Exiles: Myanmar’s rich environment being degraded

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Myanmar's current civilian government, which replaced decades-long military rule earlier this year, has made no advances to improve the environment.

By DENIS D. GRAY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
July 25, 2011

BANGCOCK –The environment of military-dominated Myanmar, often described as Asia’s last bio-diversity frontier, is being degraded as China and other neighbors rush to use its natural resources with few governmental safeguards, exiled activists said Monday.

Projects to harvest lucrative timber, build hydropower dams and mine precious gems and minerals are also sparking armed conflict in ethnic minority areas, the activists said.

Myanmar’s government did not respond to the allegations, but a senior official said a powerful environmental committee must approve all private enterprise related to natural resources.
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