Ahead of a national consultation meeting about Laos’s Don Sahong hydropower dam later this week, communities that will be affected by the project have made their opinion clear: suspend the dam.

Cambodia is set to hold four meetings about the proposed Mekong dam between now and December in order to formulate a response for regional dialogues at the end of the year, according to Te Navuth, secretary-general of the Cambodian National Mekong Committee.

But dam opponents yesterday dismissed the meetings, and said the prior consultation process is “flawed” to begin with.

“We do not think the results of the meetings will be effective if Laos is just going to continue building,” said Youk Senglong, program manager for the Fisheries Action Coalition Team.

According to the Mekong River Commission, the consultation process does not grant any of the Lower Mekong countries the ability to veto a dam.

Cambodia’s first national meeting is scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Stung Treng.