Among recommendations that came out of the Arakan National Conference in Kyaukpyu is a call for the Arakan state (also known as Rakhine) to get 50 percent of all revenues generated by the region’s oil and gas projects.
U Kyaw Khine from the Watch the Oil civil society group is among delegates who called for the state to get a half share of oil and gas revenues for state development projects. He also indicated that the state should use natural gas for electricity generation.
The delegates made their call on April 28. The conference ended May 1. It was the first gathering of its kind in the area since 1947 and lasted for five days.
The delegates also suggested that the state take over direct responsibility for the management of natural resources exploitation in Arakan.
Currently, the Union government manages all natural resources, but the conference heard from states and regions with proposals to arrange local administrators and civil society groups to be included in contractual agreements.
All natural resources must be for the national benefit, according to Amyotha Hluttaw MP and secretary of Mining and Natural Resources Committee U Hla Swe. The opinions were expressed in reaction to the conference proposals.
The Kyaukpyu-Kunming pipeline will carry 500 million cubic feet of gas per day, according to a report last August. The report indicates that 400 million of those cubic feet of gas would be for China while the remaining share would be for domestic use.
Of that 100 million cubic feet remaining for use within the nation, 20 million cubic feet per day are to be allocated to Kyaukpyu.