Background of Lapu Hka Gold Mine, Tanai Township

1. “Background history” Lapu hka gold mine is located 25 miles away from Tanai River in Myitkyina District, Kachin State. This gold mine is well known to people in the beginning of 2019 and more gold mining operations has been conducting since 2020. Due to arm clashes between KIO and Burmese army, gold mining was ordered closed and opened and it happened back and forth. This has put people in difficult situation to work for survival. In October 2022, KIO and Burmese Army has negotiated again. Mining operation started such as drilling holes, beginning storage and started gold panning. In 2023, more big equipment began arriving in the mining site. Lapu Hka Gold Mine is located in flat land and it is convenient to move around machinery equipment. Therefore, Burmar, Chinese, Shan, Kachin and Rakhine ethnics work in this area. Local women and young people are engaged in trade and commerce, motorcycle taxi rider, daily and monthly wage laborer.

• Location

Lapu Hka Gold Mine is initially an area of farmland and crop land for multi-ethnic farmers.

• Soil Condition

For Local Tanai people, as populated area, the land is fertile and suitable for farming and agriculture. In addition, this area is rich of natural resources and eventually it becomes area for gold mine panning.

• “Investment” Those businesses who wish to operate gold mining in Lapu Hka, they have to discuss with KIO and Burmese military council (regional command) to get permission. They are required to pay 5,000 Lakh per month to the State Administrative Council (SAC). This monthly fee is collected from all businessmen in this gold mining by KIO and then KIO pay some of this tax to the SAC. There are three types of land in this area which are categorized as A, B, C. In category C, businessmen have to pay less than 100 Lakh. In category B, they have to pay more than 100 Lakh. Category A is the highest tax and they have to pay between 500-1000 Lakh if they come with big machinery equipment. This taxation is varied from person to person. It depends on the authority of this area.

• Tax

Fuel that enter into gold mine has to pay tax of 40,000 Kyat per 1 ft and 15,000 Kyat per a bag of rice. It is reported that the largest pay site charge about 3 grams of cold. Taxes are collected depend on the machine equipment. There is no fee for motorcycle and entrance. Lapu Hka Gold Mine is under the control of KIO.

• Armed Activities  

Despite Lapu Hka Gold Mine is KIO’s controlled area, but there are military operations by Burmese armed forces occasionally. It is reported that militia groups have joined in the area. Beside this, there is no existence of other organizations yet.

• “Challenge” When the situation of military tension is high, it becomes very difficult for local people to make a living. Local people face difficulty to do farming and they are not feeling safe. On 9.1.2023, it is reported that travel to the farm has been banned.