Hpakant Township which produces the world famous jade stones is facing a massive web of chronic problems including armed conflicts, a gem-mining mafia, horrendously exploited miners, and the law of the jungle.

This was the brutal kind of man-made “jungle” that produced a disaster at a jade mine in Hpakant, in Kachin State in northern Myanmar in July 2020, when heavy rainfall led to a massive flood that swept at least 174 people to their deaths.

UK  Global Witness investigator reported “For too long, the deaths of miners in Hpakant have been dismissed as the collateral damage of a lucrative jade industry, which is estimated to have been worth up to $31 billion, or nearly half of Myanmar's gross domestic product, in 2014. In the wake of the latest catastrophe, politicians have been quick to shuffle blame on to the informal yemase miners who were scavenging through mining waste despite a warning about heavy rainfall.”

And what did lawmakers representing the constituencies of Hkapant have to say in parliament about the recurring natural disasters centered on jade-mining? Apparently not much and the NLD government also demonstrated no new plan of action to deal with lawless Hkapant, where there is almost zero respect for civilian authority.

These problems have impacts on the regional development and the security of locals more or less.

There are many armed organizations in Hpakant Township. Lower House MP U Soe Tint explained “It lacks rule of law. Some cases were solved on the ground as practical coordination on the ground is more effective and successful rather than raising the questions. That’s why, the number of questions and motions submitted in parliament were few “

The four MPs elected by the people in the 2015 General Elections are: State MP U La Aung from Hpakant Township Constituency-1, State MP U Darshi Lashing from Hpakant Township Constituent -2, Lower House MP U Soe Tint and Upper House MP U Khin Maung Myint (aka) U Cho.

It appears that Hkapant MPs rarely raise questions because they know that the NLD government has repeatedly shown itself either unable or unwilling to tackle the formidable business interests of military-connected entities and armed groups in the jade sector.

There is little prospect that the elected candidates can serve the interests of Hpakant Township in the coming parliamentary term without major change at the top.

Global Witness researchers in Myanmar concluded that “Myanmar's centralized constitution must be reformed to ensure that Myanmar's jade wealth is developed responsibly and for the benefit of the local population, and the armed groups must be pushed out.”