Nearly 1,000 locals yesterday staged a protest against mining exploration by Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Ltd, in Warsein mountain in Yinmarpin Town ship in Sagaing Region.
Lower House MP Aung Soe from Yinmarbin Township said: “Sagaing Region did not inform the MPs about it and discuss with them. We need to monitor the consequence of it if the government turns a blind eye to the people’s desires. There were problems with Latpdaungtaung copper mining project, Sebaltaung and Kyaesintaung copper mining projects. The disputes with local farmers remain unresolved. Even the report compiled by the State Counsellor remains unsettled. Due to such problems, there will be no good results.”
Ko Hla Min Paing, a protest leader from Thabyayaye village said: “Locals from Thabyayaye, Tayawkin, Ohbo and Moekaung village show their opposition to the project. We staged this protest as the company will bring a lot of problems to our region. The next point is the region government submitted a letter to the Union government without the people’s desires, saying that locals do not oppose the project covering 28,136 acres of land. We protested as it is apparent that this letter runs counter to the people’s desires.”
The protestors chanted: “Oppose the mining exploration by the company in Warseintaung region”, “Oppose sending the region government’s remark to the Union government without the desires of locals”, “Oppose the company which neglects the life security of locals”, “Conserve the natural resources of Warsein mountain”, and “Carry out environmental conservation”.
On September 13, Sagaing Region government sent a letter to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, saying that the region government has no plan to remonstrate against mining exploration on 28,136 acres of land in Warseintaung region.
A total of 18 organizations issued a joint statement about the project. Locals showed their opposition to the project when some ministers from Sagaing Region government met with locals on July 3.
In addition to huge mining exploration areas, Myanmar Yang Tse Company Ltd applied to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation for a permit for the mining exploration and feasibility studies on 461.2428 square kilometers (113,973.1 acres) of lands in Yinmarbin and Kani Townships. The Union ministry asked for the region government’s recommendation about the project.
The project covers 28 village-tracts, 120 villages, 16,848 houses, 17,980 households, 83,455 populations, 86 schools and 139 monasteries.
Warseintaung region has 10,000 acres of protected forests. Six villages are loacted near the mountain.
In 1990, Ivanhoe company from Canada carried out mining exploration in Warsein mountain. In 1993, Myanmar Ivanhose company submitted a report along with Letpadaungtaung copper mining report.
