Locals reportedly destroyed tents and structures at a rare earth mining site in the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)-controlled territory in Mansi Township, Kachin State, on 21 March after a protest demanding a halt to mining activities failed and no agreement could be reached that all mining companies and security guards must leave the area.
On 21 March, about 900 local residents organized a protest at noon demanding that Chinese companies mining rare earths in the Inbarpar and Ding Sing Pa leave the areas permanently. However, after the two sides failed to reach an agreement, the protesting residents destroyed the tents, a member of the rare earth mining protest committee told KNG.
“We proposed an agreement asking the Chinese companies that are gearing up to mine rare earths to stop their activities and remove all their security guards. But they rejected our proposal and said they were staying on the site, not because they wanted to, but because the KIO ordered them to. We all waited until about 6 pm, but after they didn’t agree to our demand, we destroyed their entire workplace and came back,” said the mining protest committee member.
He went on to say that the protesters destroyed the workplace because the companies didn’t give an accurate answer, although they patiently negotiated with the mining site officials until late evening.
The mass demonstration came about after locals called on the armed ethnic organization at several levels, both in letters and negotiations, to halt planned rare earth mining in the Inbarpar area by the end of February, he said.
“The KIO hasn’t signed an agreement to stop mining and leave. The mining companies haven’t signed either. This has prompted the locals to do something like this. We have to wait and see how they’ll respond,” said another Ding Sing Pa resident who is a member of the protest committee against rare earth mining.
Since the entry of Chinese mining companies into Inbarpar and Ding Sing Pa to mine rare earth with the approval of the KIO central government in late 2022, locals have been protesting in various ways in the defense of their historic land.
Despite repeated calls, the KIO continued to allow mining, prompting locals to call on their family members who work for the armed ethnic group to return home.
Protests by numerous locals followed, and the subsequent destruction of the mining workplace on 21 March.
Areas in Mansi Township where rare earths are being mined with the permission of the KIO include Inbarpar, Ding Sing Pa, Ding Sing Bum, Khaparar, In Jon Bum, Hpaidang, Hka U and Jangmai.
Sent by KNG.