YANGON — It is “paramount” that ceasefire and peace negotiations in Myanmar directly address the governance of natural resources that are the backbone of the economy, warns a new report by non-profit organisation Forest Trends.
Natural resources, including timber, gems, oil and gas, and hydropower, generate billions of dollars each year and are inextricably linked to Myanmar’s history of armed conflict, the report says.
“Parties to the conflict have fought (and in many cases, still fight) over the right to control and benefit from these valuable resources…” it says.