7/23/2019 Myanmar Gives Chinese Life in Jail for Illegal Logging

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Myanmar gives Chinese life in jail for illegal logging (PHILSTAR)

 YANGN ! A "o#r$ in nor$hern Myanmar sen$en"e% &' Chinese na$ionals $o life in

rison on yes$er%ay af$er "onvi"$ing $hem of illegal logging in a "ase $ha$ has

alrea%y s$raine% rela$ions *i$h +eijing,

 T*o Chinese minors re"eive% &-.year sen$en"es for $he same o/ense0 *hile a

*oman in $he gro# re"eive% an a%%i$ional &' years on a %r#g "harge0 sai% 1hin

Ma#ng0 $he la*yer for $he %efen%an$s, Life $erms are generally $rea$e% as 2- years

in Myanmar3s j#%i"ial sys$em,

Myanmar3s army in 4an#ary arres$e% $he Chinese an% some Myanmar na$ionals in

1a"hin s$a$e near $he Chinese 5or%er0 also sei6ing 78 logging $r#"9s,

Chinese loggers in Myanmar sen% *oo% $o China even $ho#gh $im5er e:or$s *ere

5anne% in 2-&7, Analys$s say $he $im5er "an 5e e:or$e% 5e"a#se $he loggers ma9e

%eals *i$h lo"al e$hni" minori$y *arlor%s an%0 a""or%ing $o some "ri$i"s0 lo"al

Myanmar mili$ary o;"ers,

<As China has risen $o 5e"ome $he *orl%3s 5igges$ imor$er of $im5er ro%#"$s0 i$

has also emerge% as $he lea%ing %es$ina$ion for illegally logge% $im5er0 ese"ially

logs an% l#m5er0< $he +ri$ish non.ro=$ resear"her0 $he >nvironmen$al Inves$iga$ion

Agen"y0 no$e% in a 2-&2 reor$, I$ sai% $he ?#an$i$y of $im5er shie% from

Myanmar $o China ha% %e"line% over re"en$ years0 5#$ sm#ggling *as "on$in#ing

an% s$ill a $hrea$ $o Myanmar3s fores$s0 among $he ri"hes$ in So#$heas$ Asia,

 The loggers *ere sen$en"e% #n%er a &@8 la* "alling for jail $erms of &- years $o

life for anyone *ho s$eals or o$her*ise mis#ses or a5#ses #5li" roer$y, 1hin

Ma#ng sai% one of $he $*o j#%ges in $he "o#r$ in $he 1a"hin s$a$e "ai$al of

Myi$9yina anno#n"e% $ha$ $he ma:im#m enal$y *as 5eing alie% 5e"a#se <he

%eeme% e/e"$ive #nishmen$ sho#l% 5e me$e% o#$,<

orl% ( Ar$i"le MRe" )0 agema$"hB &0 se"$ionma$"hB &

 

He sai% his "lien$s have 8- %ays $o "onsi%er an aeal,

7/23/2019 Myanmar Gives Chinese Life in Jail for Illegal Logging

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 The ver%i"$ ?#i"9ly a$$ra"$e% a$$en$ion in China0 *here $he %efen%an$s have 5een a

"a#se "ele5re sin"e $heir arres$s0 *i$h "alls for $he Chinese governmen$ $o aly

ress#re for $heir release,

 The Chinese >m5assy in Myanmar $ol% $he s$a$e.r#n +eijing Times $ha$ i$ ro$es$e%

$he sen$en"es as $oo severe an% $ha$ i$ ha% ma%e solemn resen$a$ions *i$h

Myanmar over $he ma$$er,

 The em5assy sai% $he *or9ers ha% 5een %e"eive% 5y "riminals from 5o$h China an%

Myanmar $o engage in illegal logging,

China is Myanmar3s "loses$ oli$i"al an% e"onomi" ally0 5#$ signi="an$ $ensions e:is$

5e$*een $he $*o na$ions, Chinese e"onomi" ene$ra$ion is 5ig an% highly visi5le in

nor$hern Myanmar0 an% some large infras$r#"$#re an% mining roje"$s have %ra*n

"harges of 5eing insensi$ive $o environmen$al iss#e an% lo"al resi%en$s3 "on"erns,

China is also seen as rovi%ing a safe haven for some Myanmar e$hni" re5el gro#s

*i$h *hi"h Myanmar3s governmen$ *o#l% li9e $o rea"h "ease.=re agreemen$s,

igh$ing *i$h $he 1o9ang minori$y0 *ho are e$hni" Chinese0 Dare% # $his as$ year

an% sen$ *aves of ref#gees an% Chinese *or9ers Deeing for safe$y in China, ha$

*as sai% $o 5e a""i%en$al 5om5ing 5y Myanmar air for"e lanes j#s$ insi%e Chinese

$erri$ory ma%e an #neasy si$#a$ion *orse0 an% le% $o an aology from $he Myanmar

si%e,