Mining

The ongoing legacy of deadly mine run-off for a small town in Thailand could be repeated en masse in Burma, where mining companies have little to no oversight and environmental laws are more lax than Thailand. Two small girls sit and sway in a hammock at their playground beside their nursery school of Lower Klity village. They silently stare into…

Mya Kan Thar Mining Company received permission from the State government to mine for antinomy in the Lay Thar Plaw area in Kyain Seikgyi Township in Karen State. U Myo Aung Htay, secretary of the Karen State Administration Office signed, on behalf of the State Minister, a letter dated December 27, 2012 and sent to the Union Mining Minister at…

A Karenni women’s group called for the halt to the expansion of the Mawchi tin mines in Karenni State in Eastern Burma. The Karenni women’s group claims that the tin mine has damage the environment and impact more than 4,000 indigenous Karenni people. The Karenni women group known as the Molo Women Mining Watch Network released a report – Lost…

Pyaw Pyo villagers claim polluted water from the Heinda Mine, in the Dawei District in southern Burma, has made their lives unbearable. Daw Aye Ye, from Pyaw Pyo village told Karen News. “My house is flooded and all of my plantation is gone. My well that I used to use is now ruined and I have to dig for water…

A Karen family alleged that they have been abused and expelled from their home by the Dawei Princess Company are now seeking help from the local Karen National Union (KNU) office. Naw Hsa Gay, husband works at the Dawei Princess Company mining site at Min Htain in a KNU controlled area in southern Burma, spoke to Karen News about the…

The Karen National Union are about to close down two antimony mining companies operating in the Maw Lu Taung (known locally) area in Papun Township that are working in a KNU controlled area. Karen News understands that the KNU will stop the mining companies activities by the end of April. Padoh Saw Tender, KNU chairman of Papun District, told Karen…

Wearing a torn grey t-shirt and shorts, U Aung Sein paddles his small bamboo raft across the muddy water reservoir that surrounds his dead betel nut plantation. He lays out his fishing net in the dirty water, but expects there will not be any fish. U Aung Sein says he is not a fisherman by choice, but since dirty run-off…

Villagers in the east of Tavoy, southern Burma claim authorities have ignored their complaints against a Thai company and a Burma government joint venture mining operation that has been polluting their drinking water for a decade. A local villager from the affected area (who did not want to be named for his security) said. “I could no longer use water…