Post-Coup Situation of Hka Taung Hka Gold Mine in Kachin State

Dum Bung Hka Village is in Hpakant Township, Kachin State has 200 houses and 4 miles away from Hka Taung Hka Gold Mine. Dum Bung Hka villagers began engaging in gold panning around 1994. After the news about gold mine in the area spread to businessmen, machinery for small-scale gold mining started arriving in 2017.

However, Burmese troops came and opened fire and it has caused tension for a while. Due to this conflict, the gold mine had to close. After February 2022, the gold mining site reopened.

Hka Taung Hka gold mine is an area of about 100 acres of land. After it has reopened, businessman U Aye Thein purchased many acres of land, and he sold these lands to make profit. He sold these lands at the value between 40 to 60 lakh per acre. Due to this commercializing land, there is no more land available for agriculture and farming. It is reported that land sell cases are increasing.

This gold mine is mainly run by Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), but the Burmese junta troops occasionally visit and inspect the gold mining site. There are also other groups who come and make inquiries about the mining site. An order has been released that those purchased land will be taken back if land is left unused. However, it is because the land is under control of KIO, there is no displacement taken place yet.

Regarding tax payment for the use of fuel, KIO collected 40,000 Kyat per foot of fuel and diesel and SAC collected 10,000 per foot. KIO collected 3000 Kyat per bag of rice and has to pay 80 milligrams of gold per month.

Local residents are spending money on medical expenses due to impact from dust water from gold mining. The area has become unsuitable for fish and other animals.

A group of businessmen who operate gold mining have made donation of 20 lakh together to Doon Boon Hka village church.

Geographically, the area is mountainous, but it is a place where different ethnic groups came to work for a living. It is a conservative place and cannot have any problems.

People work in this gold mining for a living. There is no other income job. Due to the political crisis, it has lack of security to work on gold mining and people have to bear many difficulties. Some families who work in small scale gold mining have become in debt as they do not make enough to cover their household needs when the gold yield is low. They want to switch to another job in order to pay their debt, but it is difficult to find the job.

“Gold mining is the type of job that has to pay taxes, the difficulties are unspeakable”, expressed small-scale gold miner.

“The gold price has risen to nearly 30 lakhs. The fuel price not only risen up but it also become scarce commodity. We cannot buy it as much as we want. It became many difficulties to run the gold mining activities”, he continued.

In the past, the fuel price was just about 3000 and 4000 Kyat, and it was convenient for small-scale gold miners.