Myanmar in Southeast Asia topped the global list for levels of criminality (8.15/10) in the latest Global Organized Crime Index. From arms trafficking (9/10) to the synthetic drugs trade(10/10), and mafia-style groups (9.5/10) to state-embedded actors (9/10), Myanmar has high levels almost across the board for criminal markets and actors.

The country is also resource rich - gold, jade, precious stones, and rare earth minerals, essential to the technologies driving the green transition around the world. But, this mining industry is controlled by armed groups, the ruling military government, and predatory companies, who exploit workers, poison the environment, violently crack down on civil society, and horde illicit wealth.

In this episode Thin Lei Win discusses illegal rare earth mineral mining in Myanmar with Clare Hammond, Investigative Journalist and Senior Campaigner at Global Witness, and author of the report ‘Myanmar’s poisoned mountains: The toxic rare earth mining industry at the heart of the global green energy transition’.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Guest: Clare Hammond, Global Witness.

Links:

Myanmar Country Profile

The Global Organized Crime Index

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Global Witness - Myanmar’s poisoned mountains: The toxic rare earth mining industry at the heart of the global green energy transition.

Radio Free Asia - Illegal mining of rare earth metals surges in northern Myanmar

The Telegraph - Increase in rare-earth mining in Myanmar may be funding junta