Employees from Moehti Moemi gold mine in Mandalay division’s Yamethin district who have been protesting against their mine’s closure have had their demands met by the Myanmar National Prosperity Public Company Limited, which secured the government tender for the mine.
Protest leader Htay Aung Kyaw said a deal was reached after talks were held this week among the protesting mine workers, government officials, invested businesses and the NPPCL.
“It was agreed to allow excavation operations in the mine to continue for another year, to allow the miners to use rock grinders in the mine for another year and to allow the gold miners to resume their work in line with their [initial contract] for another eight and half months,” said Htay Aung Kyaw.
The NPPCL also agreed to compensate the smaller mining firms who have been staffing workers at the site for the past month while the operations were halted.
Htay Aung Kyaw said about 2000 of the protesting miners will head back to Moehti Moemi to celebrate their victory, after signing an agreement with the NCPPL on Thursday.
“We are satisfied – at least we get to work for another year and then there’ll be other job opportunities afterwards.”
He said a forestry minister from Mandalay, the director-general of the Mining Ministry, the NCPPL’s chairman and other government officials were present at the negotiations.
