“Junta’s new Mining Bill will please corporates but harm the poor”, 4 November 2014

Although the junta promised to eradicate the alleged corruption of the former civilian government which served the capitalists, the new Mining Bill is designed to give mining businesses easy access to more land without the need for mitigation of environmental and social impacts in most areas.  Meanwhile marginalised people affected by mines will find it difficult under martial law to oppose the bill. The new Mining Bill, which has been strongly opposed by civil groups, has been picked up by the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order and will soon be deliberated by the rubber-stamp National Legislative Assembly to replace current 1967 Mining Act…[The bill] was brought back by the Department of Primary Industry and Mines, while martial law can still be used to silence opposition to the Bill…[refers to Thung Kham Co.]