The Case of Jade Production and Local Community in Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine Area, Kachin State, Myanmar

Home , Hpakant, Hpakant Township, Indaw Township, Kachin State, Man Hpa

Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015

NATURAL RESOURCES AND LOCAL COMMUNITY: THE CASE OF JADE PRODUCTION AND LOCAL COMMUNITY IN LONEKHINN-HPAKANT JADE MINE AREA, KACHIN STATE, MYANMAR

Hla Hla Kyi Department of Anthropology, University of Mandalay, Republic of the Union of Myanmar

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION The aim of this paper is to Every society has to manage explore jade production affects on natural resources for their society and natural environment in subsistence. There are three types of Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine Area, resources namely; human resource, Kachin State, Myanmar. Lonekhinn- natural resource and man-made Hpakant Jade Mine Area is the largest resource. Among them, some natural jade production area in Myanmar, resources are not renewable. If the many people come and work in this people exceedingly utilize natural study area. Besides, Jade Companies resources by only a single economic use modern technology and machines outlook, the natural resources will to search for jade. Therefore, use of drop dramatically within centuries. modern technology and machines Man's actions make changed the affects on natural environment. To fundamental balances in nature. For achieve the aim of this study, example, cutting down forests can qualitative research method was used. change patterns of rainfall and cause KII (Key informant interview), serious erosion; the use of chemicals participant observation, FGI (Focus and firearms can kill off species of Group interview) were employed to animals and birds that have survived get the data. As a result, this paper for millions of years. Besides, global indicated that jade production can warming and climate change are also provide the social welfare in society not exceptions. Therefore, we should but not in natural environment and examine the relationship between natural resources. utilizing natural resources and local community. The aim of this paper is to explore jade production affects on KEY WORDS society and natural environment in Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine Area, jade production, technology, natural Kachin State, Myanmar. environment

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The term ‘Jade’; literally RESEARCH METHODOLOGY means green stone or Kyauk-sein in The research method is Myanmar Language. Chinese word qualitative research method. Research for jade is “yu”. English word “Jade” tools are key informant interview, is derived from a Spanish word participant observation and focus “ijada” which means the stone that group interview. The population of cures the kidney disease. Greeks the research is natives and migrant called “kidney stone” because they people in the study area, discovered that it cures the diseases administrative people, business of the kidney. In the world, jade is people, merchants, company's found in Myanmar, Yunnan, Tibet, working staff, brokers and "yemasay" Mexico and South Africa. In (waste stones) jade stone searchers. Myanmar, jade is found in ten Research participants are 124 persons Uruvillages (ten villages of Uru) of in Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine upper Chindwin, Hpakant, Area. Research data is collected from Tawhmaw, Putao, Mawhan of Kachin March, 2010 to March, 2013. State, Mawlu of Indaw Township, and Khamti of Sagaing Division.

Hpakant Township is the largest jade DEVELOPMENT OF JADE production area and local TRADE IN MYANMAR community's economy is based on jade business. But jade is the In early times, the discovery nonrenewable natural resource if jade that green jade of fine quality is over production, it needs to occurred in northern Burma consider the effects on the natural (Myanmar) was made accidentally by environment and local community. a Yunnanese trader in the thirteen centuary. In the 14th century, the Yunnan government made efforts to RESEARCH AIM AND OBJEC- find jade in the area, but was not TIVES successful. Only in the late 18th century did Sino-Myanmar jade This research aims to point trading begin. On 29 November out the jade production effects on 1885, the Upper Myanmar Kingdom society and natural environment in was annexed by the British. Myanmar Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine Area, was ruled as part of India by the Kachin State, Myanmar. The British and military rule was declared objectives are to explore jade until 1897 (D.P.S.L Ghals 1980). business effects on local community Every year under the British Colonial in the study area and to elicit how Government, the British Commis- jade production affects the natural sioners of Sagaing auctioned off the environment in the study area. jade mines and collected the revenue from the jade trade. In the Colonial 63 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015

Period, only the Kachin Du was merchants of Hong Kong. Moreover, (Tribe leaders) had been collecting the jade was purchased for a bargain, taxes in jade mines. When the Second and there were also malpractices in World War broke out, all the jade foreign exchanges, thus causing mine businesses had come to a stop, losses to the country. So Myanmar starting from April, 1942. After the entered and participated in Foreign Second World War, the borderland Trade Fairs for selling Myanmar administration department made gems in the Myanmar market, and efforts to re-open the jade mines. direct contacts were made through Most of the jade that had been bought trading missions to other countries. by Chinese merchants carried the Thus, offers were received to come precious stone to Yangon and from and visit Myanmar on trading there sent it by ship to Hong Kong or business (Myanmar Gems Exhibition some other Chinese ports (Arnold Report 1964). On 11 April 1964, the Wright & Others 1910).On 4 January export of Myanmar gems was 1948, Myanmar became an privatized, and measures were taken independent country. The Myanmar to lay down the guidelines for government made preparations for systematic trading of gems. The jade the Province and Mainland trading business was undertaken by developments. The Vice Consultant Myanmar Mining and Mineral Minister Sama Duwa Sin Wa Naung Extension Corporation since 1964. of Kachin State Borderland Thus, with the efforts of the Administration Department made Myanmar government, through jade efforts to re-open jade mines so as to production and trading are towards solve the unemployment problems of the progress of the economic sector the local people of Myitkyina and of the state. After 1988, Myanmar Bhamo and to raise the standard (Jade Government licensed individual Manual 1950). Although Myanmar private jade miners for jade jade had been recognized as the best excavation and trading. During these of its kind in the world, only the years, jade excavation's technology Chinese had cherished jade in East developed. So, there are over 500 Asia, and so the principal market had jade companies in Myanmar 2008. been in Shanghai, China, before Moreover, Myanmar gems organiza- World War 11. After World War 11, tion began on 1 August 2007. There Hong Kong had become the principal were 2517 members in this jade market. However the real organization in 2009. Gems exhibit- customers purchased jade through tion had been held 80 times from such countries as China, England, 1964 to 2010. Today, the world's jade France, West Germany and USA. So market has found way into Myanmar. Myanmar, the original source of jade, The following picture shows the and the customers of other countries motto of ministry of mining. had been exploited by the jade 64 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015

Figure 1. Motto of Ministry of Mining.

Table 1. The jade production of nationwide and Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine Area.

Sources: Weekly Eleven Journal (11.5.2011) and Township Administration Department 2009.

The above data shows the nationwide Mine Area. This data points out that jade production and the jade during 10 years nationwide produc- produced in Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade tions are 209889 tons and Lonekhinn-

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Hpakant Area is responsible for most which is tightly filled layer of of national production. It can be small stones and pebbles. Underneath understood that the higher jade this layer is the third layer called consumption has been followed by “Kyauk Kyaw” (jadeite layer). It is in greater jade production. this layer that you first begin to see small jade stones. The next layer is the fourth layer of sand stone (sand JADE PRODUCTION METHODS layer) that you can also find natural jade stone. In the lowest fifth layer There are five layers in jade called “Pha” (bed rock), there is no mine. The first layer is the silt layer. jade to be found, so the digging stops The second layer is called at the fourth layer only. “Cut Kyaw” (gravel bed layer),

1. First Layer = Silt Layer 2. Second Layer = Cut Kyaw (gravel bed layer) 3. Third Layer =Kyauk Kyaw (jadeite layer) 4. Fourth Layer = Sand Layer 5. Fifth Layer = Pha (bed rock)

Figure 2. Jade Mine Layers.

TRADITIONAL METHODS The earth pit; as soon as the There are three types of jade cold season harvest of paddy is done, production; earth pit, water pit, and the miners start digging the pits for sluicing. These methods were used in jade production. They need at least 3 the past before 2000. to 5 men. They start first with the earth pit.

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It is like digging a pit for the toilet. the water is full, they open the water They use the spade and mattock to gate and the force of the water dig the ground. Two people dig the washed away the dug up earth and earth and one put the loose earth into stones. Then they look for the jade a cane basket to the top. Two more stone. This method is a less costly persons on the surface carry away way of searching jade. this loose earth. The pit sides have no The above traditional methods show wooden dykes. So there is the danger that jade production in the past was a of the pit walls breaking down on the very difficult and risked for jade pit diggers and burying them. They workers. Besides, because of using stop digging to the “Pha" (bed rock). human labor it needs long period to Finding bed rock is the sign of no find out jade. jades. Therefore they need to stop the digging. The water pits are in Uru MODERN METHODS stream and Mawwon stream, Hpakant After coming of jade Gyi stream, Whey kha stream, and companies, especially after 2000, the their rivulets. They start digging people use dynamite to break the when the water level is low in the "Pha" or dig the earth with backhoes, streams in Tazaungmone (November) bulldozers and find more varieties of and Nattaw (December) months. jade stone. Today, for doing water pit They put down sandbags into the they divert the flow of stream and dig stream. Then they have to build a backhoes. For sluicing they build dyke with bamboo walls tied to wooden stage and they put the dug bamboo poles filled with stone posts. earth and then wash it with water The sandbags are piled there and pump and find out the jade. Every reinforced with the earth, so that season the people try to dig the jade water will not flow into the as much as they can by power of production area. The water in the digging machines. Nowadays, in mine has to be scooped out with Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Mine Area, bucket. And then dig the earth and there are altogether 630 companies; search the jade stone. private, co-operative, and state- Sluicing is done only in the owned. Jade mining is spread rainy season when there is a lot of over17718 blocks, and uses 1032 water. They have dug the earth from backhoes, 38 bul-ldozers and 2112 the site with iron spades and earth- trucks (see figure.3) mattocks. They have to build a water removal tank at the head of the sluice. When

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Digging jade mine hole

The earth pit The water pit

Sluicing Waste loose-earth being dumped

Figure 3. Digging jade mine.

TYPES OF WORKERS is company workers and the second There are two types of type is those who live and work with workers; (1) the workers who are the rich entrepreneur. paid once a month, (2) the workers The workers are migrants who search for Yemasay (waste from all other regions. Most of them stone) jade stones. Yemasay means are young from 16 to 30 years old. jade recovered from the waste mound When they reach there, they work as of loose earth which has not been drivers for the company cars and washed with water yet. The first type working machines like the backhoe,

68 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015 or go to the mines to search for jade Hpakant to supplement their stone. In the past, the workers and livelihood of farming which provides self-owned rich entrepreneur equally them with just sufficient food. The shared what they got the valuable companies and rich entrepreneur take jade stone from the mine. But care of the accommodation and food, nowadays since the coming of the so that there is a full saving for the companies, most of workers work for family. jade companies with monthly paid salaries. A (32) years old worker said: THE JADE BUSINESS AND "I have been here for (10) LOCAL PEOPLE years. When I first arrived, The major economy of there were only a few Hpakant Township evolves around companies and the self-owned the jade business such as mining, rich entrepreneur called trading and dealing. Those who are "lawpans" who runs a not involved with trading earn their manageable scale of private living at hardware stores, fuel pumps, mining. He hires men to work tea shops, stores, restaurants, in his mines on a sharing electrical goods stores, motorcycle agreement. The lawpan takes repair shops, betel dumplings shop, half the sales and the other and stone cutters. Therefore it is half is shared by the workers. known that there are many people The lawpan gives money for who are not directly involved in the the workers every week on jade mining business but whose Sundays to buy the foodstuffs occupations are dependent on it. As like lentils, dried fish, the jade business grows, the standard potatoes, and sardines. The of the people there is raised all round. lawpan also provides them The faster the goods flow, the greater with sacks of rice, clothing they could spend and the higher the and shelter. Later the living standard gets. companies came to work on In education sector before the sites by paying taxes to the 2000, most parents concentrated on government. After that I their economic activities only, while became a company worker. I most mothers, because of their get the monthly salary now. housework and taking care of parents, Whether the company gets the could not pay much attention to the jade stones or not is no more education of children. The majority our concern". of boys on entering adolescence (7/8 Grade in schooling) dropped out to The company workers and Yemaay begin jade mining or broker’s 9 (waste stone) jade searchers are business. After 2000 with the advent mostly farmers who came up to 69 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015 of jade companies residents in the For food before 2000, the area gain through mass media a lot of majority of locals had three meals general knowledge, including (cooked rice & curries) daily. For educational services at various levels. morning breakfast, most of the family They realize that education is a sound members together have cooked rice foundation for their children’s future, and curries, Shan noodles, steamed especially as it can facilitate their glutinous rice (paungtin) and approach to government departments pounded glutinous rice (khawpoat) all on business. The rich families send prepared at home or locally made their children to big cities as boarding delicacies. For lunch and dinner, the students, and parents with lesser family members have to do prepare means still enroll their children in them in their home. After 2000 with Basic Education High School the advent of jade companies to do (Hpakant) or Basic Education High jade mining the communications School (Lonekhinn). Therefore, improved to allow import of many parents are found to be prioritizing kinds of foodstuff. Restaurants and their children’s education. tea shops have since increased and In health sector, Lonekhinn- most men usually have morning Hpakant jade mine area before 2000 breakfast at the eateries, some of enjoyed little health care because of which are known as Mibagonyeetea difficult communications, unstable shop, Mon dining shop, Mogaung security, and scant general Restaurant, Thai-style chicken and knowledge, it is learnt. Hpakant town rice shop, etc. After 2000, a has a Township Health Hospital and commercial deal has been made the Township Health Department. relevant parties and departmental Lonekhinn village has a Station personnel feast together at a Hospital and Rural Health Centre. restaurant. Some family members Moreover there were few public want to relax by way of eating at health personnel. After 2000, their restaurant in the evening. But vendors health care services are being and working class people usually eat reinforced by activities of Maternal at home. and Children Welfare Association, According to the findings, the Red Cross Society, and a social restaurateurs are making their fortune welfare society. Besides, the locals based on the patronage of traders, are found to be going to Myitkyina, brokers, rich families, and their Mandalay, and Yangon for health guests. Moreover for older people’s care and medical treatment. nutritious consumption Ovaltine, According to the findings, it is milk powder, tins of cookies, Knorr evident that the locals have come to brand rice gruel and Brand’s chicken enjoy a growing income, whereby essence, etc are available. Those families are found to put emphasis on foods mainly feature among the their health care. offerings presented to the older 70 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015 persons on days of religious houses have thatch roofing and significance. Besides, children have bamboo matting walls, with plank 10 various snacks to choose from. So, flooring. Dependent on their income, breadwinners-vendors, merchants, the rich men build brick buildings. and brokers are found to especially After 2000, their house was decorated take care of parents and children in aluminum-roofed, with stainless steel food matters. According to the tubing and fabrications. Most locals finding, it is evident that the resident make an agreement with a contractor peoples’ income increased. to build a house. They possess inside Kachin State borders on the houses are television set, speaker, China, so Chinese-made warm stand fan and water cooler which clothing, blankets, and textiles in show the growing living standard of abundance are on sale at Jade Mine its owner. Similarly, vendors and Area. In dress before 2000, most of working class people build iron the local people (adults or children) sheet-roofed, with plank walls and wore clothes made at a tailor’s shop, flooring. Inside their house has at often bringing along pieces of cloth. least a television set for easy viewing Dress designs were ordinary and and relaxation. For this reason, it can unattractive. Thanks to prosperous be said that both their housing style jade business after 2000 with better and lifestyle are found to have communications, readymade gar- changed. By using materials, there ments of various brand logo’s, for can be seen their social status and man’s, woman’s and child’s wear. prestige, because of better economic All kinds of goods, expensive or situation. inexpensive, to suit all strata of In the family setting, before society are found to be on sale. 2000 a housewife does cooking and Therefore, it can be found that looks after parents and her children. dressing style of native people and Her other chores are concerned with migrant people use readymade relatives and social events of the fashion style. Therefore, their life locality. Her husband, household expectation shows dependent on their head, only was responsible for economy. By using materials, there livelihood of the family. After 2000, can be seen their social standard and companies do the mining with prestige. Out of these, expensive sophisticated machinery leading to items are bought by businessmen’s more varieties of jade mined and a families and less priced items are larger jade market. At the time, the bought by working class people and housewife becomes involved in jade stall-keepers for their consumption. business with her husband. That is Mostly forested Kachin State the improvement of their family’s is favorable to house construction as fortune. With the increase in family a lot of timber and bamboo can be income, the housewife’s role in the produced. Most of jade workers’ family has changed and income 71 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015 structure also changed. Besides, the and simple technology. So, the siblings after their marriage may live natural environment remained almost in separate residence or together with intact. Nowadays, the companies parents; they are often engaged in the begin to dig the jade mine. The self- jade business in unity. This attitude owned rich jade entrepreneur who shows affection and unity existent mined jade from a manageable plot of among siblings. land has vanished. Jade Companies Because of jade mining the work in the cold season and the dry lifestyle of local and migrant people season. In the cold season, this has changed; especially the basic flooded stream is dry and becomes a needs in regard of food, clothing and motor road. They built a dam across shelter, education and health have the stream to divert the river water. been fulfilled. Moreover, the family These companies have made the life of the vendor, merchant, broker, mountains bald in their search for yemasay stone picker and the rich has jade. Their use of modern machines changed: namely shop keepers gain such as bulldozers, backhoe, cranes, great benefit by selling more crops, hydraulic attached ten ton cars, garments and consumer goods to an diamond drills and machine toothed increasing population of company spades have left hollows like ponds personnel merchants and brokers and lakes. Again the earth gravel they have more business and consequently dig up from the pits is thrown away more profit after 2000 than before in mounds becoming mountains 2000 because of more categories of again. jade mined; yemasay stone pickers Along the mountain ranges are enjoying a higher living standard the natural streams and water holes for obtaining jade. It can be found also became blocked and damaged. that lifestyle of locals and migrant As time passed, there was scarcity of people have been changed place to dump the gravel. So they educational knowledge, family health began to dump the gravel near the care, food, clothing and shelter. Uru stream which used to be150 feet wide, but now it is only about 3 feet wide in Monywa. Though the Uru JADE BUSINESS AND stream is narrow in the summer, in NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF the rainy season, it is filled with rains STUDY AREA and mountain streams, flowing The Kachin State has a hot rapidly carrying away houses and humid climate with plenty of rains. human life. Hpakant region is flooded in the rainy In July 2009, it rained heavily season, with the mountain streams in Hpakant, causing landslides and flowing into the rivers. In the past, floods (The Voice Journal, jade mining was used simple tools 20.7.2009). Besides July 2010, it rained heavily in Lonekhinn village 72 Volume 3 Number 2, July-December 2015 tract, causing floods (Township children’s support. I lost 13 Administration Department, 2011). acres of my farmland to the Observing the above factors have company but was paid kyat shown that doing jade mining by 200 lakhs in compensation. building a dyke across the stream Added with contributions causes the banks to be infirm. There from my children, I have built is a Myanmar saying, “The climate for myself a brick house depends on the forest”. The Kachin building at a cost of nearly State is12 a mountainous region with Kyat 400 lakhs. heavy forestation. But the mining company’s machines have shaved the The above facts show that though the mountains bald. It has definitely farmers have lost a great deal of caused climate change in the region. agricultural land, their living standard Man is to blame for this desecration has risen to be found. Moreover, their of nature. Jade mining has led to lifestyle according to jade business frequent occurrences of loosening also has changed for this major soil and floods (see figure 4). resource being exploited through the Before 2000, jade mining was use of modern machine. carried out according to traditional so Most of the old people over there was no too much ecological 70 years, who lived in Hpakant jade damage. After 2000 with their entry, mine area said that: Compared to the jade companies acquired state when they were young, the climate owned pieces of land off the map so has become worse. The forests have that large pieces of farmland owned been destroyed, diverting the rivers by locals came to be included among and streams and blocking the natural that land for company’s mining work. spring and water holes. It has made A former farmland-owner now aged the weather extremely hot, and when 70 said: it rains there is so much water and “Now I have retired for old hailstones, it makes their life age and a surviving with my uncomfortable.

Figure 4. Flooding and Earth loosening in Lonekhinn village tract.

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DISCUSSION AND CONCLU- Myanmar people who depend on this SION jade trade for their livelihood will be The Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade threatened. Therefore measures must Mine Area is, for its jade mining and be taken to preserve both the related businesses, an economic environment and the peoples’ centre for a large number of people livelihood in jade business. come from all across Myanmar. This Jade, which is the natural jade bearing area stands as a place resource of this region, is the life- which can provide for the living blood of the local people of this needs of local people as well as the region. Jade mining and jade trade, migrants. In the past, in Lonekhinn- their natural livelihood, provides Hpakant jade mine area, simple tools them with man’s greatest need of and simple technology were used in food, shelter and clothing. It also jade mining and a little variety of raises their standard of living. It has jade was obtained. But the natural also helped people who come from environment remained almost intact. the other regions for the extra Nowadays with the use of modern earnings they need. If they are lucky machines in jade mining a great to pick up one valuable stone, the variety of the jade stone has been fortune of an entire household to be obtained, adding to State revenue. able to live a better life comes within But the natural environment has been read. damaged in the process. The jade The government of Myanmar mine was marketed, leading to an has been able to have Gems increase in family's income; a great Emporiums not only in the country deal of jade mining done has caused but also penetrate the world markets deforestation, which in turn is by its international shows. Myanmar causing climate change. So the gems and jade are known worldwide mountainous wooded Hpakant is today. As the demand increases, the becoming a waste land. production is beginning to harm the The authorities should be environment. It is therefore important aware of it and give educational talks to be aware of the damage and find on the dangers and preservation of the way to prevent this natural natural resources of forests and water disaster to man and the environment. resources. The present jade production site has only a decade left and as it is a nonrenewable resource, RECOMMENDATIONS the jade production should carefully 1. Jade, a nonrenewable resource be measured for long-term benefits to should be mined within limits man and nature. If this natural and control for jade mining. resource is not safeguarded, the lives Otherwise this natural of the people of the region as well as resource will be used up.

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2. The natural environment BIOGRAPHY should be retained in so as to Arnold Wright& Others 1910, benefit the locals dependent Twentieth Century on jade mining as well as the Impressions of Burma Loyds future life of the migrants. Great BritainPublishing Co.

3. To help prevent landslides Ltd. and floods and jade produc- Ghals D.P.S.L., 1980, The annexation tion association should be of Upper Burma, Eastern organized systematically with University Press. the locals. Jade Manual, 1950, Yangon

4. In Lonekhinn-Hpakant Jade Government Printing. Mine Area, local and migrant Myanmar Gems Exhibition Report people’s lifestyle and jade 1964, Yangon Government business should be done not Printing. only qualitative but also Township Administration Depart- quantitative research. ment Report, 2009.

5. Further research should be Township Administration Depart- done to how the local people ment Report, 2011. and migrant people lifestyle The Voice Journal 20.7.2009. will be changed in the future. Weekly Eleven, 11.5.2011.