Myanmar mine threatens villagers’ land
Protests in Monywa over dumping of waste have led to operations at China-backed copper mine being suspended.
Demonstrations in Monywa, a town in central Myanmar, have led to operations at a China-backed copper mine being suspended.
Mine owners want to use the surrounding land to dump waste material but protesters, mostly farmers, are speaking out against it.
The project has created job opportunities for some of the villagers, creating deep divisions within the community.
There have also been protests in the country’s west, where pipelines will carry fuel more than 700km to the Chinese city of Kunming.
Just a few years ago, under army rule, police would have met such protests with force and arrested those taking part.
Al Jazeera’s Wayne Hay reports from Monywa.