More than 90 monks were hospitalized following an early morning raid on a protest camp near the mine site on Nov.29.

The government has appointed a 16-member investigation commission headed by Aung San Suu Kyi to look into the incident.  They are required to report their findings by Dec.31, and also expected to advise the government whether or not the mine should be allowed to operate.    

The investors - a joint venture between China’s Wan Bao Company and military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (UMEHL) - have been accused of destroying crop fields and Buddhist shrines, polluting clean water sources, and seizing 3,150 hectares of land from the surrounding villages. Construction for the mine has already started in Lapadaung Mountains, near Monywa, in Upper Burma.

At the press conference, Li maintained that sensitive issues like relocation, compensation, environmental protection, and profit sharing have already been negotiated between Chinese investors and the Myanmar government. Solutions have been forged in accordance to Myanmar's laws and regulations.

“We paid 550,000 Kyats for one acre of land, as the local people requested. There is about a total of 6,000 acres for the project that we have paid compensation of nearly US $5 million.” Li said locals are misinformed and insisted the Chinese government used the appropriate legal channels for the Wanbao Company to go ahead with the project.

“If the local people have a legitimate demand then they can submit it the right way. If the project is stopped there will be no advantages for any investors in the future.”