“Myanmar Spring Chronicle – May 4 Overview”, published by MoeMaKa on May 5, 2025:
Irreparable Environmental Damage from Resource Exploitation Amid War
Over the past few years, Myanmar has transitioned from resistance defense to full-fledged armed offensives against the military junta. Alongside this intensifying conflict, the unchecked extraction of natural resources has increasingly led to environmental destruction across conflict zones.
Both the junta and resistance forces—including ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and PDFs—rely heavily on resource-based revenue to finance operations. Armed groups that control specific territories often tax local natural resource extraction, collect tolls on goods transport, and levy charges on civilians to fund logistics, weaponry, and personnel costs.
This phenomenon is not unique to Myanmar. Around the world, natural resources and armed conflict often overlap. In Myanmar’s case, while conflict did not initially arise over specific resources, the need to control resource revenue has become a deeply entangled consequence of prolonged war.
Conflict Zones and Resource Hotspots
Regions with high-value resources are now key military targets:
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Hpakant (for jade)
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Chipwi and eastern Kachin State (rare earths)
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Thabeikkyin and Singu (gold mining)
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River regions in Sagaing and Ayeyarwady (alluvial gold extraction)
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Pakokku, Myaing, and Pauk (onshore oil)
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Rakhine State (offshore oil and deep-sea port potential)
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Tanintharyi Region (widespread mineral deposits)
Exploitation and Environmental Cost
Armed groups actively fight to gain or maintain control of these areas. In recent months, military activity has intensified in areas with:
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Gold panning and dredging
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Jade extraction and rare earth processing
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Deforestation for timber exports to China
As factions compete for control, the over-extraction of resources has caused severe environmental damage:
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Pollution of rivers and water sources
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Deforestation and loss of biodiversity
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Disruption of farming communities
These areas are now facing an uncertain future, both economically and ecologically.
Junta’s Offensive for Resource Control
The military has launched airstrikes and ground assaults to prevent EAOs and PDFs from collecting revenue from resource-rich areas. Recent examples include:
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Ongoing offensives to retake Hpakant
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Attacks on gold-mining zones in Sagaing and Mandalay Regions
There’s growing concern that some resources may be permanently depleted, while environmental impacts on communities, rivers, and agriculture are already being felt.
Long-Term Consequences
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River route changes have increased flooding risk
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Soil erosion and crop loss threaten food security
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Deforestation is leading to higher temperatures and extreme weather
In recent reports:
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Gold mining in Bhamo Township is causing concern
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Alluvial gold dredging near Thapanseik Dam (Sagaing) is threatening dam inflow, raising alarm among local farmers
Unanswered Questions of Accountability
These urgent questions remain:
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Is all revenue from resource extraction truly going toward the revolution?
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Are groups extracting only what is necessary—or beyond sustainable levels?
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Are local authorities and armed factions exploiting this moment for power and profit?
In times of war, funding the struggle often takes precedence over environmental care. However, the long-term destruction caused by unmanaged resource exploitation will leave irreversible scars—not just on the land, but on the people who depend on it.
The Responsibility to Act
Environmental degradation like:
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Jade and gold over-mining
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Rare earth contamination
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Illegal deforestation
…must be addressed—not buried under the label of “wartime necessity.”
Both political and armed resistance groups must take ownership of their environmental impact, not only for today’s survival, but for Myanmar’s post-war future.
If ignored, these damages will outlast the war itself.