The Burmese Army has launched an operation against logging in the forests in Bhamo district in Kachin state, northern Burma, said local sources. The action is inexplicable because in the middle of last year the Northern Regional Command (Ma Pa Kha) commander Maj-Gen Soe Win had given permission to Kachin ceasefire groups and local businessmen to fell trees for timber.

Over 30 log bearing trucks have been detained by Burmese soldiers. The operation is being jointly conducted by three Burmese Army columns --- the locally based Infantry Battalion No. 121 and No. 142, and a special army column sent from Naypyidaw, the new jungle capital of Burma, said sources close to timber businessmen in Bhamo.
 
The Burmese Army columns have been deployed for a month now after hundreds of Chinese loggers entered the forests in Bhamo district in November and started to fell trees and transport timber to logging camps on the China border in December, last year, local timber businessmen said.
 
Teak, hardwood and softwood from Bhamo district are transported to Nong Dao log camps on the Sino-Burma border east of Kachin State and the timber is then moved to Ruili also called Shweli, the biggest border trade town opposite Burma's border trade town Muse, said businessmen in the trade.
 
In this situation, some local timber traders tried to transport timber to the border but are having to contend with lack of buyers. If they sell the timber at all the prices are abysmal, added local timber traders.
 
Illegal export of timber to the China border is directly linked to the Burmese military and other government sectors in Bhamo district because the Chinese loggers cannot transport timber without their permission.  The timber is also a major source of income for the local Burmese army bases, added locals.
 
Sources close to the timber trader said, Chinese businessmen pay a huge amount of bribe to the Northern Command commander Maj-Gen Soe Win who is based in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state in order to acquire permission to log in Bhamo district.
 
In the middle of last year, Commander Soe Win officially granted logging permission in Kachin state to all Kachin ceasefire groups and local businessmen.
 
Environmentalists in Kachin state warn that the people in the state will soon face the impact of heavy logging.