The Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), in collaboration with the Shanan Foundation, hosted a public seminar sharing research on rare earth mining in Mai Ja Yang, located in Myanmar’s southern Kachin State, at the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Social Sciences on Jan. 31.
“We studied the governance of rare earth mining and found that the government has not adequately addressed the concerns of local people. Therefore, we made some suggestions for relevant stakeholders to improve the governance of rare earth mining,” said Ta-Wei Chu, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Science and Development at Chiang Mai University.
“We delivered our research findings to different stakeholders in Kachin State, who expressed their concerns and experiences about rare earth mining. We hope to raise awareness and encourage the international community to pay attention to rare earth mining in Kachin State,” he added.
Academics, journalists, and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have investigated rare earth mining in Myanmar’s Kachin State, revealing significant environmental and social impacts. Ta-Wei Chu hosted the seminar with Seng Li, the director of the Shanan Foundation, where he works to promote freedom of expression and natural resource rights in Myanmar’s Kachin State.
