Residents of the Pein Hne Taw village group in Mon State said they oppose plans for mineral testing and a cement factory in the foothills of the limestone Min Lwin Mountain in Thaton District.
The villagers voiced their concern at the Phyu Min Tun Company Ltd’s activities at the mountain, which is in Karen National Union (KNU) controlled territory, at a meeting between the KNU, local residents and civil society organisations held on 13 March in a catholic church on Matkalay Road in Mawlamyine.
They called on the Phyu Min Tun Company not to continue with mineral testing after their current mineral testing period ends at the end of April.
The villagers said that their livelihoods depend on the mountain and that a cement factory would pose a threat to the environment and destroy their heritage.
Naw Phaw Naww, a local resident of Min Lwin village said to KIC News: “There are farms and orchards for our livelihood. We can get firewood, wood, bamboo, and vegetables by relying on this mountain. If the mountain became depleted after the company carries out its businesses, things will not return to normal again. We object [to it].”
Naw Ka Paw Say, a Karen Development Network (KDN)’s official who has been helping the villagers said: “The company has used various methods to try and persuade the local residents. They said they would just be asking for permission to carry out testing, but we are worried that the contract [they have been granted] includes permission to build a factory. The local residents are opposed to this project.
Pado Saw Ko Linn, the KNU Thaton District Secretary said: “So far, we have only allowed the testing stage of this project. As an organisation we do our work and also represent the people. We will not do anything the public does not want. We will ask what the public wants [to happen] after the testing period and we will follow their wishes.”
The Ministry of Mines gave the Phyu Min Tun Company permission to carry out mineral testing at Mwin Lin Mountain from 22 April 2015 to 21 April 2016 and to carry out a feasibility study in the area from 22 April 2016 to 22 April 2017.
Local residents submitted an appeal to the Mon State Government in May 2015. It said that they objected to the mineral testing and the construction of a cement factory in the area of Min Lwin Mountain.
The Pein Hne Taw village group is a group of six villages in the foothills of the Min Lwin Mountain. They are: Min Lwin, Wanbeinn, Htinyarlu, Pein Hne Taw, Pantharyar, and Aleywar.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
