A gold-mining company supported by military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings opened a case with Mandalay police last week, after 100 people occupied the site of its mining operations in a new wave of protests, police sources said.
The latest case comes amid ongoing clashes between Myanmar Sithu Company and villagers, which saw protesters set fire to property and one local resident shot last July.
On January 3, residents from Yehtwet village in Mandalay Region’s Thabeikkyin township and those from Patheingyi, Madaya and Singu townships – around 100 in total – re-occupied the mining site near to Yehtwet village and put up red flags and signboards, according to Mandalay Region Police Office.
They were concerned, as they have been since the company began operations last year, that it is muscling in on their right to dig for gold. Following the sit-in, a township management meeting was held by the Tabeikkyin Township Administration Office, which decided to take legal action. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
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