Category Archives: Myanmar

The Politics of Mining in Mongolia and Burma/Myanmar

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Hannah Smith

Protests against mining projects reveal contrasts in the political impact of resource extraction in Mongolia, an established 23 year-old democracy, and Burma/Myanmar, a liberalizing authoritarian state. Two similarities are apparent in the domestic tensions surrounding Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi and Burma’s Letpadaung copper mines: both governments and populations are keen to balance Chinese influence in their economies; and both struggle to balance development goals with local grievances. Yet, the differing role of the countries’ politicians means that the protests have different outcomes. Continue reading →

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Posted in Burma, Mongolia, Myanmar | Tagged economics, mining, politics, protests | Leave a comment

Methamphetamine Smuggling along the Myanmar-China Border Threatens Local Communities

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Hannah Smith

The Golden Triangle, the mountainous region bordering Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, is known as a major centre for drug production. Since Khun Sa, kingpin of the region’s heroin trade, was forced into retirement in 1996, large-scale production of methamphetamine has developed along the Myanmar-China border. Unlike heroin, methamphetamine can be created from commercially available chemicals, commonly found in cold and flu medications. The easy availability of raw materials means that the profits generated from the production of methamphetamine are higher than those from heroin. Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Myanmar | Tagged child exploitation, drug production, drug smuggling, Drugs, local conflict | Leave a comment