The United Kingdom’s plan for preservation of land in a region of Myanmar is not a good idea and is not a considerate idea. I feel as if the UK is only focusing on a singular issue and not considering the potential problems this extravagant plan could cause.
These villagers in Myanmar live off of the land around them. They utilize natural resources to make their houses. They use the land around them for agriculture. They’re survival depends on the land that soon may be denied to them.
The United Kingdom is funding a 21 million dollar project that will protect around 800,000 acres of land. This protection project is meant to keep away poachers and loggers. The native villagers, the Karen people, are opposed because they believe that this protection will keep them from living off of the land.
This protection will also violate a cease fire between the Karen National Union and the Myanmar military. The land that will come under the protection is currently under rebel control and would be controlled by the government after the protection plan is enacted.
Not only will this protection the UK hopes to enact cause land disputes, but it will interfere with people displaced from the civil war within the country.
I believe that environmental protection is an extremely important concept especially on an international scale, but there is also a line. The United Kingdom claims that their protection plan will not interfere with the lives of people inhabiting the region without consent. Those in in charge of the project will not travel back to Myanmar because it is unlikely they will be granted permission to do anything.
Forest-dwelling villagers are protected on a global scale because of their novelty, making them an exception to international conservation efforts.
The United Kingdom should not push to enact their protection plan when it threatens the ability for the indigenous people of Myanmar to provide for themselves and live off of their own land.