v i sang mt tn mi l Hi ng Sng Mekong (The Mekong Commission) v ng thi phc hi quyn hn ca y ban K hoch Vng.

Mt thay i c th gi l c bn trong Hip nh mi ny l - thay v mi hi vin c quyn ph quyt (veto power) ngn chn bt c mt d n no c gy nh h߷ng tc hi ti dng chnh sng Mekong - th nay trong ch߽ng ni quy mi khng cho mt thnh vin no c quyn ph quyt nh vy v c trong ngn t chun y cc d n cng rt l m h.

C th ni y l b߾c li hay thiu cnh gic nghim trng v pha Vit nam khi t bt k hip nh th ny v ai cng bit Vit nam l n߾c cui h ngun s phi chu nhng hu qu nng n v nhim v mt cn bng v mi sinh nu Thi lan vn c n ph߽ng vi v thc hin cc k hoch ca mnh.

Tr߾c tc pht trin nhanh n chng mt y, th y l mt bi ton phc tp khng d dng c li gii p t pha Vit nam; nhng nu l gii lnh o c coi l c trch nhim th s khng th ch c thi "ch xem - wait and see" tr߾c hnh ng khuynh lot t pha Thi lan. (06/97)

NG TH VINH

  1. The Mekong Committee:A New Genus of International Organization; Somporn Sangchai, Indiana Univ.1967.
  2. The Mekong Project:Opportunities and Problems of Regionalism; Franklin P. Huddle;U S House of Representatives;Wash.Govt.Print.Off.1972.
  3. Mekong, Aprs le Degel:Srie Monde H.S. 1992.
  4. Lessons Unlearned:Damming the Mekong River;Rothert S.; Intl. Rivers Network Working Oct.1995.
  5. Silenced Rivers; Patrick McCully, Zed Books Ltd. London 1996.

Author: NGO THE VINH is a novelist and physician; former editor of Tinh Thuong Magazine,former chief surgeon of the 81st Airborne Ranger Group ARVN. He authored 4 books published in Saigon before 1975.Mat Tran O Saigon (Battlefield in Saigon) is a short-story collection published by Van Nghe in the United States(1996).He currently resides in Southern California and a staff internist,asst.clin.prof.UCI College of Medicine. His current field of interest includes: Public Health & the Environmental Aspects of the Mekong Delta and the Developmental Implications.


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