US Hits Myanmar Pearl, Timber Companies With Sanctions
Category: Myanmar
Activists urge French engineering firm Razel-Bec to withdraw from military-backed dam project in Shan State
The company has partnered with a military-linked conglomerate to develop the controversial 280-megawatt hydropower dam on the Namtu river near the towns of Hsipaw and Kyaukme.
Mapping Myanmar’s water resources is key to developing sustainable aquaculture and improving nutrition
IWMI’s project team is modeling the Irrawaddy river basin that covers approximately 50% of Myanmar (337,400 km2). The objective is to quantify available water sources and pinpoint potential areas for developing new fishponds while also monitoring water quality to understand where poor conditions may constrain development.
China boosts banana growing in Lancang-Mekong region
Countries in the Lancang-Mekong area such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have advantages in growing bananas such as lower labor costs and better weather conditions, Wang Anbang, head of the cooperation project for the region’s banana industry, said.
US Targets Myanmar’s Junta-Controlled Jade Sector in New Sanctions
Gemstones are a key economic resource for the Burmese military regime that is violently repressing pro-democracy protests in the country and that is responsible for the ongoing lethal attacks against the people of Burma, including the killing of children,” the Treasury Department said, referring to Myanmar by an earlier name.
Japan Suspends New Aid Programs to Myanmar After Massacres
Japan’s foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, told the Japanese parliament: “Japan is the largest provider of economic assistance to Myanmar and we aren’t planning any new projects. We have taken a clear stance.”
Deforestation surge threatens endangered species in Tanintharyi, Myanmar
The recent surge in forest loss also coincides with military attacks on Tanintharyi Karen communities, which reportedly have displaced thousands of people who have nowhere to go but into the forest.
World Bank, Asian Development Bank Freeze Funds to Myanmar to Shun Junta
“If these projects get suspended for an extended period of time, then that would have an impact on people’s well-being, and these are things that are not necessarily visible in the headline GDP [gross domestic product] figures,” said Bryan Tse, country analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Japan to Put Meeting with Mekong Countries on Hold
A participation by the military-led government in Myanmar will draw backlash mainly from Western countries, the sources said.
China’s rare earth supplies disrupted by Myanmar tumult
China has shifted from a 40% to 60% reliance on Myanmar for its rare earth imports, reportedly due to the environmental damage caused by their extraction domestically.