Myanmar’s gold rush is fuelling conflict, environmental damage

'The Gold Rush' is often used to describe the mass influx of individuals to Alaska in search of gold during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. In August 1896, Skookum Jim and his family discovered gold in the Yukon Territory of Canada, next to the Klondike River. This discovery sparked one of the most frenetic gold rushes in history. Miners from the surrounding regions hurried towards the Klondike in search of gold and profit. 

Alaska witnessed a dramatic alteration as a result of a massive inflow of newcomers. From an area with a small population, it blossomed into a territory with a large demography. Moreover, the Gold Rush had a major impact on Alaska's natural ecosystem. Sediment-filled streams, deforestation for timber, and the use of chemicals in mining contaminated the soil and endangered wildlife.

In addition, the influx of settlers disrupted native culture. The tribal groups were pretty much wiped off by violence, disease, and fatalities. The mining industry and its employees destroyed important native fishing and hunting places as well as their habitats. 

After a coup d'état in 2021, Myanmar is dilly-dallying with its own gold craze in its rivers. The scenario there is pretty similar to what Alaska experienced during its Gold Rush. Throughout Kachin State, which borders Yunnan Province in China and Shan state mines have sprouted seemingly overnight. 

The gold rush of Myanmar has not only posed a threat to the environment but also exacerbated conflicts amongst the Kachin, Shan, and Bama ethnic groups. Both sides of the conflict have relied on profits from the extraction of the state's natural assets. Ethnolinguistic militias and terrorist organisations have also engaged in this business. 

Myanmar's weak environmental regulations provide a safe haven for illegal miners. The gold rush in Myanmar's Kachin state is wreaking havoc mostly on rivers, poisoning the freshwater with mercury, damaging shorelines and farmland, and disrupting the traditions of the indigenous inhabitants who live there (Mekong Eye, Nov 14, 2022). 

Areas with increasing mining include the Irrawaddy's watershed where major streams merge to form the Irrawaddy, Indawgyi Lake, the Hukawng Valley and the state's hilly northern woodlands (The Irrawaddy, Jan 10, 2016). 

There are currently three potential UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kachin state (UNESCO Yangon Project Office, 2018). They are supposedly being threatened by gold mining and other extractive industries. 

According to a report from Yale School of Environment in 2022, "A number of endangered bird species, the Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary is inhabited by a variety of endemic fish and turtles. The Asian elephant and other endangered species find solace in the Hukawng Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, which encompasses a tiger sanctuary. The Northern Mountain Forest Compound is host to a mountain range with peaks of above 16,000 feet and sheltered endangered species such as the red panda."

Kachin state's immense natural resources (gold, amber, jade, copper, and rubies) have fueled a protracted civil conflict between the Kachin Independence Army, an ethnic armed group, and the Myanmar military. The first and most significant societal problem seems to be the division between those who intend to sell their property and those who refuse to sell. As a direct consequence of that, the relationship is terminated among ethnic groups.

Most of Kachin state has been subjected to military rule; this has had a disastrous impact on the state's ecosystem. Land concessions were offered to companies that were amicable to the military. Environmental regulatory body Global Witness alleged that Chinese companies were conducting sizable, unrestrained logging and mining operations both in Kachin and Shan states, with disastrous outcomes for the native community and ecosystem. 

After the coup d'état, more than 460 acres of mining area have been allocated by the military-owned corporation until 2031 (Myanmar Now, Jan 15, 2021). Companies that extract gold are supposed to have connections to the military regime.

Miners were found to routinely engage in unhealthy practices such as burning a mercury-laden amalgam to extract gold and ingesting mercury, a toxin that poses significant health risks, with their bare hands. Both workers and communities contributed to mercury pollution by wading barefoot in the river.

In addition to causing an "incalculable biodiversity loss," gold mining redirected stream flows, ruined floodplains and riverbeds, prompted shifting levels of water and ramped up deforestation. Myanmar's mining explosion produced 284 million tons of toxic waste between 2017 and 2021 (Earth Journalism Network, Oct 31, 2022).

Dredging equipment has become a common sight beside the riverbanks. The noise of the motors immerses the river's rhythmic thumping. The miners do not abide by the legislation on dredging and the disposal of waste into rivers and farmlands. The discharge of garbage into farmlands causes soil contamination and decreases agricultural production. 

A difficulty concerning freshwater sources emerged. Mercury and oil were found in water which is harmful to all sentient creatures. People who live around mining areas are disproportionately affected by kidney disease because of prolonged consumption of polluted water. The Irrawaddy River, the Uri River and the Chindwin River, all located in northern Myanmar, are wreaking havoc on the country's landscape. This enables waterways to divert themselves during the rainy season, flooding the surrounding area. 

While the military, militant groups, Chinese corporations, and corporatists benefited from all of these enterprises, the native population was subjected to land grabs, societal fragmentation, and increasing drug addiction. Alcohol, opium, and heroin are just some of the narcotics that may result in dependency among miners. (Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2017). 

In lieu of wages, several gold mine operators offer their workers drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine. Drug dealers, on the other hand, pay bribes to local authorities on a regular basis in order to escape prosecution (Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2017).

The government of the National League for Democracy (NLD) had permitted 223 mines and 262 small-scale enterprises in 11 townships to extract gold. They had arrested several scofflaw gold miners and modified the law concerning mining the yellow metal. However, the atmosphere began to worsen after the coup d'état. As a result, locals and activists who have already spent years protesting against gold mining in Kachin state are understandably scared about what might follow next.

The gold rush in Myanmar has prompted widespread migration across the country, and in several cases, it has also led to the deaths of inhabitants. The spectrum of perpetrators and victims is increasing day by day, and tensions flare up in response to a government decision to allow foreign gold mining companies to enter Kachin state. All of these factors have the potential to ignite a protracted armed conflict in Myanmar.

Sauid Ahmed Khan is a freelance contributor and graduate of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies,  University of Dhaka.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.