Jade trade comes to a halt after clashes
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Due to the recent armed conflict between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) near jade-rich Hpakant Township, trade at the jade market southwest of Seng Taung has ground to a halt, merchants said.
Private jade miners in Hpakant received the green light to resume operations on September 1 after the union government suspended mining in the area for two years, and trade at the market was beginning to pick up, merchants said.
Clashes between the KIA and Tatmadaw earlier this month brought the region’s major industry to standstill, they said.
After the government approved the resumption of jade mining, a spokesperson of the central committee of the Kachin Independence Organisation said it could not assure security at jade mines.
“The situation is not encouraging. The resumption of work has halted because of instability,” said Zaw Htet, a jade merchant from Mandalay. Some small-scale unlicensed miners have been arrested, he added.
According to Kachin State’s Ministry of Mines, 36 major private companies are trying to resume jade mining at 15,638 worksites. The jade market in Mandalay has also been hard hit, as its supply of raw jade from Kachin State has been cut off.
“Some merchants here are hopeful the market will open soon, but others have given up and returned to their homes,” said Win Bo, a merchant from Mogaung, Kachin State.
