[6] Myanmar’s jade industry is contentious because it degrades the environment and endangers miners, while supporting political turmoil by financially aiding the military junta (Tatmadaw) and ethnic militias.
[9] During the NDL’s rule, Myanmar signed a Global Trans Initiative to encourage a more transparent system and temporarily “closed” jade mine licenses in 2016.
[12] The Tatmadaw, militias, Chinese, and drug dealers function as one economic mechanism that uses Hkapant’s 300,000 jade miners to further their political and financial gains.
[14] Drug use, prostitution, and unsafe living circumstances have led to the increase in HIV and Hepatitis C.[13] Myanmar’s governing systems view jade miners as disposable and not worthy of protection.
[21] The disasters dismantle the dwelling places of organisms, forcing some to flee and causing fatalities due to landslides, resulting in a loss of biodiversity.
[19] An undeniable environmental consequence of landslides is pollution, evident in the contamination of water bodies in the Hpakant community due to mining-related chemical discharges.
[13][28] During the day, miners inject themselves with a concoction of methamphetamine and caffeine (known locally as “yaba”) to help them cope with the harsh environment and long hours of laborious work searching for lumps of jade.
[29][32] The initial use of yaba gives jade miners an energy boost but after the influence of drugs wear off, they may experience prolonged sleep and depression.
[29][32] Research has also shown that chronic use of methamphetamine can alter one’s state of mind — affecting thoughts, emotions, and behaviours to the point where sense of reality is lost.
[32] While yaba is a stimulant that give jade miners the energy they need to scavenge for precious stones, heroin is used as a depressant to help them relax, manage pain, and sleep after hard work.
[27] The rescue was led by a local response team who searched the man-made lake — a product of the excessive mining — since the landslide carried miners down into the body of water.
[3] The rescue operations are often delayed or suspended due to downpours that occur in the rainy season and these heavy rains are what often trigger the emergency event in conjunction with bad mining practices.
[35] At the time of this incident, divers were unable to enter the lake and could only hang hooks from the motorboats to drag the water for remains as soil, rocks, and waste continued to spill down nearby cliffs.
The local NDL member of parliament for Hpkant stated that landslides in the township were caused by the permeation of rainwater during monsoon season, as opposed to tailing dams left behind by mining companies and slope failures.
[37] Currently, the Myanmar government does not conduct routine investigations to determine the cause of repeat landslides, it does not have effective gemstone or mining regulations, and it allows for armed groups to operate within the extractive sectors.
Since 1996, Medecins du Monde (MdM) has provided services targeted at reducing HIV transmission among people who inject drugs in the Kachin state.
Once peace has been established, supporting and funding the building of schools and job centres will educate and equip the local population with skills and knowledge for a brighter and safer career path.
This will improve the literacy rates of the population and reduce the likelihood of dependence on illegal jade mining for income, with increased knowledge of the risks involved in it.