Authorities could not have prevent around a thousand boats from mining gold illegally along the Ayeyawady River in Kachin State for nearly two years, according to local sources.
Since political changes in Myanmar in 2021, the areas along the river from the Maykha and Malikha rivers to the confluence of the Ayeyawady to Shweku town have been littered with illegal gold mining boats.
A local resident from Shweku town said illegal gold mining could not be prevented even in the area of Kyundaw Pagoda.
“About a week ago, we learned that a monk and his laypeople went there to go away but they had to retreat because someone threatened them with a gun. Yesterday, they fled because some military personnel fired small weapons from afar. We have to object to their illegal mining in the religious area. But no one can prevent them. The river was so dirty that we cannot take a bath,” he said.
According to a source close to such illegal gold mining business, a boat needs to pay 200,000 kyats for spending a night and a suitable amount of money to an armed group every week or 15 days.
“They have their representatives to collect money. The amount of money to be paid is from Ks8 million to 12 million. The money is for a week or 15 days. More than 1,000 boats in Shweku and Bhamo towns have been used for illegal gold mining,” the source said.
Central information officer from the KIA (Kachin Independence Army) Colonel Naw Bu said warnings had already been issued banning gold mining in historical and cultural places and the areas the local people disapprove of, but ongoing cases were related to lower level officials related to business affairs.
According to local sources, a new boat operating gold mining is worth from Ks40 million to Ks80 million.
A local environmental activist said excessive gold mining along the Ayeyawady River has caused a great impact on fish stocks and river course, which is an extremely dangerous situation in Kachin State.
The Ayeyawady River has ranked ninth of the world’s dirtiest rivers.
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