Impacts of heavy mining machinery employed in myanmars jade. Datasets let researchers and advanced data users dig into clean, machinereadable data that is ready to use. Until now the jade sectors worth has been almost impossible to determine. As myanmar gears up for landmark national peace talks this new global witness film reveals how the countrys massive jade business is helping to. The contextual section on myanmar mining, however, simply mentions that jade is produced from the kachin state in upper myanmar. Yangon a landslide at a jade mine in northern myanmar has killed 17 people, local authorities said on friday, in the latest disaster to hit the murky multibillion dollar industry. How open data helped uncover rampant corruption in myanmar. To test the waters, global witness asked each of the companies granted oil and gas blocks in myanmar.
Data stories explore the impact of the jade industry in myanmar through data visualizations, analyses, and interviews. Myanmar is the worlds top producer of the neartranslucent green gem in trade fueled by demand from neighboring china. According to one ndak administrative officer, it is not easy to get logs anymore and china is not buying no logs, jade or. Data tools make large datasets accessible with explorable dashboards and interactive visualizations. New jade mine disaster claims at least in myanmar.
This report examines burmas conflict resource economy in the areas along its. Myanmar s big state secret 5 the sums involved in what one industry representative calls the governments big state secret are staggering. Insight chinese jade miners in overdrive ahead of new. The worlds highest quality jade, found primarily in parts of western kachin state, became one of the primary. Hpakant jade mines, or the population of myanmar as a whole. See a joint statement signed by over 5 civil society members. Global witness has released a report into the jade business in myanmar that, for the first time, reveals the scale of the industry and details how it is controlled by the military elites. Bangkok ap a landslide of a mound of mining waste killed at least 14 people friday morning in northern myanmar s jade mining region, a local official said. Oct 23, 2015 a 12month investigation has revealed myanmars secretive.
Global witness limited lloyds chambers 1 portsoken street london e1 8bt united kingdom. Myanmar jade mine collapse kills at least 14 khmer times. This was the finding of a yearlong investigation entitled jade. Global witness condemns sentencing of two myanmar journalists. Global witness also found many logs and a sawmill in the area of lagwi, in 2006. Jade a global witness investigation into myanmars big. This figure equates to up to 48 per cent of myanmars. This figure equates to up to 48 per cent of myanmars official gdp. Waste landslide at myanmar jade mining site kills 14 wsbtv. Nearly 100 dead, 100 missing in landslide at myanmar jade mine.
A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. A new jade mine disaster in northern myanmar has claimed the lives of at least people who are thought to have been scavenging for the valuable mineral in the unstable waste cast off from mining. Global witness comments for tripartite meeting on responsible sourcing of precious stones 26 may 2014 introduction responsible sourcing by companies buying diamonds and coloured stones is a critical element in tackling human rights violations associated with. Its success in raising millions of dollars in taxes from businesses led to a suspension of mining, ordered by the government, from may 2012 to september 2014, the report said. A jade mine slag heap collapsed in northern myanmar on friday, killing at least 14. The corruption of myanmars jade trade al jazeera america. Key witness missing in illegal jade ownership case the. Images on pages 56 and 61 downloaded from the spdcs website. Myanmar government announces groundbreaking reforms of jade. Myanmar jade mining drives rights abuses, disasters and. We argue that the tatmadaws leadership, which has welldocumented ties to jade production and. But theyre mainly owned by the countrys generals along with chinese businesses. Jul 28, 2016 myanmar urged to follow shakeup of jade industry with more action on transparency.
Watchdog global witness estimated that the industry was worth some usd 31 billion in 2014. In february 2014, global witness sent information requests to companies that were awarded onshore oil and gas blocks in myanmar in october 20 asking for the names of the individuals who are at the top of their ownership chains, and details of any owners with highlevel political connections. Fearing that the new civilian government will assert authority over jade mining, the military initiated violence in mining townships. Myanmar is so closely identified with natural resources such as jade, rubies and teak that its name is a brand in itself.
Myanmar s big state secret this report would not have been possible without the many organisations and individuals who have contributed their time, knowledge and expertise. According to global witness, the families of former military dictator than shwe, former ruling. Myanmars old guard runs a jade empire intensively mined jade is one of myanmars most lucrative industries. Myanmars old guard runs a jade reuters news agency. The country accounts for most of global jade and ruby production. Myanmar jade natural resource governance institute. The country accounts for more than 90 percent of global jade supply, and is a leading source for highquality rubies, sapphires and other varieties of colored gemstone. Logging in burma 19 the chinaburma border processed here. Report of hpakantjade mine landslide in myanmar 21112015 123 pm. Sep 15, 2016 jade from burmas rapacious mines was long banned by washington. Myanmar jade, a website from nrgi, sheds light on the industry using the latest data released through the extractive industries transparency initiative eiti and the myanmar gems enterprise. Jul 28, 2016 myanmars new government has announced a major shake up to licensing of its multibillion dollar jade and gems business, following work by global witness, kachin development networking group kdng, the natural resource governance institute nrgi and other kachin state and myanmar civil society actors and parliamentarians to expose widespread abuses at the heart of a vast, deeply corrupt trade. The project is a platform to strengthen public understanding of the sector and to support greater transparency.
The conflict resource economy and pathways to peace in burma. Film reveals how myanmars multibillion dollar jade trade is contributing to ethnic armed conflict and why natural resources must be a focus of. Jade and the generals trailer global witness youtube. At least 90 people have died in a landslide in a remote jade mining area of northern myanmar burma, officials said sunday, as search teams continued to find bodies in one of the deadliest. Land and right abuses in the jade industry in myanmar. Myanmars big state secret this report would not have been possible without the many organisations and individuals who have contributed their time, knowledge and expertise. Jade a global witness investigation into myanmars big state. Jan 09, 2014 the bubble in the jade market has now reportedly occurred due to fears over a shortage of myanmar jade or the possible introduction of measures by myanmars reformist government that would limit jade exports and force jadeprocessing to take place in country. In the second world war, kachin state was the location of some of the most. That is equivalent to nearly half the gdp for the whole of myanmar, but hardly any of the money is reaching ordinary. Myanmar jade a myanmar jade stone becomes a beautiful piece of jewelry or decorative art in the hand of a skillful artist. Jade and the generals global witness report update may 2017.
Kachin state in northern myanmar is home to the worlds largest and most. Jade a global witness investigation into myanmar s big state secret 1. Extractive industries transparency initiative eiti. Myanmar is the worlds top producer of the neartranslucent green gem in trade fueled by demand from neighbouring china. Civil society groups demand halt to hpakant jade mining. In october 2015 global witness published a report called jade.
At least 12 dead in myanmar jade mine landslide, many feared missing. Authorities said that 15 employees of the yaza htarni jade mining company and three policemen who were providing security were killed in the landslide, while another two police officers were injured. Myanmar s big state secret that the kia made hpakant a strategic target when con. Nov 01, 2016 its the men who haggle at the markets, but myanmars jade industry is run predominantly by women, and they are optimistic about its future despite the moratorium on jade mining every morning at 9am, the intersection of 86th and 40th streets in mandalay is awakened by the clanging of jade bangles. However, based on new research and analysis, global witness estimates that the value of official. Associated press, search ends for victims of myanmar jade mining landslide. Meanwhile, very few revenues reach the people of kachin state, the site of the hpakant jade mines, or the population of myanmar as a whole. Global witness issues report on myanmars big state. It has significant reserves of metallic minerals such as gold, copper, and. Real owners of myanmars oil and gas blocks come forward. According to a report released by global witness in 2015 4, the industry is controlled by old junta military elite, ussanctioned drug lords and crony companies while very few revenues reach the people of kachin state. Presentations ppt, key, pdf logging in or signing up. Jade from burmas rapacious mines was long banned by.
The case for human rights due diligence global witness. This eyeopening investigation is an important case study on how open company data and identifiers are critical tools to uncover corruption and the links between companies and the real people. Myanmar urged to follow shakeup of jade industry with more. Oct 22, 2015 global witness has released a report into the jade business in myanmar that, for the first time, reveals the scale of the industry and details how it is controlled by the military elites. Dec 09, 2015 journey into jade countryphakant jade mine area kachin state myanmar minzaye global witness report 1. Official figures estimated the total sales of jade and gemstones at around usd 3. Introduction natural resource governance institute. The decision of a myanmar court to sentence two reuters journalists to seven years in prison for violating the official secrets act represents a predetermined outcome to a sham trial, that is having a chilling impact on civil society and press freedom in the country. At least 12 dead in myanmar jade mine landslide, many. Addressing tax evasion in myanmar s jade and gemstone industry introduction myanmar s mineral wealth is slipping through its citizens fingers. Global witness issues report on myanmars big state secret. Global witness reported that there were links between some of these figures and multinational.
Myanmar s big state secret 2015 and transparency and. The ngo, global witness, has used corporate data to investigate corruption in myanmars jade industry see box and moneylaundering associated with panamanian companies and the trump ocean club. Myanmar peace talks must address natural resource management. Yangon, myanmar myanmar s vast jade industry is being used as a slush fund by a network of military elites, drug lords and crony companies who illegally exploit the valuable resource for tens of billions of dollars a year, according to a report released on friday by global witness. In its report from 2015, global witness describes how myanmars.
That is equivalent to nearly half the gdp for the whole of myanmar, but. Explore the ancient cities of amarapura, sagaing, mingun, and innwa on a fullday, private tour thats tailored to you. Jade and the generals global witness report update may 2017 1. The global witness report then incorporates more sales data from another local jade fair that was organized in 2014, and applies the harvardproximity 20 percentage split again to this expanded dataset to arrive at what global witness considered to be the most accurate estimate for the value of the jade sector, which was usd 31 billion. Introduction myanmar s mining sector is closely linked to its evolving economy and shifting political landscape. Jade from kachin, myanmar is often sold in jewelry shops in china, like this one in yin jiang. Jade from burmas rapacious mines was long banned by washington. The jade trade accounts for 48% of myanmars official gdp.
The authors uncover this dynamic in myanmar, a country transitioning from four decades of military rule. But so far its people have not benefited from the brand. An october 2015 report by global witness noted that myanmars jade industry is exploited by the nations elites. With a personal driver to whisk you between sites in a climatecontrolled vehicle, youll cover even more historic places, pagodas, and temples. Myanmar eiti released its first reconciliation report, covering fiscal year fy 1 see generally, global witness jade. Kachin civilians witnessed a handful of top kio and. This is reflected in the following message to global witness from one myanmar civil society representative. This figure equates to up to 48 per cent of myanmar s. Pdf the dirty list names international companies doing business with the military in burma.
Oct 23, 2015 yangon, myanmar myanmars vast jade industry is being used as a slush fund by a network of military elites, drug lords and crony companies who illegally exploit the valuable resource for tens of billions of dollars a year, according to a report released on friday by global witness. New findings and analysis by global witness put the value of myanmar s jade production as. This figure equates to up to 48 per cent of myanmar s official gdp. For decades myanmar has been run by a military dictatorship that ruled with one iron fist and stole with the other. Jade market mandalay 2020 all you need to know before you. Please support their calls and help ensure the peace talks urgently focus on the role natural resources and jade plays in incentivising and fuelling conflict, by exposing the links between jade and the generals. Human rights council the economic interests of the myanmar. Blood jade is a 2016 singaporean documentary television film, directed and produced by ali fowle, a broadcast journalist and documentary filmmaker based in yangon, myanmar, for channel newsasia. At least killed in myanmar jade mine landslide the new. Special events we just dont want this to end see the love and unity among people of different tribes, tongues, and national groups at this special convention held in yangon, myanmar. Pdf the economic interests of the myanmar military independent. Resources like gas, gems, and timber were shackled to a war economy. A landslide at a jade mine in northern myanmar has killed 17 people, local authorities said friday, the latest disaster to hit the murky multibillion dollar industry. The military, its crony tycoons and china, where most of it ends up, benefit the most.
Myanmar s jade industry is worth billions of dollars annually, and yet only a small fraction of its profits benefits the countrys citizens. May 15, 2017 as myanmar gears up for landmark national peace talks this new global witness film reveals how the countrys massive jade business is helping to drive deadly armed conflict. Probably the most genuine myanmar jade market to buy the rough jadeite jade for this is in mandalay. The dark shadow of myanmars jade trade financial times.
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