Kachin civil society organizations (CSOs) have written a report on the deadly landslides in Hpakant and submitted it to the Union Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation along with a demand to the government, the Tatmadaw, the police, and armed organization.
Hpakant-based 'Wunpawng Amyusha Zinlum Hpung' and the 'Humanity Institute' (HI) collaborated in drafting the report titled ‘Jade: At the Expense of Many Lives’ and submitted it to the Union Minister on July 30.
U Mon Dan from the Humanity Institute said it was the first time they made a demand on the landslides to the Union Minister of Natural Resources instead of to the state government as only the union minister level can effectively handle the situations in Hpakant area, the land of treasures.
The aim of the demand is for the government, Tatmadaw, armed organization, and company to cooperate in establishing a project that can control jade mining sites and reduce deaths and carry out sustainable development for the local residents.
Over 500 people have been killed between 2014 and 2018 and most of them were youths, according to the report.
The two CSOs advised the government to monitor whether the jade companies follow the Gemstone Law, the security groups to refrain from shooting indiscriminately when a conflict rises between them and jade miners, and armed groups to take action in accord with the law instead of killing law violators without reason.
Copies of the recommendation have been sent to the President, the State Counsellor, the Tatmadaw's Commander-in-Chief, the Kachin State Chief Minister, and the State Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Minister.
