A public protest against the 2017 Gemstone Draft Law will be held in the Kachin State’s Capital Myitkyina on claims of bringing no benefits to local residents, according to the Kachin National Congress (KNC)’s chair Dr. M Kawn La, who will lead the protest.
“The main reason for our protest is that [the draft law] cannot fully serve the interest of local residents. Also, it is weak in serving the citizens’ interest. We believe the essence [of the draft law] sways a little towards a group of people,” Dr M Kawn La explained.
At yesterday's [February 21] press conference, held at City Park Royal Restaurant in Myitkyina, Dr M Kawn La said the protest will be held to urge the government to change the 2017 Gemstone Draft Law from serving the interest of a group of people to serving the country’s interest.
A request has been submitted to the local authorities to grant the permission to stage the protest on February 28.
According to the Committee for Organizing the Protest against the Gemstone Law, around 1,000 people including members of Kachin political parties and Kachin civil society organizations, Kachin legal experts, gemstone business owners, and local residents will participate in the protest.
The committee insisted that the draft law seems to restrict the right of local residents and citizens by allowing the continuation of large-scale projects.
The committee said only entrepreneurs and Chinese nationals are allowed to work in gemstone plots.
“Fifty acres [plot] is very wide for a large-scale plot. If there aren’t any restrictions against the machines, we need to make many considerations on environmental conservation depending on how deep they will dig to the bottom of the earth,” said Dr. M Kawn La.
He continued that they cannot accept the draft law since it opposes the sustainability of small businesses.
“They are likely to produce a lot of gems quickly. This will not end up in our hands. We are going to protest this due to this situation,” he added.
The protesters will march on the streets while shouting slogans to call for the right of Kachin people and citizens to obtain the Kachin State’s jades, ban large-scale plots, restrict the use of machines, immediately enact the gemstone law, and give equal opportunity to Kachin people and gemstone productions owned by ethnic nationals.
