Myanmar: Myanmar’s New Gemstone Law Is Flawed Says Global Witness

Dec 21, 2018 | International Mining
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Myanmar’s parliament has passed a new law governing the gemstone sector. According to international anti-corruption NGO Global Witness, “the law may do little to reform the notoriously corrupt, conflict-tainted, multi-billion dollar jade sector while allowing companies involved in illegal activities and human rights and environmental harms to secure access to the valuable mineral.” The law’s passage is a key step in the process of restarting gemstone permitting after a two-year moratorium. Upon taking office, the National League for Democracy (NLD) suspended the issuing of new or extension of existing gemstone licenses pending a governance review intended to clean up the sector. Illegal mining, smuggling, deadly violence and landslides, and environmental destructive practices have continued unabated.