Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has taken steps with international allies to help prevent the Myanmar military from receiving proceeds generated by the Myanmar mining industry.
Myanmar's extractive sector is highly exploitative of both natural resources and the people who work within it. Unregulated mining and logging has led to land degradation, water pollution, deforestation and forced displacement. It is also a vital source of revenue for the military. Since the military coup in Myanmar, the UK has led international efforts to reduce the military's access to revenue, arms and equipment. To prevent the military from profiting off natural resource extraction, we have sanctioned Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), the two largest military owned conglomerates, who are involved in mining and other extractive industries. We have also sanctioned Myanmar Gems Enterprise (MGE), Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE) and Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE), the main state-owned entities responsible for the mining of precious stones and timber. We have also strengthened our Overseas Business Risk Guidance, to warn companies of the risks associated with Myanmar's extractive sector. We will continue to do all we can to cut the military's access to revenue, through both sanctions and non-sanctions measures.