The Battle For Nickel In The Zogam Region Of Myanmar

By

Blue Sea Striper

Guest Blogger

There is a battle waging between the rights of indigenous people to control their land and resources and the need of a world super power to fuel its economic progress. Recently the government of China signed an agreement with the quasi-military rulers in Myanmar to begin mining nickel deposits in the the north-west portion of Myanmar known as Zogam. For China this is a matter of national economic necessity as nickel is one of the most sought-after elements in the world and supplies of nickel are scarce. For the indigenous people of Zogam, the Zomi, the nickel and control of its use is in their hands according to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. The battle for the nickel in the Zogam region is being watched carefully by indigenous people and economic nation states around the world and the outcome will determine the future of the relationship between native peoples and the governments they must contend with.

The issue came to a head recently when China’s largest stainless steel maker, Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group (TISCO) signed an agreement with the China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group (CNMC) to develop the nickel deposits in Zogam. TISCO’s involvement means that China will be pouring much needed resources into the development and exploitation of this precious metal. The mining project is the largest such project that China has ever been involved in through cooperation with Myanmar. It’s no wonder that China wants to be involved. The mine has reserves of more than 100 million tons of high-grade nickel ore containing 700,000 tons of nickel.

For China the need for nickel is paramount since it is a scarce strategic resource for nearly every industrialized and modern nation. Nickel is used in a variety of manufacturing process and has both economic and military applications. From the Chinese perspective a steady supply of nickel means their economic growth continues and they have the necessary resources to expand their military reach.

There is another side whose interests matter, however and that is the Zomi people of the region. These indigenous people have called the land surrounding the nickel deposits home for centuries and based on past deliberations and pronouncements from the United Nations, the Zomi consider the nickel deposits under their control and for their use. For the Zomi the Chinese-Myanmar deal is an affront to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People which reaffirmed the rights of indigenous people on land and land use.

The Zomi people are currently mounting an international campaign to draw attention to what they see as an illegal and immoral deal between China and Myanmar and they are pressing their case to the United Nations and to friendly governments around the world. For the Zomi it’s not just a matter of the mineral rights to the nickel ore, but a matter of protecting their interests and continuing the fight to protect themselves from the persecution they have faced for countless years.

Many will watch the battle between the Zomi people and the economic interests of China with great interest. Indigenous peoples around the world will watch most closely as their futures and their fates are closely tied to the outcome of this contest.