Saw Khite Khite, chair of the Lun Nya Mountain Environmental Conservation Committee, alleged that a local administrator and area monks recently inked an agreement allowing Chit Lin Myaing Toyota Company to open a quarry.

“The public does not accept rock quarrying,” said Saw Khite Khite. “The [people] who signed this agreement do not represent the local residents. We object to this project and have submitted a letter in order for the state government to handle the issue.”

Almost 900 people from villages around Lun Nya Mountain in Hpa-an township signed the petition, which demands the government protect cultural heritage and local livelihoods.

During a press conference on November 22, some local residents claimed that blasts from the mountain’s rock quarries have caused cracks in their homes, led to the collapse of wells and destroyed their farmland.

U Saw Pyi Thar, Kayin State’s Minister of Environment, Forestry, Mines, Road and Communication, told KIC News he was not familiar with the Lun Nya Mountain issue.

“The [state] general administrator crushed stones issue. I haven’t asked about the issue today. I handle the mines,” he said.

KIC News was unable to contact the state general administrator U Thawdar Nyein.

Lun Nya Mountain has 23 rock quarries of varying sizes, some owned by local residents and some by private companies. Residents claim that at least one of the quarry sites has the tacit backing of an armed group.

A youth group led by Saw Khite Khite went to inspect the status of the quarry operations on the mountain on November 15, but found themselves confronting masked gunmen from an unknown group.

The local administrator, Saw Phoe Tu Tu, also known as Saw Aung Win Shwe, said he’s not sure who targeted the youth.