Myanmar jails 153 Chinese illegal loggers for life

[alaungphaya]

Myanmar jails 153 Chinese illegal loggers for life

23 July 2015

From the sectionAsia

Myanmar banned the export of raw logs last year in an attempt to protect its remaining forests

A court in northern Myanmar has sentenced 153 Chinese nationals to life in prison for illegal logging.

The group were arrested in January in Kachin state, close to the Chinese border, during a military operation to crack down on illegal logging.

Two 17-year-old boys were also given 10-year jail terms, and a woman in the group was given an additional 15 years for drug possession.

China has expressed concern about the severity of the sentences.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had repeatedly raised the issue with Myanmar since the arrests of the group, who it says had been tricked into carrying out the logging.

It was asking Myanmar to "consider the actual situation of those loggers and deal with the matter in a lawful, reasonable and sensible way", China's Xinhua state news agency quoted Mr Lu as saying.

Life sentences in Myanmar usually last 20 years.

Logging - often using working elephants - was rife under Myanmar's military junta, depleting much of Myanmar's forests.

The military-backed civilian government, which came to power in 2011, has been trying to rein in the industry, and last year banned the export of raw timber.

But critics say illegal loggers are often able to make deals with the warlords who operate in remote regions close to the border.

The Chinese group were arrested during an operation against illegal logging allegedly sanctioned by the Kachin Independent Army, an ethnic rebel group active in the area.

The rebels denied their involvement

 

[alaungphaya]

Why was the previous thread closed? There was a good discussion going on. If anything inappropriate was said then post deletion rather than deleting the entire thread would have been more appropriate. The moderator is a little whimsical or over zealous I think.

BTW the BBC are saying what I thought happened. The loggers were logging with a permit from the KIO Kachins and thus the permit was invalid.

 

[Tractor]

These Chinese people deserve punishments for illegal logging and the local environment should be well protected for Kachin is almost our own land.

 

[alaungphaya]

When it comes to China the forum policy is pretty strict. Any negative thread will be deleted at the first chance they get.

True, but it wasn't anti-China in any way. I and a few others put the time in to write entirely reasonable responses only for the whole thread to be deleted. I'm a little bit annoyed, actually.

 

[Kyle Sun]

well done .

many cn.and mya businessmen smuggle wood into china.

i love forest.

 

[Kyle Sun]

These Chinese people deserve punishments for illegal logging and the local environment should be well protected for Kachin is almost our own land.

the bosses deserve the punishment.
but i am not sure whether or not those 150+people know the local law.

 

[jaunty]

True, but it wasn't anti-China in any way. I and a few others put the time in to write entirely reasonable responses only for the whole thread to be deleted. I'm a little bit annoyed, actually.

"Chinese illegals" gives the mods enough to raise the red flag. A guy here was once warned for using the famous Yao Ming meme as his DP, so you get the point!

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

True, but it wasn't anti-China in any way. I and a few others put the time in to write entirely reasonable responses only for the whole thread to be deleted. I'm a little bit annoyed, actually.

It closed because I was swearing too much I think.

 

[Sasquatch]

Why was the previous thread closed? There was a good discussion going on. If anything inappropriate was said then post deletion rather than deleting the entire thread would have been more appropriate. The moderator is a little whimsical or over zealous I think.

BTW the BBC are saying what I thought happened. The loggers were logging with a permit from the KIO Kachins and thus the permit was invalid.

Thread was started by a mutiple ID user who I banned, and he made a couple flamebait comments which got reported more then ten times, deleted the thread I was planning on reopening it when I had time to clean it up. Real life commitments have prevent more the time for doing that.

 

[alaungphaya]

Thread was started by a mutiple ID user who I banned, and he made a couple flamebait comments which got reported more then ten times, deleted the thread I was planning on reopening it when I had time to clean it up.

OK fair enough. I thought it was that guy. If you do reopen it then please merge this. Cheers.

Kachin should be annexed to China. Burma should be confined only with Bamar land.

That would be the last thing those Kachin want. The Chinese would totally take away any sense of autonomy for those ingrates.

Actually I kind of want to see Kachin being annexed by China and all those Kachin leaders taking Chinese citizenship. Then, as foreign citizens, all those lovely houses they and their families bought in Yangon will belong to foreigners and as foreigners cannoy own land or property in Myanmar, they would all be confiscated.

 

[Paranoid Android]

Myanmar jails 153 Chinese illegal loggers for life

23 July 2015

From the sectionAsia

Myanmar banned the export of raw logs last year in an attempt to protect its remaining forests

A court in northern Myanmar has sentenced 153 Chinese nationals to life in prison for illegal logging.

The group were arrested in January in Kachin state, close to the Chinese border, during a military operation to crack down on illegal logging.

Two 17-year-old boys were also given 10-year jail terms, and a woman in the group was given an additional 15 years for drug possession.

China has expressed concern about the severity of the sentences.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had repeatedly raised the issue with Myanmar since the arrests of the group, who it says had been tricked into carrying out the logging.

It was asking Myanmar to "consider the actual situation of those loggers and deal with the matter in a lawful, reasonable and sensible way", China's Xinhua state news agency quoted Mr Lu as saying.

Life sentences in Myanmar usually last 20 years.

Logging - often using working elephants - was rife under Myanmar's military junta, depleting much of Myanmar's forests.

The military-backed civilian government, which came to power in 2011, has been trying to rein in the industry, and last year banned the export of raw timber.

But critics say illegal loggers are often able to make deals with the warlords who operate in remote regions close to the border.

The Chinese group were arrested during an operation against illegal logging allegedly sanctioned by the Kachin Independent Army, an ethnic rebel group active in the area.

The rebels denied their involvement

Same happened in Turkish threads too.They become jittery in case of China..

 

[alaungphaya]

the bosses deserve the punishment.
but i am not sure whether or not those 150+people know the local law.

I'm pretty sure they knew that smuggling opium and meth was illegal.

Chinese smugglers hit with life terms

1

More than 150 Chinese timber smugglers have been hit with life prison sentences yesterday, in what prosecutors said was the most severe punishment meted out for such an offence.

The government seized 455 trucks carrying a total of 240 logs in Waingmaw township in January. (Supplied/Myawady)

Myitkyina District Court sentenced 153 Chinese nationals to life in prison under section 3 of the Public Property Protection Act, sources confirmed. Another two were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under section 7(b) of the Child Act.

They were arrested by the Tatmadaw in Waingmaw township, Kachin State, in January. The army also seized 240 logs, 455 vehicles, nine motorcycles, opium, methamphetamines, and 12,000 Chinese yuan (US$1920), as well as a document apparently issued by the Kachin Independence Army that appeared to permit logging activities.

The Chinese suspects were initially charged under immigration laws, as well as under section 3 of the Public Property Protection Act by Sadone police station in Myitkyina township. Following an initial hearing, the men were detained in Myitkyina prison.

On April 22, 155 Chinese nationals were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for violating immigration laws.

District judge U Myint Swe said he had opted for the heaviest possible sentence because the defendants had failed to accept responsibility for their actions.

“They gave many excuses for why they committed these crimes. Some said they came to border areas to find jobs and some said they came to visit their relatives. It doesn’t make sense when you consider the amount of timber and other materials seized. That’s why we decided to give the highest penalty,” U Myint Swe told reporters after the trial.

“I also gave the highest sentence to set an example to anyone who wants to try and extract natural resource illegally, and warn them what sentence they might face.”

Asked whether he had faced pressure from the government over the case, U Myint Swe said there had been “no pressure from anyone”.

“The court has to stand independently,” he said. “That’s why I can decide freely.”

He also rejected suggestions that the decision could harm bilateral ties with China, which has been the destination for most of Myanmar’s illegal timber exports for decades.

“I do not think there will be any difficulties for bilateral relations. I decided the penalty according to our existing law.”

U Khin Maung, a lawyer for the Chinese smugglers, said he did not want to comment on the decision.

“We can submit an appeal within 60 days if the defendants are dissatisfied with the penalty. But at the moment we can’t say whether they will appeal,” he told The Myanmar Times yesterday.

The Chinese embassy in Yangon said it had been in close contact with the government concerning its citizens arrested in Kachin State.

However, U Khin Maung said he had not held any talks with the embassy and had not seen its staff provide any assistance to the Chinese smugglers.

The Chinese nationals were arrested as part of a Tatmadaw operation to close down sources of income for Myanmar’s armed ethnic groups. The groups, including the KIA, have denied involvement in the trade, saying the timber is logged in government-controlled areas and they only tax vehicles passing through their territory.

Forestry Department director U Pyae Sone Myo said the ministry had been working with the Tatmadaw and local residents to arrest both local and foreign loggers attempting to extract natural resources illegally.

“We have instructions to take severe action against anyone who violates forestry laws,” he said.

According to the forestry department, more than 140,000 tonnes of timber were seized and 23,175 Myanmar nationals and 134 Chinese citizens were arrested between 2011 and 2014.

 

[Keel]

Getting "life sentence" for illegal logging is way too much I think
Why not reduce the sentence but ask for severe monetary compensations for the loss of woods?
Is there anywhere in the world which has a law as harsh as this?
And for those Burmese who have bombed our land and killed our innocent civilians, where are they now? Get executed or what?

China Print Art Printing

 

[Kyle Sun]

I'm pretty sure they knew that smuggling opium and meth was illegal.

Chinese smugglers hit with life terms

1

More than 150 Chinese timber smugglers have been hit with life prison sentences yesterday, in what prosecutors said was the most severe punishment meted out for such an offence.

The government seized 455 trucks carrying a total of 240 logs in Waingmaw township in January. (Supplied/Myawady)

Myitkyina District Court sentenced 153 Chinese nationals to life in prison under section 3 of the Public Property Protection Act, sources confirmed. Another two were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under section 7(b) of the Child Act.

They were arrested by the Tatmadaw in Waingmaw township, Kachin State, in January. The army also seized 240 logs, 455 vehicles, nine motorcycles, opium, methamphetamines, and 12,000 Chinese yuan (US$1920), as well as a document apparently issued by the Kachin Independence Army that appeared to permit logging activities.

The Chinese suspects were initially charged under immigration laws, as well as under section 3 of the Public Property Protection Act by Sadone police station in Myitkyina township. Following an initial hearing, the men were detained in Myitkyina prison.

On April 22, 155 Chinese nationals were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for violating immigration laws.

District judge U Myint Swe said he had opted for the heaviest possible sentence because the defendants had failed to accept responsibility for their actions.

“They gave many excuses for why they committed these crimes. Some said they came to border areas to find jobs and some said they came to visit their relatives. It doesn’t make sense when you consider the amount of timber and other materials seized. That’s why we decided to give the highest penalty,” U Myint Swe told reporters after the trial.

“I also gave the highest sentence to set an example to anyone who wants to try and extract natural resource illegally, and warn them what sentence they might face.”

Asked whether he had faced pressure from the government over the case, U Myint Swe said there had been “no pressure from anyone”.

“The court has to stand independently,” he said. “That’s why I can decide freely.”

He also rejected suggestions that the decision could harm bilateral ties with China, which has been the destination for most of Myanmar’s illegal timber exports for decades.

“I do not think there will be any difficulties for bilateral relations. I decided the penalty according to our existing law.”

U Khin Maung, a lawyer for the Chinese smugglers, said he did not want to comment on the decision.

“We can submit an appeal within 60 days if the defendants are dissatisfied with the penalty. But at the moment we can’t say whether they will appeal,” he told The Myanmar Times yesterday.

The Chinese embassy in Yangon said it had been in close contact with the government concerning its citizens arrested in Kachin State.

However, U Khin Maung said he had not held any talks with the embassy and had not seen its staff provide any assistance to the Chinese smugglers.

The Chinese nationals were arrested as part of a Tatmadaw operation to close down sources of income for Myanmar’s armed ethnic groups. The groups, including the KIA, have denied involvement in the trade, saying the timber is logged in government-controlled areas and they only tax vehicles passing through their territory.

Forestry Department director U Pyae Sone Myo said the ministry had been working with the Tatmadaw and local residents to arrest both local and foreign loggers attempting to extract natural resources illegally.

“We have instructions to take severe action against anyone who violates forestry laws,” he said.

According to the forestry department, more than 140,000 tonnes of timber were seized and 23,175 Myanmar nationals and 134 Chinese citizens were arrested between 2011 and 2014.

Actually these chinese are authorized to log by Regional armed gov .

But regimes breakdown and change for many times.

some time people need to get authorization from different regimes.

there is.no so called central gov.

It is quite complicated situation.over there.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

this is just as barbaric as Saudi Arabia's law of cutting hands for theft. the real story is they didn't bribe enough ppl. we all know in Myanmar if you get caught for any illegal economic activity it is almost certainly because you didn't pay up.

and if there is a life sentence for logging what of the Myanmar pilots who killed Chinese civilians that are now under investigation? will they be executed?

if not, then we need to start treating Myanmar as an unstable and hostile rogue state.