Illegal Economy - general

expand all
collapse all

Individual Documents

Description: "Regarding international concerns about online scam activities, including illegal casino gambling along the border of Karen State, the position of the Karen National Union (KNU) is as follows. 1. The emergence of online scam activities and illegal casino gambling is rooted in the poor system and corruption practiced by the successive governments of Burma (Myanmar) and is because of the lack of responsibility, accountability and rule of law of the successive governments. 2. The SAC is directly benefiting from these illicit businesses and are protecting and supporting them from behind. This has resulted in various social problems, not only for the Karen people in Karen State, but also for all those involved, and brings instability to the region, threatening global financial security and economic stability. 3. The KNU is absolutely opposed to any illicit business and is willing to combat the online scams and illegal casino gambling businesses. 4. The KNU is ready to cooperate with neighbouring countries and international organisations to clear out the online scam activities and illegal casino gambling businesses..."
Source/publisher: Karen National Union
2024-02-13
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 192.08 KB
more
Description: "The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. It demonstrates the firm determination and strong will of the two countries to jointly combat transnational telecom fraud crimes and work together to maintain security and stability, it said. The ministry said that for a long time, multiple criminal groups in the Kokang region in northern Myanmar have openly organized armed fraud gangs and carried out telecom fraud crimes against Chinese citizens. They were also suspected of multiple and severe violent crimes such as intentional homicide, intentional injury, and illegal detention. On Dec. 10, 2023, the Chinese police issued a public reward for 10 ring leaders of the telecom fraud criminal gangs in the Kokang region and sent a working group to Myanmar. Tuesday's successful handover took place after China and Myanmar reached a consensus following multiple rounds of talks and consultations. An officer of the ministry said that 44,000 telecom fraud suspects have been handed over to China from Myanmar so far, including 2,908 fugitives. The Chinese police will always maintain a high-pressure posture to crack down on such crimes, and continue to deepen international law enforcement cooperation and arrest ring leaders of telecom fraud criminal gangs, said the officer. Criminal suspect Bai Suo Cheng is escorted by Chinese police officers at the Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Bai Suo Cheng is escorted by Chinese police officers at the Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Liu Zheng Mao is handed over to Chinese police officers at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Liu Zheng Xiang is handed over to Chinese police officers at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Wei Huai Ren is handed over to Chinese police officers at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Xu Lao Fa is handed over to Chinese police officers at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Bai Ying Cang is handed over to Chinese police officers at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspect Bai Suo Cheng is handed over to Chinese police officers at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Criminal suspects are escorted by Chinese police officers at the Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 30, 2024. The Myanmar police on Tuesday handed six key leaders of Kokang telecom fraud gangs and four other major criminal suspects over to China, according to China's Ministry of Public Security. The ten suspects were escorted by Chinese police officers back to China via a charter flight that landed in Kunming on Tuesday evening, the ministry said, adding that it is another landmark achievement of Chinese and Myanmar police cooperation in law enforcement. (Xinhua/Yin Gang)..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua News Agency" (Beijing)
2024-01-31
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Myanmar’s military regime will auction off 12,500 tons of hardwood on September 16 and 30 as it seeks to raise hard currency to fund its coup. Myanma Timber Enterprise, the state-run entity which controls Myanmar’s timber sales, said the timber for sale includes 1,500 tons of teak logs and 1,000 tons of sawn teak. The auction will be held in Yangon’s Insein Township with buyers bidding online. In May, the junta held three separate auctions at which nearly 10,300 tons of timber were sold for around US$5 million, followed by another auction in June of more than 14,000 tons of timber. The wood sold in May and June reportedly came from a stockpile of 200,000 tons of illegally-harvested timber seized by the now-ousted National League for Democracy government. The UK and US-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said in a statement in May that the military regime is seeking an injection of hard currency by selling off thousands of tons of illegal timber to international markets. Faith Doherty, EIA Forests Campaigns Leader, said, “Why would this state enterprise do this, other than to obtain desperately-needed hard currency to continue the junta’s brutal persecution of the people of Myanmar”. Since the February 1 coup, the US, Canada, EU and Britain have sanctioned the regime’s resources and environmental conservation minister, U Khin Maung Yi, as well as other relevant individuals in Myanmar, to prevent the junta from exploiting the country’s resources. However, twenty-seven Italian timber traders imported teak into the EU from Myanmar despite clear regulations, in the form of the EU Timber Regulation, which prohibit such imports, said the EIA in a September 1 report. The Italian traders imported wood worth between US$1.5 million and US$1.77 million from Myanmar between March and May this year. “By continuing the trade, these companies are effectively supporting the military junta and its brutal repression of the Myanmar people as well as the destruction of the country’s forests,” said the EIA’s Doherty. The parallel National Unity government has warned that it will blacklist any bidder and government staff involved in the junta’s timber auctions..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2021-09-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-09-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "A new investigation from watchdog group Global Witness reports that jade mining is a major source of income for both the Myanmar military and armed ethnic groups, fueling conflict in the country. While conflicts between the military and armed groups escalate elsewhere in Myanmar, Global Witness reports that major armed groups and the military work side by side in jade mines in Hpakant in the ethnic-minority state of Kachin. Armed groups and individual officers have earned fortunes from the jade trade, while Kachin state’s environment, and the communities who depend on it, have paid the price. Jade mining is fueling conflict in Myanmar, channeling money into the coffers of the military and ethnic armed groups, according watchdog group Global Witness. The industry buoys the weapons trade and enriches military officials, including the son of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, the group says. “In Hpakant our investigation revealed that warring parties were collaborating to profit even as conflict between them escalated elsewhere in northern Myanmar,” says a new report by Global Witness, which alleges that major armed groups worked side by side with the military in the jade mines. The report also accuses Aung Pyae Son, the son of the general who seized power in a coup in February, of directly benefiting from corruption in the jade trade. Global Witness says he received a cut of payment for the import of dynamite and “also profited from arrangements to mine illegally in Hpakant” after the civilian government suspended new licenses. As the generals enrich themselves and war continues to rage, the environment and the people who depend on it pay the ultimate price. “The mountains are becoming flat valleys and the valleys are becoming mountains. In Kachin history, there were many historic mountains, but all are gone now,” said a researcher based in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state. The researcher, who asked not to be named, said some residents don’t even recognize the areas where they grew up. An ethnic Rakhine jade miner, known as a yemase, agreed. “All the trees are already destroyed. The rivers are filled up with land dug from the mountains,” he said. When he arrived in Hpakant some 10 years ago, the miners “used handheld drills to dig.” “There are much more big machines now and a lot of bulldozers,” he said, explaining this has escalated the environmental damage. While Myanmar’s jade industry is estimated to be worth more than $30 billion, few local people reap the benefits, causing major grievances over issues of land and resource management. Some itinerant miners do strike it rich, but most risk their lives toiling under grueling condition for little pay. Deadly landslides are frequent, with three miners killed just this week. Keel Dietz, policy adviser for Global Witness, said even before the coup there was “no sort of post-mining rehabilitation.” “Companies are supposed to put together mine closure plans, but it’s just a check the box thing, they’re not expected to actually do anything. They usually just abandon them and this causes big environmental problems, huge open pits that fill up with water and waste chemicals,” he said. In 2020, a landslide killed at least 174 miners. “Villages are perched on the precipice right on the edge of a mining site. There’s going to be more landslides in the future,” Dietz said. Floods and landslides already plague villages in Hpakant. A flash flood in 2018 killed 11 people and destroyed 70 homes, while the U.N.’s humanitarian office estimated nearly 7,750 people were displaced by flooding in July 2020. When the National League for Democracy won election in 2015, it struggled to assert control over the jade industry, which had been controlled by the military for decades. “Myanmar’s multi-billion-dollar jade industry is a paradigmatic example” of the country’s “partial reform” which was always “resisted” by the military, Global Witness said. Matthew Baird, an environmental lawyer with years of experience in Myanmar, said that when the NLD came to power, even “talking about jade and gem mining was very risky.” He said the civilian government had made some progress, despite the “big challenge.” “We know a lot more about the industry, its corruption and its hazards that was not possible under the previous administration,” Baird said. But with the military back in full control, Global Witness said it expects the situation to worsen, adding the coup has “crushed any hopes that these policies and regulations will be finalised, let alone improved.”.....The conflict economy: In 2019 and 2020, the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, and the Arakan Army fought a brutal war in Rakhine state. As of June 2021, the U.N. estimated that more than 81,000 people, mostly ethnic Rakhine, remain displaced as a result of the conflict. Despite this, both armed groups were operating in the mines in Hpakant, and likely cooperating, as was the Kachin Independence Army, which was largely avoiding clashes at the time. The Rakhine yemase confirmed to Mongabay that the AA, which is hugely popular with ethnic Rakhine people, is active in the mines and collects money from workers, but denied this was a form of taxation. “The yemase people from Rakhine voluntarily share profit with the AA,” he said. He also said the AA settles disputes between Rakhine people and other miners, adding that the AA will sometimes impose fines on troublemakers of up to 300,000 kyat ($225). Global Witness reported that a “well-placed Rakhine businessperson” claimed that jade is the “primary income source” for the AA, and said the industry likely fueled the group’s “rapid expansion and recruitment.” It also found evidence of at least one company run directly by the AA active in the mines. The Kachin researcher in Myitkyina said that the military, AA and KIA are all taking taxes from people working in the mines, with each group’s business interests blurring into the others’. “Hpakant is brown, not black or white,” he said. He added that sometimes when one group needs to transport jade stones, it goes through the other group’s territory, requiring cooperation and payment. A fourth armed group, the United Wa State Army, often pays the KIA in weapons, according to Global Witness, which also says a KIA intelligence official reported these weapons are then sold on to the AA for a profit. Since the coup, however, this dynamic has been upended. The AA is now observing a temporary cease-fire with the Tatmadaw in exchange for political concessions, while the KIA has joined the pro-democracy movement, launching attacks on the junta. Fighting has even reached Hpakant, ending the informal agreement to avoid conflict in the mines. However, Global Witness said that “such cooperation could re-emerge in the future in a similar form.”.....Widespread corruption: The jade mines have long been a major source of income for the military and its generals. In addition to Min Aung Hlaing’s son, other high-ranking military officers and former officials benefit either through their own jade mining companies or by taking bribes to allow other companies to mine illegally. Two military-controlled conglomerates “collectively control more mining licences than any other entity,” according to Global Witness. Meanwhile, the Myanmar Gems Enterprise is tasked with regulating the jade industry, while also maintaining its own commercial interests in jade, a clear conflict of interest, especially given that MGE includes former military officials. “Now there are serious concerns that the military will simply re-open the licensing process, reaping a windfall in bribes and doling out access to the best jade mining plots to allies in exchange for loyalty and political support,” Global Witness said. While some Western countries have imposed sanctions on MGE and the conglomerates, this may fail to significantly dent the junta’s profits, as “the overwhelming majority of jade is in fact smuggled out of Myanmar directly into China without ever entering the formal system,” according to Global Witness. Baird said the Tatmadaw should not be recognized as a legitimate governing body, and called for it to be designated as a “transnational criminal enterprise” under the U.N. Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. “The current illegal exploitation of gems and natural resources, and the complicity of the Tatmadaw and the commercial enterprises makes them liable for these criminal acts,” Baird said, also appealing to China and Singapore to freeze any assets linked to military companies. The Kachin researcher said military postings in the area are coveted, as they allow officials to build up connections in the industry. “When they were there, they built a good relationship with the local officials and they knew the local context,” he said, adding they later leverage these relationships for financial benefits. Dietz said that with the Tatmadaw back in power, “there is little chance for serious reform.” “Why would the Tatmadaw reform an industry that it benefits from so much?” he said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Mongabay
2021-07-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Land confiscations, illegal casinos, money laundering, and environmental degradation plagues a Myanmar SEZ.
Description: "Like more than 100 areas in the Mekong River region earmarked as development zones, the Yatai Shwe Kokko Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Myanmar was promoted as a way to spur economic growth and deliver material benefits to the local community. But instead the Chinese-backed U.S. $15 billion real estate mega-project along the Thaungyin River in southeastern Kayin state has gained notoriety in recent months as a bastion of illegal activity, according to a report released Wednesday by the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), an independent research outfit that studies transnational organized crime networks. Shwe Kokko New City, as the area is called, was funded by Hong Kong-registered developer Yatai International Holding Group in partnership with the Chit Lin Myaing Company owned by the Kayin State Border Guard Force (BGF), an ethnic Karen force aligned with the Myanmar military. It includes the Myanmar Yatai Shwe Kokko Special Economic Zone. But the area became a hub for illicit activity because of weak national laws, a diffusion of responsibility, and a lack of development plans, says the 76-page report titled “Zoned Out: A Comprehensive Impact Evaluation of Mekong Economic Development Zones.” The study identified 110 official and unofficial foreign-invested EDZs in the Mekong region, including 40 in Cambodia, 15 in Laos, 20 in Myanmar, 16 in Thailand, and 19 in Vietnam, and used publicly available information to assess them in terms of economic development, illicit activity, and geopolitics. To assess the impact of EDZs, the researchers examined both quantitative indicators derived from personal activity intelligence, including mobile phone location data, change detection in satellite imagery, and nightlight data, along with qualitative research on illicit activity and geopolitical trends. Because of the strong correlation between nightlight data and economic activity, the researchers measured nighttime luminosity in the EDZs to objectively evaluate the relative economic performance of the zones. They also used information from publicly available reports that detailed illegal activities, including corruption, environmental degradation, land conflict, drug trafficking, and wildlife trafficking. Shwe Kokko is not the only example of an EDZ gone wrong. The study found that while the establishment of the zones speeds up development, the EDZs themselves can facilitate adverse outcomes that undermine economic growth benefits. They also found that limited data access concerning the Mekong region’s EDZs can hurt host governments and local communities, and that collaboration among stakeholders from government, grassroots organizations, the private sector, and civil society will increase transparency and better match objectives to end results. “Without proper management, EDZs can serve as staging grounds for multiple types of transnational illicit activity and geopolitical machinations,” the report says. “Further complicating the situation is a paucity of accessible data, leaving policymakers and observers alike struggling to draw informed conclusions on the effects of zones.” Lack of regulatory oversight In the case of the Shwe Kokko SEZ First, the developers allegedly received a 70-year land lease with the possibility of extending to 99 years, violating Myanmar law which limits lease terms to 50 years for official Economic Development Zones (EDZs). Then the BGF confiscated land for the site, but shortchanged residents paying them only U.S. $1,600 an acre — half the amount they sought. A lack of regulatory oversight enabled the illegal land confiscations along with Chinese gang activities once the project had been built, illegal casinos, money laundering, and environmental degradation, the report says. It also notes that She Kailun, Yatai International’s China-born chairman, had a previous conviction for operating an illegal lottery business that earned nearly U.S. $300 million. In response, Myanmar’s civilian-led government announced plans in January to address alleged irregularities, including the land confiscations, illicit activities, and local concerns about the impact of the casinos. The government also cracked down on Chinese criminal groups in the area and requested that the national military enforce the law in Shwe Kokko. When Myanmar’s military overthrew the government in a Feb. 1 coup, it became unclear what would happen next in Shwe Kokko. “A combination of legal ambiguity, limited host government enforcement, and poor zone management have created numerous negative externalities in Shwe Kokko, including increased criminal activity, decreased geopolitical power, and environmental degradation — all without delivering economic gain for the region itself,” the report says. Aung Naing Oo, minister of investment and foreign economic relations under the State Administrative Council, the official name of Myanmar’s military government, told RFA that the Myanmar Investment Commission had examined and approved the Shwe Kokko project during the previous civilian-led government, but determined that its scope was much larger than the original proposal. “Then we checked the project again and ordered that business activities not included in original proposal be stopped, he said. “Because the project was much larger and there were other issues such as land use, we ordered the project to be halted since previous government. They were ordered to do only what had been approved.” “The activities that were not included in the proposals were the building of hotels among other [sites],” he said. “We asked them to stop, [and] the order has remained unchanged…We have supervised them very closely about the suspension.” The report details other case studies of other zones plagued by illicit activities, such as the Boten SEZ in Laos, rife with illegal sales of wildlife, such as endangered pangolins, and the Golden Triangle EDZ, also in Laos, a hub for a hub for illicit drug and wildlife trafficking. An official in the Special Economic Zone Control Department of the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment told RFA that he could not comment on whether there is illicit activity in the Boten and Golden Triangle SEZs. China ‘used its influence’ Cambodia’s Sihanoukville SEZ, considered part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, suffered from high crimes rates among other factors, the report said. “The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promises benefits for local communities. In the case of the Sihanoukville SEZ, however, development was greatly undercut by increasing crime rates, rising rents, overwhelmed infrastructure, and the suppression of local culture in the city of Sihanoukville,” the report says. “China allegedly used its influence to pressure Cambodia to ban online gambling as part of a broader campaign against gambling by China. This ban further disrupted the city of Sihanoukville by devastating the local gaming economy and causing thousands to leave the city,” it said. The Cambodian Investment Board did not respond to an email request for comments on the report’s findings concerning the Sihanoukville SEZ. Emails sent to two contact addresses listed on the website of the Cambodian Special Economic Zone Board were undeliverable. Both government agencies deal with investment projects in SEZs. To improve the impacts of EDZs in the Mekong region, the researchers recommend the development of open, centralized repositories of information on EDZs, the use of emerging technologies such as nightlight capture, satellite imagery, and machine learning to create monitoring processes, and the convening of cross-sector interdisciplinary task forces to address negative impacts. “Through collaboration and data-driven analysis, host governments can ensure that EDZs serve the needs of the host country economy and the local population,” the report says..."
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
2021-06-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Mobile money agents and informal brokers have been meeting the demand for cash at a time when banks are severely limiting withdrawals, but some accuse them of profiteering by charging steep fees.
Description: "When U San Lwin arrived at his local KBZ bank at 7:30 one recent morning, he gazed despondently at the long line of customers already waiting at the ATM. Like so many others, lining up at ATMs has become a daily ritual for San Lwin. Since the February 1 coup he’s been desperately trying to withdraw money from his account because he fears that under a military regime he’ll end up losing everything. “It’s only getting worse,” he said of the difficulties accessing his own cash. “I’m so worried the banks will collapse before I can withdraw my savings. Everyone else is worried, too – that’s why we’re here every day.” To prevent banks running out of cash, the Central Bank of Myanmar introduced withdrawal limits of K2 million a week for individuals, including a maximum of K500,000 a day from ATMs. But with the Central Bank unwilling to provide private banks with adequate liquidity, the banks have been forced to ration their reserves even further by putting daily caps on the number of customers and setting lower withdrawal limits. This has only increased the panic, however, and the length of the queues. At first San Lwin lined up to withdraw money from branches, but when that became too time-consuming – he had to line up one day for a token, and then another to withdraw money – he instead turned to ATMs. Now he queues up most of the day just to withdraw K200,000 – if he can find an ATM that still has cash in it. For those without the time or patience to line up, or who need larger amounts of cash, there are other options. But these come at a price, ranging from the equivalent of a few dollars to possibly thousands on larger transactions. Inside the cash hustle For many like San Lwin, queuing for hours outside a bank or ATM at the height of the hot season is a hardship. But for those with time on their hands – and a willingness to rise early – it’s an opportunity to make some money. Ma Pyae from Yangon’s Thingangyun Township quit her job at a bank late last year. In March she began offering a unique service, one that didn’t exist prior to the coup: she would line up for you at an ATM for a fee of K10,000. Ma Pyae would head out into the early morning darkness – in violation of the nightly curfew – to get a spot at the front of an ATM queue. By the time curfew ended, there would usually be anywhere from 70 to 100 people behind her. Once Ma Pyae was in line, a friend would post in several Facebook groups offering her help to withdraw cash. If the client trusted her, they would transfer the money directly to Ma Pyae’s account and she would withdraw it using her own card; otherwise, they would come to the ATM and transfer the money to her after she had already withdrawn the cash. But she described this enterprise as a “lottery”, because the banks do not usually announce which ATMs they will fill until 9am. “If this ATM doesn’t work, is there another one we can go to? We would ask our friends and get there as soon as possible,” she said. Ma Pyae preferred to line up at CB Bank ATMs, because the bank has higher withdrawal limits – K300,000 a day, compared to K200,000 a day for rivals banks KBZ and AYA – and she knew from experience that if she wasn’t among the first 100 people then she was probably wasting her time. Ma Pyae is far from alone. On Facebook, there are hundreds of people offering to line up at ATMs in exchange for a K5,000 to K10,000 fee – or 1.66 percent to 5pc of the total withdrawal amount, depending on the bank. Ma Thet, from South Okkalapa Township in Yangon, also prefers to line up at CB Bank ATMs. Like Ma Pyae, she rises before dawn each day, sometimes lining up together with friends so they can all exchange their spots for K10,000. “It’s about trust,” she said. “Some people trust us and just transfer the money and then wait somewhere else. Once we take out the money, we just have to go and give it to them. Others who don’t trust us, they come and wait [by the ATM] until the cash is out.” Recently, Ma Pyae decided to stop lining up ATMs. The final straw was an argument with a woman who took her spot when she went for lunch. “The bank staff didn’t help at all – they just said it wasn’t their responsibility,” she said. “That’s kind of true, but this mess is partly because they’re making it hard for us to withdraw cash.” Instead, she now sells the tokens needed to get inside a branch to withdraw cash, charging K3,000 to K5,000 for each token. The fee is lower, she said, because she doesn’t have to get up early and queue for many hours. Instead, Ma Pyae calls one branch after another, from 9am to 3pm, to try and secure a token for an appointment. When she gets one, she advertises it in Facebook groups. “Often the buyers are mobile money agents – those who work with Wave Money want appointments with Yoma Bank, while KPay agents buy tokens for KBZ,” she said.....Money in a hurry: These mobile money agents are another potential source of quick cash for those wanting to avoid queuing at ATMs or bank branches, but there’s a catch. “The fees are rising all the time,” complained San Lwin. “At the end of March, it was 2 percent. A month later it was 3pc. Then it was 4pc or 5pc. You have to pay money just to get your own money.” The two largest mobile money providers, Wave Money and KBZPay (often referred to as KPay), allow their agents to charge cash withdrawal fees ranging from 3pc for K10,000 to 0.8pc for K500,000. But since cash shortages began to bite, agents have started charging additional or higher fees. These started only slightly above the official rates but have gradually risen, in some cases hitting 15pc or more. Agents told Frontier they were facing the same difficulties as bank customers, and the higher fees reflect the time and money they spend trying to get cash to give to customers. “I’m an agent for Wave Money and KBZPay. They give us a small commission, which works well during normal times when there is money flowing in and out,” said agent Daw Nyunt Nyunt Than. “But since the coup, customers only want to withdraw money. That means your account at the bank fills up, but you have no cash in hand. You have to wait days to get it out of the bank and you can never get enough.” Ko Hein Thwin Soe, a Wave Money agent from Yangon’s Sanchaung Township, said he’s charging a 10pc withdrawal fee because, similar to Nyunt Nyunt Than, it has been difficult for him to get cash out of his account at Yoma Bank. “Most agents are doing the same,” he said. “We’re all facing the same problem.” A KBZ employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bank had opened a “KPay Centre” at its MICT Park branch in Yangon on April 9 to make it easier for customers to access their cash. They are able to withdraw up to K500,000 a week at the centre and are charged K4,000, or 0.8pc. However, the withdrawal limit has since been cut to K300,000 and access to the KPay Centre is also limited through a token system, with the bank issuing 250 digital tokens a day through the KPay app. “Last week I was charging 10pc but now I’ve increased it to 12pc, like most agents,” Daw Myint Myint Khin, a KPay agent in Sanchaung, told Frontier on May 20, adding that this hadn’t hurt demand. “Even though the fee has gone up, there are still many people who want to withdraw money.” Because money is only going one way – out of customers’ accounts – she’s only serving 20 customers a day, allowing them to withdraw up to K150,000 each. “No one transfers or puts cash into their account anymore, so I’m always running out of money,” she said. Even Wave Money customers willing to pay the extra commission have found it harder to withdraw cash from their mobile wallets in recent weeks, because of attempts by the company to rein in the fees. On May 21, it issued a statement saying it was aware some agents were “overcharging” customers and was “investigating”. “[A]ppropriate actions will be taken against those proven to have engaged in corrupt practices,” it said. Since then, many Wave Money agents have simply stopped offering services, because they are unwilling to let customers cash out at the fee level set by the company. Mr Brad Jones, chief executive officer of Wave Money, said the company had seen a significant drop in over-the-counter transactions – either cash transfers or withdrawals – but the company would stick to a “zero tolerance approach” to agents overcharging customers. “We are aware that many of our agents are facing challenges including [a] cash shortage. However, we don’t authorise any agent surcharge, condone overcharging in any way or other dishonest behaviour,” Jones said, adding that complaints had decreased since the company gave official warnings to some agents and suspended others. But some are refusing to comply. Nyunt Nyunt Than said while she was aware of the announcement, she would only stop charging extra fees when access to cash returns to normal. As of June 4, she was still charging 10pc for Wave Money and KPay withdrawals. Because of her limited cash reserves, she’s only serving 10 customers a day and limiting each withdrawal to K100,000. “I don’t want to charge extra,” she said. “But if we want to withdraw our money, we have to go to the bank and line up with everyone else, so we have to charge a small fee. “I think 10pc is still cheap for [customers] – I’ve heard that some agents take 20pc, while others won’t let you withdraw money at all. So I don’t feel guilty about it; I’m helping people as much as I can.” A spokesperson for KBZ did not respond to a request for comment. The big money game There are other options for those wanting to access larger sums from a bank account. A market for deposits has emerged under which customers use internet banking to transfer their balance to a third party, who then gives them cash – again, for a fee. Similarly, some dealers will buy cheques at below face value, pocketing a percentage of the total. Although some of these transactions are handled through existing money exchange and informal remittance networks, many seemingly ordinary people with cash in hand have been advertising their services on new Facebook groups created to link buyers and sellers. Back in March these dealers and agents were charging as little as 1pc, but the fee has risen steadily and hit around 13pc in early May. As online discussion of deposit transfers hit fever pitch, the Central Bank warned on April 15 that such dealings were “illegal” under section 99(b) of the Central Bank of Myanmar Law, which prohibits the trading of currency notes or coins for a profit without the permission of the CBM. It accused some businesses of piling up cash instead of depositing it in the banks so they could profit from these money transfers. Anyone involved could be sentenced to two years in prison, it warned. This threat did little to stop the practice, but the rising fees eventually sparked a backlash, with some users expressing their frustration on the Facebook groups. “Unless you need money for a life-saving situation, don’t take out money [from a broker]. The charges are far too high. 3pc is still reasonable, but most are just trying to take advantage of the situation … I am fed up with those engaged in profiteering,” wrote one user on May 14. Many users flocked to the comment section of the post to discourage others from transferring their deposits. Some alleged that “most of the brokers are bank staffers”, something that has not been proven. Others claimed that they’d been cheated by brokers who failed to give the cash after they had transferred their deposits. Ma Pyae said those buying deposits in large quantities were using them to buy gold with electronic transactions, and then selling the gold for cash. “Gold shops demand cash from small buyers, but they were letting some buyers use electronic transactions for large amounts,” she said. After gold hit a record local price on May 12, the authorities tried to tame the market. On May 17, the Yangon Gold Entrepreneurs Association said it was working with the Bureau of Special Investigation, the government’s economic crime-fighting force, “to stabilise the gold price”. The association added that it had instructed members to only accept cash for gold sales, and at a meeting at the end of the month, members decided to stop selling gold to those “who purposely manipulate the market”. On May 20, meanwhile, police arrested a woman from Yangon’s North Okkalapa Township for allegedly offering illegal “door to door” remittance and withdrawal services. The arrest was only announced on May 31, with state media reporting that the woman, who also runs an online shop, had charged from 4pc to 8pc. Vowing to crack down on brokers offering to buy deposits for cash, the police said the woman had been “taking advantage” of the “cash withdrawal situation” – a euphemistic reference to the banking crisis. News of the arrest seemed to have an immediate effect, with many of the once-active Facebook groups now scrubbed of all their earlier posts in which users advertised their services and rates.....Entrepreneurs or profiteers?: While those buying deposits for cash have been castigated as unscrupulous profiteers, they have played an undeniably important role in providing businesses with the cash they need to pay staff, suppliers and other expenses. Edmund Malesky, a professor of political science at Duke University in the United States who has studied Myanmar’s economy, said those willing to provide cash could be seen as “entrepreneurs taking risks to provide a valuable service that is keeping economic transactions moving forward”. “They did not create the banking crisis, but they are finding ways to make cash available to those who believe they can best use it. The fees they are charging compensate them for their risks and the prices are likely driven upward by those who most need cash for their operations, and who believe they can still make profits at those higher prices,” he said. He said he doubted that any “top-down regulation or punitive measure” would stop the practice of charging for cash amid the current scarcity. “A critical part of the banking crisis has to do with the fact that financial markets do not function well in climates of low trust and political uncertainty,” he said. Malesky said the cash shortage was likely hurting not only customers unable to access their savings, but also the economy more broadly. When people have trouble accessing cash, it limits the number of transactions that are possible and reduces the “velocity of money”, which is an indicator of the health of an economy. “When velocity is high, it means that people are making and selling goods and services, earning returns, which they use to buy other goods and services,” he said. “Artificial cash shortages interrupt this process and raise the cost of daily transactions, slowing economic activity and impeding growth.” But for San Lwin, the fees are hard to stomach. “I’ve heard some KPay agents are charging as much as 20pc … I think they are just taking advantage of the bad political situation,” he said. “A handful of capitalists are working with a lot of money and making a big profit from the fees,” San Lwin said, suggesting the public should follow his example by shunning the brokers and joining ATM queues. “I want to encourage other people to line up to withdraw money rather than support the capitalists by paying these exorbitant fees.”
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
2021-06-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "The military junta that seized control of Myanmar earlier this year is seeking to "line its pockets" by selling off thousands of tons of illegal timber to international markets, the Environmental Investigation Agency reported on Friday in its latest update on the country’s “tainted timber” trade. During the last term of the ‘legitimate’ government of Myanmar, the state took steps to combat illegal logging and seized about 200,000 tons of illegal timber, the EIA previously reported. That will now be up for auction by the Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE), a state-run entity which controls all timber sales across the country. The EIA said that the enterprise operates an “opaque” auction system where international traders place a deposit of US$10,000 before bidding for a final price. “Why would this State enterprise do this, other than to obtain desperately needed hard currency to continue the junta’s brutal persecution of the people of Myanmar?” asked Faith Doherty, an EIA Forests Campaigns Leader, in a statement. “This is additional confirmation of EIA allegations that the military regime is using timber to support itself and its reign of terror.” The move comes as more stringent sanctions are being placed on the country. Last week, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control placed sanctions on Khin Maung Yi, the Minister for Myanmar’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Conservation (MONREC), who has, according to the EIC, “directly profited” from the selling of the country’s natural resources. “This is conflict timber, it is illegal in so many ways, and seeking to buy and import it from Myanmar would amount to nothing more than naked profiteering on the country’s misery and suffering,” Doherty said, urging the European Union and the U.K. to follow the U.S. and Canada by imposing sanctions on the timber trade. Myanmar’s deadly military coup began in February, after only six years of democratic rule but according to the initial report by the EIC in March of this year, the MTE’s trade has long been embroiled in corruption—even before the country’s short-lived democracy—illegally harvesting and smuggling the timber and evading or reducing taxation in order to ship teak to European markets. The report also highlighted how the military continues to profit from exports of timber, particularly from teak in high demand for the luxury yachting sector. Deforestation has claimed an area roughly the size of Finland and Slovakia combined was lost between 2001 and 2019..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
2021-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Protected Areas are important tools for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Myanmar possesses 39 protected areas and 21 of these areas are declared as ecotourism sites. The study area, Lawkananda Wildlife Sanctuary is a designated ecotourism site and is strategically located on the bank of Ayeyarwady River and in Bagan Area. The main objective of the study is to identify and evaluate the economic benefits of study area in term of non-consumptive values. Willingness-to-pay for park’s entrance fee is analyzed by Contingent Valuation Method. Return-to-Zero Regression method is used to explore the influence characteristics on willingness-to-pay. The Spatial Statistics tools are applied to predict the existence-value of study park. The main findings are (i) the park has consumer surplus for entrance fee, (ii) the most influenced characteristics of visits on willingness-to-pay is Research Purpose, and (iii) the park is situated as the key dominant habitat hot spot. The researcher believes that this contribution will value to various stakeholders.....ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Firstly, I am most gratitude to Professor Dr. Khin Naing Oo, Rector of Yangon University of Economics, and Professor Dr. Tun Aung, Pro-Rector of Yangon University of Economics for their kindly permission to conduct this study and to submit this paper. I am really thankful to Professor Dr. Thida Kyu, Director of Development Studies Programme, Yangon University of Economics for her keen interest and support to carry out my study. I express my heartfelt thanks to Professor Dr. Ni Lar Myint Htoo, Professor from Department of Economics, Yangon University of Economics, for her guidance throughout the study. This study could not be undertaken without support and encouragements of my supervisor, Dr. Kalya Kyaing (Consultant – National Specialist on Economics, Asia Development Bank). Thus, I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to her. Then I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Daw Win Min Than (Retired Lecturer) and Dr. Naw Htee Mue Loe Htoo (Lecturer from Department of Economics, Yangon University of Economics) for their enthusiastic teaching and knowledge sharing on Environmental and Natural Resource Economics. I would like to express my special thanks to all professors, associated professors and lecturers for imparting of a great variety of knowledge and concepts of development during the study period of two years under EMDevS Programme. Finally, I would like to express my thanks to all library staffs from Yangon University of Economics. I also offer my thanks to U Shwe Htay Aung (Warden of Lawkananda Wildlife Sanctuary) and Daw Kay Khine Oo (Assistant Lecturer, Yezin Agriculture University), who helped me to obtain required data and satellite images. I would like to appreciate to Professor Dr. Win Tint (Retired Pro-Rector of Taungoo University), Professor Dr. Win Maung (Chairman, Myanmar’s Environment Institute) and Professor Dr. Htun Ko (Head of Department of Geography, University of Yangon) who shared their knowledge and advised me for this study..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Yangon University of Economics
2017-08-00
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 2.56 MB
more
Description: "On March 8, 2021, one of the bloodiest days of the military regime’s crackdown on nationwide anti-coup protests, staff of Australian-led Access Resources Asia (ARA) met with local officials in Mong Phyak, eastern Shan State, to push ahead with large-scale gold exploration. ARA’s initial exploration site covers 574 square kilometers, out of its total 1,800 sq. km. concession area in eastern Shan State. This giant gold mining venture is strongly opposed by local communities, due to the devastating environmental and social impacts of existing gold excavation in eastern Shan State, which has gutted mountains and poisoned farmlands and water sources over a wide area, particularly in Tachileik township. In 2017 and 2018, Mong Phyak residents sent petitions to the NLD government to stop the ARA project, but to no avail. On November 26, 2020, ARA was granted a 3-year exploration permit in Mong Phyak by Burma’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. On January 6, 2021, ARA staff visited Mong Phyak to meet with local officials regarding the opening of a branch office. On January 24, 2021, Mong Phyak locals, including community leaders from 13 village tracts and 3 town wards, wrote a petition to the President and State Counsellor to stop the project signed by 3,883 people. ARA ignored this petition, and is now openly partnering with the new coup regime in pushing through its investment. Long before the coup, SHRF had called for Access Asia Mining Pte Ltd (the Singapore-based parent company of ARA) to end its exploration plans in Eastern Shan State, citing community opposition, the ongoing conflict and heavy Burma Army militarization. In April 2018, SHRF documented the rape and robbery of a 73-year-old woman by a Burma Army soldier in Mong Phyak, and urged Access Asia Mining (AAM) to stop planned mining exploration in the area or risk complicity in the military’s atrocities. In response to SHRF’s concerns, AAM sent a letter on May 14, 2018, to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, stating it had “never engaged with the Tatmadaw to solicit their support or to request security. We state this categorically and unequivocally. AAM has always found the areas of Myanmar that we operate in safe and secure with a welcoming people. We have never felt the need for security and indeed, as stated above, as we have no operations or permanent presence in Shan State there is nothing to be protected.” It is clear that ARA/AAM does indeed now have “operations” in Shan State, and, particularly following the February 1 coup, ARA/AAM is now undeniably partnering with the military authorities in implementing these operations. ARA/AAM is therefore directly complicit in the security forces’ atrocities against unarmed protesters across the country, as well as ongoing atrocities against villagers in ethnic conflict areas. Although registered in Singapore, the management of Access Asia Mining is comprised of Australian nationals, self-advertised as “principals behind several major Australian engineering firms,” who must realize the risks now far outweigh any potential benefits of staying in Burma. SHRF reiterates our call for Access Resources Asia/Access Asia Mining to immediately end their investments in Burma. SHRF urges foreign companies not to invest in Burma until there is peace and a new federal democratic constitution, enabling local communities to protect their lands and resources from predatory exploitation..."
Source/publisher: Shan Human Rights Foundation
2021-04-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 581.32 KB 544.2 KB 563.46 KB
more
Description: "Illegal rare earth mining has surged in northern Kachin State on the Chinese border following Myanmar’s Feb. 1 coup in areas controlled by a junta-sponsored militia. Environmental groups say mining has increased at least five times in Pangwa and Chipwi townships amid Myanmar’s political turmoil, with a rapid influx of Chinese workers. “Before the coup, we only saw one or two trucks per day. Now there is no proper inspection we are seeing 10 to 15,” an activist in Chipwi told The Irrawaddy. He said the trucks are loaded with ammonium sulphate fertilizer bags filled at illegal mines. “The Chinese authorities have tightened border security for imports from Myanmar due to COVID-19. But materials for the mining move across the border easily,” he added. Myanmar is China’s largest rare earth source, accounting for over half of its supplies. In 2016, Chinese mining companies entered Pangwa looking for rare earth as Beijing cracked down on illegal mining within China. According to Chinese customs data, China is heavily dependent on medium and heavy rare earth from Myanmar. Myanmar became China’s largest importer in 2018. In 2020, rare earth imports from Myanmar rose by 23 percent year on year to around 35,500 tons, accounting for 74 percent of imports, according to the Global Times government mouthpiece. Ja Hkaw Lu of the Transparency and Accountability Network Kachin (TANK) told The Irrawaddy: “Under the civilian government, if we complained about illegal rare earth mining, officials immediately visited and investigated. [Illegal miners] stayed away but now it is totally out of control.” She added: “Currently, vehicles carrying heavy rare earth leave day and night. The situation is getting worse. There has been an influx of Chinese miners.” Heavy rare earth from Kachin State is exported to China for refining and processing and then sold around the globe, according to environmental protection groups. According to TANK, around 10 rare earth mines have opened near the border in Zam Nau, which is controlled by the military-affiliated New Democratic Army Kachin (NDAK). Kachin environmental groups estimate that there are over 100 rare earth mines in Pangwa and Chipwe townships controlled by the militia and Chinese investors. The Chinese media has reported that some Chinese companies are facing rising logistical costs exporting rare earth from Myanmar since the military takeover. But Chinese buyers have not seen any significant decline in imports since the coup, the Chinese media reported. According to the Kachin State Mining Department, only the union administration can give permission for rare earth mining in Pangwa and Chipwi. The department said it found several illegal mines and Chinese workers in 2019 and 2020 after a series of inspections. The department has said the involvement of armed groups makes regulating the industry challenging. Brang Awng of the Kachin State Working Conservation Group told The Irrawaddy that the mines cause environmental destruction, polluting waterways and groundwater. “Illegal digging is on the rampage since there are no checks by government officials since the military coup. More digging will further damage the environment,” he said. The group said more than 20 villages were suffering from polluted soil and water from rare earth mining. In 2020 and 2019, the Chipwe river twice turned red due to mining waste, according to environmental groups..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2021-04-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Opposition to the military’s coup has boosted ethnic armed groups, creating a new challenge to its lucrative jade and gems business
Description: "Life in Myanmar’s jade-producing regions was always difficult and precarious but since the military seized power from the civilian government on February 1, it has become even more dangerous. In Kachin State’s Hpakant township, which has the world’s largest and most lucrative jade mines, there are more soldiers and police, access to mining sites has become more difficult and local markets have stopped operating. “Many places are dangerous to dig jade now. There are only a few places where we can dig by hand or small machine,” said Sut Naw, a local miner who preferred to use a pseudonym for security reasons. Police and soldiers are now guarding company compounds, he added, patrolling roads day and night. They also stop people on the streets or in their vehicles, checking for jade and other valuables and searching through people’s phones for evidence of resistance to the coup. “I have seen many zombie movies, but never realised that I would be living in a similar environment,” he said. “People don’t go out at all unless they have to.” The military has long dominated Myanmar’s jade industry and continues to rake in immense profits. Myanmar’s annual jade and gems emporium, held from April 1 to 10, brought in $6.5m on the sixth day alone, according to state media.....Lucrative resource: In 2015, the environmental watchdog Global Witness valued Myanmar’s jade industry at $31bn and described it as possibly the “biggest natural resource heist in modern history.” Identifying the Tatmadaw and armed elites as the industry’s biggest profiteers, the exploitation of jade was “an appalling crime that poses a serious threat to democracy and peace in Myanmar,” it said. Keel Dietz, a Myanmar policy adviser with Global Witness, told Al Jazeera that with the Tatmadaw now in total control over the formal governance of natural resources, they were likely to step up that exploitation. “There is a huge risk that the military, in their desperate efforts to maintain control, will look to the country’s natural resource wealth to sustain their rule, to buy weapons, and enrich themselves,” he said. Escalating clashes between the Kachin Independence Army, the armed wing of an ethnic armed group in the resource-rich northern state and the military, known as the Tatmadaw, have raised questions over the control over the jade mines. Before a 1994 ceasefire, the Kachin Independence Organization, which has been fighting for federal rights to self-determination since 1961, controlled most of the mines and local people were able to enjoy a share of the wealth through small-scale mining activities. The KIA is its armed wing. The ceasefire saw most of the jade-mining region nationalised under a military government known for exploiting resources without regard for the social and environmental consequences. The state-owned Myanmar Gems Enterprise took control over the regulation of mining activity and issuing licences, which it signed over to itself and to companies that benefitted its interests, including proxy companies, companies run by military cronies and those connected to armed actors including the United Wa State Army, which runs its own special administrative region on the China border and has a history of links to drug trafficking. These companies levelled mountains, dug enormous trenches and dumped waste with impunity. Hundreds of thousands of migrants flocked to the area, dreaming of digging their way to prosperity but found themselves scavenging through company waste heaps; if they found a big stone, it was confiscated by soldiers. The natural environment was destroyed, landslides and mining accidents claimed hundreds of lives, and drug abuse skyrocketed – all while the Tatmadaw pocketed handsome profits. Shortly after winning elections in 2015, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to reform the industry and in August 2016, suspended the renewal of mining licences and the issuance of new ones. But companies bypassed the suspensions with impunity, and the NLD government was widely criticised by rights groups for failing to bring meaningful changes to the jade industry. In July 2020, more than 170 people were buried in a landslide in a Hpakant jade mine. “The government and military have never respected natural resources,” said Ah Shawng,* a land and Indigenous rights activist in Hpakant. “They extract resources as they wish and only for themselves. .. Our natural resources are all disappearing and being destroyed.” But since the coup, resistance to centralised policies and the exploitation of ethnic people and the land and resources in their states appears to be rising.....Shifting allegiances: The 2008 military-drafted constitution, which centralised land and resource management at the union level and entrenched Tatmadaw power, was abolished on March 31 by officials forced out by the military. In its place, they put forward an interim Federal Democracy Charter. Mainstream support for armed resistance to military rule has also increased, as the Tatmadaw arrests thousands and indiscriminately shoots civilians. Some 739 people have been killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which is tracking the violence. With ethnic armed groups, including the KIO, in a position to offer protection and help fight back against the generals, ethnic minorities’ struggles for self-determination under a federal system, which were once largely ignored by the majority Bamar public, are now increasingly popular. Pro-KIA demonstrations have been held across Kachin State and even in central Myanmar, while the number of recruits is rising. Although the KIA and Tatmadaw have been at war since the ceasefire collapsed in 2011, fighting had slowed since 2018. But since the coup conflict has escalated. Clashes have been taking place nearly every day. The KIA, so far, appears to have the upper hand – it has taken several Tatmadaw bases and claims to have obliterated entire battalions, killing hundreds of soldiers. Some of the most intense fighting has occurred in and around Hpakant, where Ah Shawng, the local rights activist who also prefers to use a pseudonym for her security, says most locals support the KIA. “Now, when [junta] forces harm people, the KIA protects and stands with us,” she said, adding that the KIA had been successful in driving out some security forces from the area. On March 28, the KIA killed about 30 policemen who had raided a jade mining site operated by the Taut Pa Kyal mining company, according to Kachin State-based media reports. The company, according to a BBC Burmese article, is backed by the Kyaw Naing company, which has 64 licenced mining sites and failed to disclose a military crony among its beneficial owners in 2020. Days later, a photo circulated on social media of a police station, allegedly at another company jade mining site in Hpakant, bearing a white flag of surrender to the KIA. Al Jazeera contacted the KIO to verify the incidents but they declined to comment on matters related to Hpakant. The KIA may be fighting to gain control of other areas as well – including some areas beyond Kachin State. Local news agency Myanmar Now reported on April 15 that the KIA and Tatmadaw had clashed in Mogok, a city in Mandalay region hundreds of miles from Kachin State. Mogok’s mines possess the world’s most valuable rubies, as well as other lucrative gemstones. On April 16, a group of youth in Mogok staged a pro-KIA march and drew a large “Welcome KIA” banner on the street. The next day, the military forces gunned down at least two people in the city.....Sanctions, import bans: The United States has already imposed sanctions on Myanmar Gems Enterprise, as well as on two military holding companies, Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC). This week, the European Union also added MEHL and MEC to its sanctions list. Dietz of Global Witness told Al Jazeera that while the sanctions were “hugely important,” they were likely to have only a limited effect on the jade sector without the support of China, which serves as the primary market for Myanmar’s jade, a highly prized luminous green stone. “Global Witness encourages the international community to place import bans on all jade and coloured gemstones coming from Myanmar,” he said. He also expressed concern that as the Tatmadaw finds itself squeezed of funds, it might try sell off resource concessions in exchange for fast cash. “The international community should make it clear to commodity trading firms and other investors in natural resources that now is not the time to be making large new resource deals in Myanmar – the military regime is not a legitimate government, and should not be allowed to sell away Myanmar’s remaining mineral wealth to sustain itself,” he said. Tu Hkawng the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation under the newly-formed interim National Unity Government running in parallel to the generals’ administration, told Al Jazeera that it was time to bring natural resource management back into the hands of the local people. Appointed on April 16, he has already begun engaging with local stakeholders to reform natural resource management policy through the lens of Indigenous rights. “We are trying to build a collective leadership … to engage more with the grassroots-level community and solve the problems together,” he said. “This is a bottom-up approach. In order to achieve it, we have to build a network with every stakeholder and collaborate.” He hopes that by addressing natural resource governance, the civil wars that have plagued the country for the past 70 years can finally be brought to an end. “Every ethnic group has the right to manage and benefit from the natural resources on its own land. Right now we don’t have that,” he said. “If everyone gets to govern their own land, we won’t have to fight any more.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
2021-04-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Political and economic reconfigurations can have large and unpredictable effects on a country's deforestation dynamics. Four major transitions—war to peace, authoritarianism to democracy, centralized to decentralized political authority, and economic deregulation may have profound environmental consequences. For example, Indonesia's transition from “centralist authoritarianism to decentralized patronage politics” (Sindre 2014) is associated with increased deforestation (Stibig et al. 2014), and the Soviet Union's dissolution amplified environmental problems in Central Asia (Freedman & Neuzil 2015). The appropriation of forest resources to establish and maintain political patronage networks following democratization in Kenya and the establishment of peace in Cambodia led to accelerated deforestation (Le Billon 2000; Klopp 2012). Myanmar is undergoing all 4 transition types, and other countries are likely to undergo equivalent transitions in the future (e.g., Colombia, Cuba). Anticipating the likely environmental effects of political–economic transitions can inform proactive policy measures that minimize the risk of negative environmental outcomes. Abrupt transitions (e.g., coups d’états) preclude prior assessments. The gradual nature of Myanmar's transitions, however, provides opportunity for proactive debate and analysis (Webb et al. 2012, 2014; Lim et al. 2017). From 1962 to 2011, Myanmar had a highly centralized, authoritarian state and a command‐and‐control economy relatively isolated from global markets. From 2011 to 2015, there was some political and economic liberalization, followed by openly contested elections in 2015 and further reforms which led to the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions. An end to the civil war, which began in 1948, is a possibility following the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement between the government and major combatants. Myanmar's remaining forested area—over 29 million ha, approximately 44% of its total land area and the largest in mainland Southeast Asia (FAO 2015)—is in the globally important and highly threatened Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot (CEPF 2012; Hughes 2017). Successfully forecasting the effects of Myanmar's governmental and economic transitions on its forests is therefore key to development of new, integrated policy recommendations. Such recommendations will have greater legitimacy if derived from a transparent and formalized approach that yields expert consensus on priority issues. Horizon scanning harnesses the collective knowledge of experts to define emerging environmental and policy issues (Sutherland et al. 2011). However, it has not been applied in countries undergoing political and economic transitions. We analyzed emerging threats to forests in Myanmar with a horizon‐scanning approach to identify the most important issues likely to affect forests in Myanmar over 10 years (2016–2026). We conducted a national‐level synthesis of top priorities for research, policy, and interventions to conserve Myanmar's globally important forests and biodiversity while the country undergoes transition. Our findings are globally relevant because they provide a case study for transitions in other nations. Finally, we sought to demonstrate a novel and expanded application of horizon scanning for the conservation and development community..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Society for Conservation Biology (Washington, D.C.)
2017-10-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 202.99 KB
more
Description: "Myanmar authorities have seized over 403 tons of illegal timbers in the southern Bago region in a week, according to a statement from the Forest Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation on Tuesday. According to the statement, the confiscations made on Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 within the area of Bago Yoma mountain range included teak, hardwood and other types of timbers. Illegal logging often occurs in the area although the authorities have outlawed all logging operations in the area of Bago Yoma mountain range for a 10-year period starting from fiscal year (FY) 2016-2017. Meanwhile, the forest department has been making efforts to crack down on illegal logging and trading of forest products as well as to implement tree plantation projects in substitution..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
2021-01-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-01-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Soe Htun Shein, chairman of the National Prosperity Gold Production Group, faces charges in several Mandalay courts
Description: "A gold magnate who was arrested after fleeing to Thailand amid accusation of illegal mining is appealing to have the charge dropped. Soe Htun Shein, chairman of the National Prosperity Gold Production Group (NPGPG), began the appeals process along with four of his company executives at a Mandalay court on Monday. His trial for mining without a licence began in the Yamethin township court on April 27 and he filed an appeal on May 5 to the district court to have the charges dropped. Soe Htun Shein is known for his outspoken support of Buddhist nationalist causes and the anti-Muslim monks behind them. In 2015 he donated just over 1.6 kilograms of gold, worth about $70,000, to Ma Ba Tha, the now disbanded hardline Buddhist nationalist group. The government suspended NPGPG’s mining permit in November 2017 after the company refused to hand over 1,293 viss of gold it was contractually obligated to pay the state for a 6,100-acre mining site in Mandalay region. The company ignored the suspension and continued mining and producing gold. The following March, an official from the environment and natural resource ministry filed charges against five of the company’s executives, including Soe Htun Shein. He faces charges in two additional cases as well. In a civil suit at the Mandalay Region High Court he is facing charges for the company’s refusal to hand over the initial 1,293 viss of gold..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
2020-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Deforestation, Illegal Logging
Description: "As COVID-19 spreads and paralyzes many industries, Myanmar continues to see a flood of illegal logging. On April 9, two weeks after the country confirmed its first case of the coronavirus, the country’s Forest Department announced that authorities seized over 840 tons of illegal timber in the course of a single week. Much of the timber logged illegally in Myanmar is transported overland to China, in violation of both countries’ domestic laws. Despite disruptions to overland trade, the illicit industry now continues—driving deforestation, threatening local livelihoods and supporting organized crime. Logging is a profitable business in Myanmar, home to much of the world’s remaining teak supply. The trade was a major source of revenue for the country’s military dictatorships and linked to years of human rights violations by the country’s military, especially in conflict areas like Karen State and around development projects like oil and gas pipelines. The military provided security for international energy firms like Chevron and Total and took the opportunity to use forced labour and extortion to turn a profit on teak and other valuable timber. Under the country’s new democracy, the trade continues to be the target of accusations of corruption and rights violations. State-owned Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE) has run the logging industry since 1989. Recent investigations allege that MTE is involved in a system of bribery and subcontracting that allows illegal exports of mislabeled teak, violating both Myanmar law and laws in the European Union and US on timber imports. Regardless, illegal logging continues to drive deforestation, deeply impacting the country’s ecosystems and threatening local livelihoods. High profits from the illegal trade also make it difficult to address the role of natural resources in Myanmar’s civil wars, as ethnic armed groups and communities across the country emphasize “resource federalism” and local control of water and land..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "ASEAN Today" (Singapore)
2020-05-08
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: The authorities have seized more illegally logged timber and arrested more timber traders since the COVID-19 outbreak in Myanmar in late March.
Description: "During the stay-home period which took effect in April, officials have been able to arrest more illegal traders and those involved in illegal logging, the Forest Department said. Most of the arrests were made during the Thingyan period between April 10 and 19 in all states and regions, said U Kyaw Myo, deputy director of the department. “Typically, illegal loggers take advantage of the Thingyan period to conduct more logging activities. But this time, as most regions were under stay-home notices and transport was limited, many officials could not return to their homes and remained in the forest campsites. This enabled them to make more arrests,” he said. The arrests have continued with stay-home orders and curfews extended to May 15. In the first week of May, authorities reported 40 cases of seized timber across the regions and states. During the period, a total of 488 people including a foreigner were arrested and 7423 tonnes of illegal timber, including 1567 tonnes of teak, was seized. Some 2830 tonnes of timber, about 40pc of the total, was seized in Kachin State. The authorities also confiscated 296 vehicles and heavy machinery and 44 chain saws. To prevent deforestation and illegal timber smuggling at the borders, Myanmar banned exports of raw timber logs produced in natural forests in April 2014. Under the law, all exports of processed timber can take place at the Yangon ports with overland trade prohibited. In July last year, the authorities allowed exports of raw timber produced at private forest plantations. However, illegal trading of raw timber logs from Myanmar’s natural forests has continued. In August last year, Chinese authorities carried out a series of raids along China’s border with Myanmar, seizing more than 100,000 tons of timber held in warehouses, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Financial Action Task Force's 'grey list' designation for money laundering and terror financing will inevitably curb foreign investment and cost of doing business
Description: "A global watchdog’s move to place Myanmar on a list of states perceived as prone to money laundering and terror financing has put renewed international pressure on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s government to reform her nation’s opaque financial system. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a Paris-based intergovernmental agency founded by G7 nations, said in a statement last month that Myanmar had “proactively made progress” on curbing money laundering through new legislation and stiffer regulations on its cash-based remittance system. The FATF, however, also said that Myanmar still needs to improve its understanding of “money-laundering risks in key areas” and strengthen its governance of various financial entities. Myanmar’s new “grey list” designation will inevitably increase the cost of doing business by complicating international financial transactions and bank transfers at a time Suu Kyi’s government seeks more foreign investment. Risk-averse foreign banks will also likely shy from establishing presences in the country due to already significant reputation and other risks, executives and investors say..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
2020-03-12
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: The government will set up a vessel-monitoring system control centre (VMS) in Myeik city in Tanintharyi Region in an effort to combat illegal fishing, a senior Fisheries Department official said.
Description: "U Than Chaung, head of the department in Tanintharyi, said the system will be able to identify fishing vessels that are operating legally in the area. “All fishing vessels will have to enter specified checkpoints for mandatory inspections, and we will be able to determine whether they have the necessary permits,” he said. The VMS control centre can prevent illegal fishing, he added. The centre, which is under construction in Myeik, can monitor the movements of not only vessels off Tanintharyi but also across the nation. U Than Chaung, head of the department in Tanintharyi, said the system will be able to identify fishing vessels that are operating legally in the area. “All fishing vessels will have to enter specified checkpoints for mandatory inspections, and we will be able to determine whether they have the necessary permits,” he said. The VMS control centre can prevent illegal fishing, he added. The centre, which is under construction in Myeik, can monitor the movements of not only vessels off Tanintharyi but also across the nation..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-03-04
Date of entry/update: 2020-03-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Myanmar authorities recently seized over 626.1 tons of illegal timbers across the country in a week, state-run media reported on Saturday (Feb 29). The seizures which were made from Feb. 17 to 23 included over 230.8 tons of teak, over 116.5 tons of hardwood and over 278.7 tons of other types of timbers, Forest Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation was quoted as saying. During the period, 64 offenders were charged, along with the seizure of 45 vehicles and machinery. Union Minister U Ohn Win for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation told a recently held meeting that the tree planting and logging are vital for the country as 83 percent of the population is relying on the forest. Meanwhile, the forest department has been making efforts to crack down on illegal logging and trading of forest products as well as to implement tree plantation projects in substitution..."
Source/publisher: "The Star Online" (Selangor)
2020-02-29
Date of entry/update: 2020-03-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: The outbreak may be the push needed to help prevent zoonotic diseases.
Description: "Ebola. Anthrax. Bubonic plague. HIV. SARS. Coronavirus. You may not be familiar with the term “zoonotic,” but these nightmarish examples fall into that category. Zoonotic diseases are the kinds that can jump the species barrier, and can be particularly dangerous to humans because our immune systems don’t yet know how to fight them. The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, for example, probably originates from wild bats, but it’s not yet clear which creature was the intermediary between them and humans. Confiscated samples of pangolin, a critically endangered mammal hunted for use in traditional Chinese medicine, have tested positive for similar strains. Whether or not the intermediary turns out to be a rare, exotic species or a more mundane one such as pigs, one thing is clear: The greater the variety of animals in the same small space, the more pathways there are for diseases to spread and mutate. This is alarming because the risk of zoonotic disease is rising exponentially. Three-quarters of new diseases in humans are transmitted from animals. The past century has seen ever-expanding human encroachment into natural habitats, exposing people and livestock to more varieties of wild animal than ever before—and with this contact, any bacteria and viruses they carry. “The more we hunt wildlife, the more we come in contact with new environments and the more we increase the likelihood of us being exposed to these viruses,” explained Peter Ben Embarek of the World Health Organization’s International Food Safety Authorities Network. “It’s clear that poaching and hunting endangered species has to stop. It’s totally unacceptable. I think everybody in all authorities of the world are in agreement with that.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Foreign Policy" (USA)
2020-02-25
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: At the Tochoji temple in Fukuoka, Japan, there’s a narrow passage where a giant statue of the Buddha sits. On one side of the walls depictions of hell, the many demons, destruction and cauldrons of death, are depicted. On the other side, pilgrims can find a passageway out of the darkness to heaven.
Description: "The same kind of purgatory exists at the foot of mount Kyaiktiyo, also known as the Golden Rock. The vision of heaven sits on the top of Paung Laung Mountain, precariously poised on the edge of an outcrop in Mon State, some 3,615 feet above sea level. For many Myanmar (and increasingly Thai) pilgrims, Kyaiktiyo is one of the holiest Pagodas in the country. The pagoda gets overcrowded during the full moon days and public holiday On the north side of the pagoda lies Kyeekan Pasat (Crow’s Mouth) Cave. The cave looks like the mouth of a crow, and is also frequented by the pilgrims. Sellers congregate along the path leading up to the cave, with a variety of wares – toys, souvenirs, medicinal ointment, herbs, and the body parts of animals. The path to the cave is marred by a couple of shops, exposing heads of mountain goats soaked in oil, skins of a bear and a wild cat and the skull of a tiger. The Thein Than Shwe shop sells a variety of ointments in glass bottles. The bottles are partially wrapped with paper instructions; on the top of on label, the words read: “Mountain Goat Ointment”. It is supposed to heal muscle strains and arthritis. Other analgesic ointment bottles sit in a row. Nearby the bottles lies the head of mountain goat with horns, proving that the ointment contains extract of the herbivore. Two young men guarded the shop, insisting a male passer-by try a message. They grab his hand and sat him on a chair, then started messaging his shoulders with the ointment. It was a scam. They asked him to buy the bottle, costing K2000..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: The government called on China on Tuesday to ensure the health of 63 Myanmar sailors detained in Chinese prisons for illegal trading of goods.
Description: "The Myanmar Embassy in Beijing issued the appeal amid reports that several inmates in some prisons across China have been infected with the deadly COVID-19 disease that has killed over 2600 people on the mainland. The government asked the Chinese government to amnesty the Myanmar prisoners on humanitarian grounds. Chinese authorities said that more than 500 inmates in five prisons in Hubei, Xiangdong and Jiejiang districts were infected with the new coronavirus as of last Thursday. In a letter sent to China’s Foreign Ministry, the government urged Beijing to take care of the 63 Myanmar inmates and resolve their cases as soon as possible. The Myanmar Embassy in Beijing said that so far, the 63 sailors are free of the virus and have been placed in separate cells to minimise the possibility of infection..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-26
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Myanmar is an important trade and transit route for wildlife products of China. It has also suffered from the loss of its own wildlife to the trade.
Description: "The capture and killing of wild animals in the country to help satisfy the appetite across the border in China threaten many species that are under threat or facing extinction, including pangolins and elephants, according to reports. The situation for Asian elephants living in Myanmar has worsened. According to the NGO Rainforest Rescue, until recently only male Asian elephants were in danger of being poached for ivory, as the females do not have tusks. Now, the poachers are killing every animal they can find – including females and calves. After the elephants slowly succumb to poisoned arrows, the poachers skin their prey on the spot. The NGO claims the survival of the species is at stake if the killing continues. More than 100 elephants are known to have been poached in Myanmar since 2013 to meet Chinese demand for elephant skin – a market that didn’t exist six years ago that is driven entirely by the criminal energy of southeast Asian elephant poachers. According to a new study, the business is spreading to other countries via Myanmar and China..."
Source/publisher: "Northeast Now" (India)
2020-02-22
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Up to 50 Myanmar sailors are being arrested or detained in China for working on ships carrying illegal goods, according to a statement released by the Myanmar embassy in Beijing. They are now at 16 detention centers and prison camps in China’s provinces and eight municipal cities. The arrestees are in good health and living there adapting themselves to the climate. In the cases in which Myanmar semen were arrested for various reasons in China, most are facing legal action for working on the vessels carrying illegal goods. “They were usually detained or arrested. Then they faced a lawsuit. When they were facing trial, they were not allowed to meet their family members. They could do so only after they got into prison. Embassy officials arranged the visits,” said a second secretary from the Myanmar embassy. The Myanmar embassy is coordinating with officials concerned to know whether the arrests of those sailors are justified and not to lose their deserving rights..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Eleven Media Group (Myanmar)
2020-02-21
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "China’s deadly illicit trade in wildlife has been thrown into stark relief as Beijing recently announced a temporary ban on the sale of wildlife in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan that is suspected to have originated in the city’s wet market. While the focus is on demand in China for live and dead animals for consumption for questionable health reasons, Myanmar is caught in the cross-hairs as an important transit route in the illicit trade. The underlying problem is the high demand amongst Chinese consumers for wild animals, from elephant skin to pangolin scales to tiger parts to shark fins. The result? Many wild animals are under threat from this deadly trade worldwide, some threatened with extinction. And there is a serious health risk for humans. China’s deadly coronavirus is being linked to animals caged in one of Wuhan’s wet markets though as yet there has been no confirmation. TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT BAN With people dropping dead in China from the virus and with a number of cases cropping up abroad, Chinese people and foreign environmentalists have been quick to call for a permanent ban on the sale of wildlife in China..."
Source/publisher: "Mizzima" (Myanmar)
2020-02-21
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Myanmar is set to be placed on a watchlist by a global finance watchdog this week, amid concerns of money-laundering by transnational drug traffickers and weak regulation of its financial system, two sources familiar with deliberations said. A decision to put Myanmar on the “gray list” by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) would mean the inter-governmental body had found “strategic deficiencies” in the country’s ability to counter money-laundering and terrorism financing. While being on the list does not carry any sanctions, it could curtail the growth of financial, investment and trade flows to and from the Southeast Asian nation, a high-level official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. Kyaw Win Thein, the head of Myanmar’s Financial Intelligence Unit who is attending the FATF meeting in Paris this week, told Reuters that Myanmar “is not on the gray list so far”. Its fate will be decided at a plenary meeting on Thursday, he said. The FATF typically announces its decisions on Friday at the end of its Paris plenary meetings. Kyaw added that Myanmar’s government has developed a strategic implementation plan to improve its ability to counter-money laundering..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
2020-02-19
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "During Lunar New Year week, a golden tiger, an elephant and a pangolin (with baby in tow) greeted visitors to the Mandalay Palace in Myanmar, shining regally in the midday sun and reflecting the spotlights around the palace at night. These animals are all species that are endemic to Myanmar, but are threatened by a pernicious illegal trade for their parts. The difference this time was that the animals on display were replicas. Tiger bone, pangolin scales and elephant skin are falsely believed to have medicinal properties, while other products, such as tiger pelts and teeth, are purchased for the supposed prestige or protection they bring. And it isn’t only endemic species that are being poached for their parts. Illegal wildlife products from other parts of the world, including ivory from African elephants and pangolin scales and rhino horns from African species, find their way into national and regional markets, or transit through Myanmar on their way to destinations further afield, including China and the rest of Southeast Asia. With the recent coronavirus thought to have spread from a market that traded in wildlife, ending this trade is critical, both to help preserve biodiversity and in the interest of public health..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
2020-02-18
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "There have been cases in which Myanmar sailors were arrested in China as they worked on ships carrying illegal goods, according to a statement released by the Myanmar embassy in Beijing. Most of the Myanmar seamen were arrested for various reasons in China because they worked on the vessels carrying illegal goods. “They were usually detained or arrested. Then they faced a lawsuit. When they were facing trial, they were not allowed to meet their family members. They could do so only after they got into prison. Embassy officials arranged the visits,” said a second secretary from the Myanmar embassy. Those Myanmar sailors came to know that they were working on ships carrying illegal goods only after they were arrested. It is also reported that when such cases came, one or some of the senior officials from the ship would be arrested..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Eleven Media Group (Myanmar)
2020-02-18
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Topic: cattle, trade, Ministry of Commerce, exports, livestock, farming, Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Irrigation, China, taxation, corruption
Sub-title: Exports of animal products have risen dramatically since the government lifted a ban on the export of live cattle and buffalo in October 2017, but new regulations have taken some of the shine off the trade.
Topic: cattle, trade, Ministry of Commerce, exports, livestock, farming, Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Irrigation, China, taxation, corruption
Description: "CATTLE AND buffalo exporters enjoyed a profitable year in 2018, after the Ministry of Commerce lifted a ban on live exports the previous October, but regulations introduced in 2019 have taken the shine off the trade. The lifting of the ban saw more than 260 companies apply for export permits by mid-2019, of which more than 90 were approved, and exports of animal products rose from just $10.627 million in the 2016-17 fiscal year to $366.359 million in 2018-19, Ministry of Commerce data shows. China is the largest importer of cattle and buffaloes from Myanmar, followed by Thailand. But traders grumble about delays in issuing the licences they need to send livestock across borders and say the government could do more to support live exports by simplifying regulations. Other challenges facing the cattle export industry, say livestock specialists, include the need to upgrade the quality of livestock. Most of the nation’s cattle farms are in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway regions. Many of the farms are small plots owned by traders, who do not breed livestock but buy on the domestic market and keep the animals until they can be exported at times of high demand. Support more independent journalism like this. Sign up to be a Frontier member. Frontier met cattle traders at Latpan village, in Mandalay Region’s Kyaukse Township, who said they were unhappy at not being able to get export licences in 2019..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
2020-02-14
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "The trade in exotic pets and endangered species is 60 per cent bigger than previously thought, putting 5,000 species at risk of extinction, new research shows. More than 5,000 vertebrate species are being bought and sold both legally and illegally across borders, a study from the University of Sheffield has found. The billion-dollar industry has been fuelled by the growing demand for exotic pets, furs, jewellery and body parts used for traditional medicine - such as the endangered pangolin, the world's most trafficked mammal. Also under threat is the helmeted hornbill, prized for its unique solid casque that has been dubbed 'red ivory'. It is used to make bracelets, beads and ornaments..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Telegraph" (UK)
2019-10-04
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "TRADERS and buyers in the illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar have turned away from traditional markets and towards social media platforms, as the government intensifies its crackdown on the illicit activity. Nevertheless, there are still wildlife markets flourishing on the Chinese border, which are beyond the government’s control. U Aung Kyaw, anti-wildlife trafficking manager at the Wildlife Conservation Society of Myanmar (WCS-Myanmar), said the online wildlife trade seems to be on the rise in the country. “Various wildlife species are for sale online. It is hard to detect the culprits if the trend continues,” he said, according to the Myanmar Times. WCS Myanmar, the Forestry Department, and other agencies, including the police, are cooperating to eliminate the illegal wildlife trade, despite the odds. “The department and WCS Myanmar are unable to handle this alone,” U Aung Kyaw said. “We need the help of cybercrime experts. We plan to eliminate the online trade, but it cannot be implemented yet. We need technicians and experts, but we are trying our best.” In the past nine years, the department has prosecuted 12 suspected illegal online wildlife traders. Not all were successful..."
Source/publisher: "New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
2019-10-25
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title: Name it and you can have it: monkey, bear, snake, turtle, birds, bear bile, and wildlife parts.
Description: "It is a huge thriving market, but buyers and sellers no longer have to congregate in one place, haggling in the sweltering heat of the sun or squeezed under a humid plastic roof to escape a pounding rain. Instead, today’s illegal wildlife market is right there in the comfort of your living room or bedroom. It goes wherever you go, because the illegal wildlife trade is now part of the booming e-commerce scene in Myanmar, on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. A page advertising the sale of protected and endangered species recently cropped up on the social media giant Facebook. Two months ago, a check of the site showed pangolins for sale, different sizes of leopards, monkeys, bears, and birds of prey. The Facebook page lists the names of the species of wild animals and animal parts along with prices and contact numbers. Those who want to buy these animals or parts could call a number, join a chat, or post comments. Leopards were available for K150,000 (US$100) in the online market, birds of prey cost around K20,000, and turtles and monkeys went for as little as a few thousand..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-10-24
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "China’s recent crackdowns on illegal cross-border trade from Myanmar are causing hardship for Myanmar merchants who make their living selling goods to Chinese buyers. Prior to Beijing’s closure of the black market routes, the merchants enjoyed fairly barrier-free movement of their goods into China, but now they face taxation as high as 60 percent, especially for high-traffic commodities like rice and other agricultural products. The effect has been particularly devastating at a rice wholesale center in Muse, a town that borders China in Myanmar’s Shan state. In days past, Chinese merchants used to crowd the facility, looking for rice they could buy cheaply, then sell for a healthy markup at home. But now the wholesale center is nearly deserted. Ko Sithu, a rice merchant at the center, to RFA’s Myanmar Service his business is drying up because tariffs made the grain less competitive. “When [the Chinese] raised taxes, the rice on this side wasn’t getting a good price any longer. It’s no longer [affordable] to bring it here. We are trying to sell off the rice [we have] here at their [lower offered] price, he said. Fruit restricted After rice, the second largest export at the Myanmar-China border is fruit. Under new import policies, some fruits, like pineapple, which had been traded freely for many years across the border, are now subject to restrictions..."
Source/publisher: "Radio Free Asia (RFA)" (USA)
2019-10-11
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Topic: SOUTHEAST ASIA, WILDLIFE, IVORY, CITES, ELEPHANTS, TRADE IN IVORY
Topic: SOUTHEAST ASIA, WILDLIFE, IVORY, CITES, ELEPHANTS, TRADE IN IVORY
Description: "It’s Golden Week again, which means the cities of Southeast Asia are seeing an influx of tourists from China visiting iconic sites, buying souvenirs and tasting local delicacies. They are traveling from a country that has had success recently in tackling the illegal trade in ivory. This trade has caused a serious decline in elephant populations across Asia and Africa, but a ban in China two years ago resulted in a significant drop in ivory purchased within the country. And it seems to be sticking. A new WWF survey of 2,000 Chinese nationals found that overall demand for ivory among Chinese consumers remains down two years after the ban. Simply put, bans work. Nearly 80% of respondents in the survey said the ban would prevent them from buying in the future. That’s the good news. But Golden Week is not so golden for conservationists and elephants as China’s neighbors are increasingly feeling the pressure from the ivory ban. Like a balloon that’s squeezed in one place and simply bulges in another, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia are seeing an impact from the ban in China..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
2019-10-04
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "With tinted windows and their militia name emblazoned on the side of their Ford truck, “Pan Say” fighters cruise the sleazy streets of Muse, Myanmar’s main gateway to China and awash with weapons and cash from casinos, drugs and sex. Ten armed groups run the Shan State border town of Muse, which is separated by a shallow river from the gleaming towers of its Chinese counterpart, Ruili. All are under the tutelage of the same patron: Myanmar’s Army. China and Myanmar have an agreement not to station troops along their border. Instead, Myanmar’s Army uses the militias as proxies in a long running conflict between the Central State and Ethnic Rebel Groups who operate in the area, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Taaung National Liberation Army (TNLA). A fiendishly complicated, decades-old struggle for money, trade, resources and ethnic identity is playing out in Muse. The Pan Say militia gave AFP a rare snapshot of the shifting alliances and rivalries which have defined Myanmar’s frontier areas since its independence in 1948. Each militia “looks after its own business and we look after ours”, a senior Pan Say member told AFP as a batch of 30 fresh recruits dressed in fatigues trained in a compound. They have joined one of Muse’s largest militias, which boasts several hundred men, armed with M-16 rifles and Kalashnikovs. Pan Say insists it is funded by its own Jade Mines, Cigarette Factories & Karaoke Bars, denying knowledge of narcotics or other illegal activities that prosper along the border. Like other Muse militias, Pan Say accepted a deal in 2009 to come under the military’s control in exchange for a degree of autonomy..."
Source/publisher: "Belt & Road News" (China)
2019-02-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "According to the seminar on combating illegal trafficking of wildlife and their parts, there are 2000 wild elephants and 3000 tamed elephants in Myanmar. There are only 13 countries where Asia elephants can be found. About 90 percent of the habitat of elephants were wiped out and in the entire world, there are only 52,345 elephants left. Fifty percent of elephants can be found in neighbouring India. Poaching for ivory, meat and other elephant products takes place in Myanmar as well. Habitat loss, shrinking and fragmentation of elephant habitat is placing increased pressure on the remaining elephant population in Myanmar. "Wild elephants can mostly be found in Mandalay Region and at the same time, poaching still exists. Wild elephants were killed sometimes." said acting Police Brig-Gen Sein Lwin. In the endangered species of Myanmar issued by Department of Forestry, elephants are included to five fully protection..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Eleven Media Group" (Myanmar)
2019-09-19
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "Each morning at the break of dawn, Zaw Win and his team herd their elephants across the sweeping forest floor down to the river bank. They scrub and clean the mighty mammals before harnessing them to begin their day's work. Zaw Win, a third-generation oozie [Burmese for elephant handler] keeps a close eye on his animals which are his livelihood. Decades of military dictatorship has meant many aspects of Myanmar are frozen in time. One of those traditions dates back thousands of years - the timber elephant. Myanmar has around 5,000 elephants living in captivity - more than any other Asian country. More than half of them belong to a single government logging agency, the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE). Elephants are chosen over machines because they do the least damage to the forest. These elephants have survived ancient wars, colonialism and World War II while hard woods extracted by elephants in Myanmar once fed the British naval fleet. Yet today, Myanmar's timber elephant is under threat. Once the richest reservoir for biodiversity in Asia, Myanmar's forest cover is steadily depleting and the government blames it on illegal loggers. Now, the forest policy is being overhauled. The Ministry for Environmental Conservation and Forestry has pledged to reduce its logging by more than 80,000 tonnes this fiscal year. Myanmar will ban raw teak and timber exports by April 1, 2014, allowing only export of high-end finished timber products. MTE says that the private elephant owners contracted by the government will be the first on the chopping block. Saw Moo, a second generation private elephant owner, sees a bleak future for his stable of 20 elephants. He fears the family business will end in his hands and he may have to sell his elephants, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. 101 East follows the oozies deep into Myanmar's forests, gaining unprecedented access to remote elephant logging camps and witnessing the extraordinary communication between elephants and men as they work. But will the elephants and their handlers, who have survived kingdoms and military dictatorships, survive democracy and the open market? Is there a place for them in a changing modern world? 101 East asks if this could be the end of Burma's mighty timber elephants..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera English"
2013-10-24
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "The UNODC released a report this month that said the number of wildlife trafficking seizures in Myanmar is considerably lower than those made elsewhere in the Mekong sub-region but the country is an increasingly important transit point for the illicit wildlife trade. From 2013 to 2017, officials seized 34 shipments of pangolin scales and other parts, totalling more than 1.2 tonnes. Myanmar also has a modest illegal trade in elephant skin, which is often found for sale in popular markets in special economic zones such as Mine Lar and Tachileik in Shan State. “Myanmar has the perfect conditions for the illegal wildlife trade: abundant wildlife, conflict in border regions with little or no government control, located near the infamous Golden Triangle where all sorts of illegal trade thrives, and neighbours with China, where demand for illegal wildlife products is greatest,” Christy Williams, country director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Myanmar), said. He added, “This means the impact on Myanmar’s wildlife is devastating. To save our wildlife we need to work together across borders to protect our wildlife, stop poaching and end this insidious trade.” WWF and fellow conservation partners are working to support the government in the fight against wildlife trafficking through training, capacity-building and public awareness campaigns, such as Voices for Momos and the Yangon Elephant Museum. Myanmar is trying to reduce or eliminate the illegal trade by burning US$1.15 million (K1.7 billion) worth of elephant tusks and other wildlife parts that were seized this year, a Forest Department official said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Myanmar Times
2019-08-02
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description: "This has been a year of results. From zero elephant rangers we now have 220 on the ground in our Central Elephant Landscape and have gone from one elephant poached per week, to one a month and now one every six months. We have achieved one of the toughest wildlife laws in Asia with a mandatory minimum three years imprisonment for poaching or trade of completely protected species and seen it implemented in the courts. Through the Voices for Momos campaign we have secured a ban on illegal wildlife sales in Yangon region. It has also been a year of challenges. The Dawei Road project has re-awoken and is pushing ahead with potential devastating impacts to a critical tiger corridor. Conversations around dams are becoming louder and more frequent and everyone is aware of the challenges Myanmar is facing in its transition to democracy. To meet these challenges we are expanding our presence with offices now in Naypyidaw, Hpa-An, Dawei and Yangon, and work focused across three landscapes –Dawna Tenasserim, Central Elephant and Ayeyarwady. Our work in natural resource protection and management is investment in the peace, stability, and prosperity of an entire nation. This is evidenced in our Dawna Tenasserim projects where we are working alongside returning Karen refugees supporting livelihoods through a sustainable, inclusive, landscape approach. Now more than ever we need to ensure Myanmar’s natural heritage remains and underpins sustainable, inclusive development for the good of all its people..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
2018-11-28
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 2.61 MB
more
Description: "Myanmar is the most porous economy we have studied in depth. Long isolation, trade restrictions, and attempts to regulate currency exchange rates have combined to drive a substantial part of the economy underground"... Executive Summary: "There have been few studies on capital flight and illicit financial flows to and from Myanmar, due to waning public interest in the wake of insular domestic policies and Western economic sanctions. This study finds that confinement, seclusion, and economic instability along with entrenched governance deficits have characterized the country since independence. We show that insularity and isolation have led to a declining trend in trade openness. Furthermore, we reveal that over the period 1999-2013, Myanmar experienced much larger macroeconomic instability (as measured by the variance in the rate of inflation, the current account to GDP ratio, and rates of economic growth) relative to other developing countries, including those in Asia, five ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand), and other groupings. Given the strong combination of macroeconomic, structural, and governance-related factors, we estimate both flight capital and illicit trade flows to and from the country. Flight capital includes a small portion of licit capital (that is not recorded due to statistical shortcomings), while illicit trade flows only include capital that is illegal in nature. Over the period 1960-2013, inflows and outflows of flight capital averaged 15.1 percent and 13.1 percent of GDP per annum in constant dollars, respectively. Illicit trade inflows and outflows amounted to an average of 14.4 percent and 6.5 percent of GDP per annum, respectively. This scale of inflows and outflows is much larger in the case of Myanmar than most other developing countries. Flows of illicit trade capital in both directions are smaller than flight capital counterparts. Illicit trade inflows totaled US$77.7 billion over 1960-2013, while total inward capital flows amounted to US$82.8 billion. Similarly, illicit trade outflows totaled US$18.7 billion while outward flight capital totaled US$35.9 billion over this period. Average illicit trade inflows were more than four times average illicit trade outflows. Import under-invoicing, which dominated other types of trade misinvoicing, drove most inflows. A particular feature of capital flight and illicit trade flows to and from Myanmar is that inflows are much larger than outflows. We show that this is in fact the case with other countries (such as Afghanistan, Mexico, Russia, and Thailand) where drug trafficking is a significant issue. Myanmar?s place as the world?s second largest producer of opium poppy places it easily within this group of countries. We present an analysis of how economic sanctions, by creating an excess demand for certain items in domestic markets, can encourage technical smuggling as importers seek to meet the excess demand. The few importers with the license to import the goods in question reap illegal profits through import under-invoicing. The estimates of illicit trade flows provided in the paper confirm that technical smuggling through import under-invoicing is by far the largest component of inward capital flows or illicit trade inflows. We also find preliminary evidence of outward smuggling viii Global Financial Integrity of timber and other wood products into India and China and the over-invoicing of precious stones to the latter. We cite other researchers who find perverse incentives arising from Myanmar?s trade policies to explain deliberate trade misinvoicing. Myanmar could have lost at least US$2.9 billion and as much as US$3.6 billion over the period in potential tax revenues through i) uncollected import tariff revenue due to import under-invoicing and ii) lower corporate profit tax captures due to export under-invoicing. To put it in perspective, this tax loss due to illicit flows ranged from 122-172 percent of total health expenditures and 48-73 percent of total education expenditures incurred during 1960-2013. The figures are just as startling for 2010- 2013: 129 percent of health expenditures and 42 percent of education expenditures. The paper also tests the link between illicit flows and the underground economy using estimates derived from the currency demand approach. The underground economy is a good proxy for the state of overall governance of a country. We find a strong and significant link between illicit flows and the underground economy, confirming that weak governance both drives and is driven by illicit flows. Using a currency demand approach modified to reflect the predominant role of smuggling and black markets in Myanmar?s economy, we find that the underground economy averaged around 55 percent of official GDP—one of the highest in the world. The World Bank has also found the underground economy of Myanmar to be around 50 percent of official GDP. The paper concludes with a series of policy recommendations for the Government of Myanmar. GFI urges the Government to develop a priority list of areas for technical assistance to improve the quality of its statistics. Data is a critical element of analysis and understanding the country?s dynamics—for the government and for those outside the government. Anti-money laundering legislation and enforcement should be brought up to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and IMFdefined standards. Trade misinvoicing should be curtailed with the implementation of a real-time world market pricing risk analysis system for the Customs Department..."
Creator/author: Dev Kar, Joseph Spanjers
Source/publisher: Global Financial Integrity (GFI)
2015-09-09
Date of entry/update: 2015-10-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.68 MB
more
Description: "Illicit Outflows average 6.5% of Myanmar?s Official GDP; Technical Smuggling of Imports via Fraudulent Misinvoicing Accounts for 71.0% of Myanmar?s Illicit Inflows Underground Economy Averaged 55.1% of Country?s GDP; Drives and is Driven by Illicit Flows Tax Loss due to Illicit Flows Greater than Public Spending on Health Customs Enforcement, Transparency Measures, Political Will Seen as Key to Curbing Crime, Corruption, and Tax Evasion Report Launch Event to Be Held at the National Press Club at 2pm EDT on Thursday, September 10th...."
Creator/author: Christine Clough
Source/publisher: Global Financial Integrity (GFI)
2015-09-09
Date of entry/update: 2015-10-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more