Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
vestigation in January 2013 by the Home Ministry and auditor general covered about 50
individuals and civil servants connected to the telecommunications ministry. Maplecroft,
a UK-based research and strategic forecasting company, has also issued a report citing
Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT) as 'one of the most corrupt institutions in
Myanmar.'
Aiming to make a change to this culture is the Yangon-based Myanmar Centre for Re-
sponsible Business (
www.myanmar-responsiblebusiness.org
). A joint initiative of the In-
stitute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) and the Danish Institute for Human
Rights (DIHR), the centre was set up in 2013 and has the promotion of human rights
across business in Myanmar as one of its core values. Impact assessments on specific in-
dustry sectors are being prepared including oil and gas, tourism, information and com-
munications technologies (ICT), and agriculture.
MYANMAR'S SHADY GEM BUSINESS
Myanmar generates considerable income from the mining of precious stones - in-
cluding rubies, jade and sapphire - and metals such as gold and silver. There is
controversy surrounding this mining, however, with reports of forced labour and
dangerous working practices.
A Reuters report in September 2013 from Hpakant, ground zero for Myanmar's
billion-dollar jade industry, found 'an anarchic region…where Chinese traders rub
shoulders with heroin-fuelled' prospectors working in horrific conditions.
The US ban on imports of Myanmar jade and rubies remains in place because of
concerns that their mining most benefits the military and its cronies and fuels cor-
ruption and human rights abuses in ethnic minority regions that have endured
armed conflict for decades.
Such sanctions have little impact on the industry, according to one Bangkok-
based gem supplier interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, who says 'We don't
need Americans. There's falling supply and the real buyers are in China. Besides,
the generals are not hurt by the sanctions anyway. It mostly hurts small traders.'
Media Censorship
In August 2012 the government abolished pre-publication censorship of the country's
media - something that had been routine since the military takeover in 1962. Even
though many laws still exist under which journalists can be punished for writing material
which angers or offends the government, this move has radically changed the media
landscape. Previously exiled media organisations including the Democratic Voice of
Burma (
www.dvb.no
), the
Irrawaddy
(
www.irrawaddy.org
) and Mizzima
