PMF FOLLOWS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ON ETHICAL SOURCING OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN BURMA


Statement on the Ethical Situation in Burma (Myanmar)

 

A reply to a New York Times article containing citations from Adolf Peretti

2 April 2020 - Peretti Museum Foundation (PMF), Baumschulweg 13, 6045 Meggen, Switzerland


This is a reply to the article by New York Times that quoted me, Adolf Peretti, commenting on the ethical issue at the amber mines in Burma (Myanmar), stating that “The situation is so complex, you cannot guarantee that every specimen is not coming with a certain amount of pain”. The citation was made after a lengthy discussion I had with a journalist regarding an article that recently appeared in Nature Magazine featuring a fossil found in amber from Burma.  The citation was used for a new context that I do not agree with. 

My discussion with the journalist was centered around the ethical situation in the Burmese amber mines over the last few years. The journalist inquired about the mining situation and the status of the conflicts spanning in this area. 

I shared that the mining of amber is very complex. The mining areas can be subdivided into 3 different geographical areas, the Tannai, the Khamti and the Tinlin area, each being more than a hundred kilometers apart. It is important to note that within one particular mining area we can find hundreds of mines of which not all are considered in conflict zones. For example, in the Tannai area, there is one specific mine cluster known as Zee Phu Gone. This mine was at times a conflict zone, particularly between 2017 and 2018. Another mining area of the Tannai region is known as the Aungbar mine (also written as "Angbamo"). This mine was spared of the grave situation that evolved at the Zee Phu Gone mine. But there are more mining areas in Tannai besides Aung Bar and Zee Phyu Kone, such as; Nyaung Bin Gone and Chan Thar Maw (less production) near Tanai. Each of them has a different story.  

The Nature article that the New York Times is referring to is exactly about this Aungbar mine. The sample is said to have been recovered in 2016. At this time, the conflict around the Zee Phu Gone mine had not yet started, therefore it can be considered that sampling from the Aungbar mine at that time to be less problematic. 

I explained to the journalist that it needs an entire community to find such a rare specimen and it cannot be retrieved without the involvement of a large number of miners recovering a large volume of amber material. Therefore, my point was merely to suggest that it is unreasonable to assume that no pain is involved throughout this process. 

In early 2019, a truce was established between the Burmese Army and the Kachin state in the Tannai area (including Zee Phu Gone) and the situation had calmed down since, with limited or no mining activities left in the Tannai area. One example of a non-conflict amber mine in Burma is the Khamti mine. These mines are close to the Jade mining area, approximately 120 km southwest of the Tannai area, in the Sagaing province. Approximately 150 mines in this area have been auctioned off as small plots (200 x 200 feet in diameter) to the locals, after terminating the licenses of the big mining companies in 2019. The small-scale local miners have already started mining this year, many of which were miners that fled the area of Tannai in 2018 are now working conflict-free at this new mine. 

In conclusion, I would like to strongly deny any inferences from the citation included in the New York Times article that I think all amber material from Burma is unethical and involves “a certain amount of pain”. I never wanted to express that opinion as the complexities of the mining situation do not support that. My statement in the article refers to the situation in 2017 to early 2018 in the Zee Phu Gone mining area only, and I by no means meant for it to be used indirectly to raise concerns about the ethics in the sample acquisition, such as that referenced in the publication that appeared in Nature. I state herewith that I do not say that the acquisition of amber material in the Nature article is to be of concern.

Branding the amber as conflict material indiscriminately of the exact mining areas and timing creates problems for miners in all amber mining areas, including those not affected by conflict. It is, therefore, a misleading generalization. According to the news on Burmese websites, the areas are progressively being transformed into small scale mining operations for the locals, for the same people that had suffered from this conflict. It is not my wish that these people would suffer again under such a reputation for amber in the future. 

The miners of amber in Burma and their families are best helped by increasing their safety measures in the mines, advising them on environmental protection issues and engaging with charities supporting the locals in the areas such as healthcare and infrastructure.

Yours Sincerely,
Dr. A. Peretti



If anyone is interested in donating to the different charity operations that are possible in the area through local churches, please contact us directly.



References:
Joel, L. (2020). Some Paleontologists Seek Halt to Myanmar Amber Fossil Research. The New York Times. [online] 11 Mar. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/science/amber- myanmar-paleontologists.html

Cite this article:
Peretti, A. 2020. Statement on the Ethical Situation in Burma (Myanmar)—A reply to a New York Times Article containing citations from Adolf Peretti. https://www.pmf.org/press-1.

This article was cited in https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12542-020-00524-9

Haug, J.T., Azar, D., Ross, A. et al. Comment on the letter of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) dated April 21, 2020 regarding “Fossils from conflict zones and reproducibility of fossil-based scientific data”: Myanmar amber. PalZ (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-020-00524-9


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  1. Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Großhaderner Straße 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany

    Joachim T. Haug, Viktor Baranov & Carolin Haug

  2. GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333, Munich, Germany

    Joachim T. Haug, Alexander Nützel, Mike Reich & Carolin Haug

  3. Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, P.O. Box 26110217, Fanar-Matn, Lebanon

    Dany Azar

  4. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers St., Edinburgh, EH1 1JF, UK

    Andrew Ross & Vladimir Blagoderov

  5. Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology and Museum of Amber Inclusions, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 59, Wita Stwosza St., 80308, Gdańsk, Poland

    Jacek Szwedo

  6. State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Bo Wang, Ed Jarzembowski & Yongdong Wang

  7. Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Antonio Arillo

  8. Nees-Institut für Biodiversität der Pflanzen, Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Julia Bechteler

  9. Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung, FSU Jena, Erbertstrasse 1, 07743, Jena, Germany

    Rolf Beutel

  10. Dept. Dinàmica de La Terra I de L’Oceà, Facultat de Ciències de La Terra, and Institut de Recerca de La Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain

    Xavier Delclòs

  11. Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Jason Dunlop, Christian Neumann & Eva-Maria Sadowski

  12. Department of Geobiology, University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Kathrin Feldberg & Alexander R. Schmidt

  13. Department of Geology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA

    Rodney Feldmann

  14. Department of Geosciences, Université de Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 6, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Christian Foth

  15. Oertijdmuseum, Bosscheweg 80, 5283 WB, Boxtel, The Netherlands

    René H. B. Fraaije & Barry W. M. van Bakel

  16. Geoscience Museum, University of Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Alexander Gehler

  17. Center of Natural History, Zoological Museum, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Danilo Harms

  18. Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, 104 05, Stockholm, Sweden

    Lars Hedenäs

  19. Department of Geology and Palaeontology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Matúš Hyžný

  20. Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, de Bosquetplein 6–7, 6211 KJ, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    John W. M. Jagt

  21. Instytut Biologii, Uniwersytet Opolski, ul. Oleska 22, 45-052, Opole, Poland

    Elena A. Jagt-Yazykova

  22. Forschungsstelle für Paläobotanik, Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Heisenbergstrasse 2, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Hans Kerp

  23. Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, China

    Phyo Kay Khine & Harald Schneider

  24. Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya Emb., 1, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia

    Alexander G. Kirejtshuk

  25. Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland

    Christian Klug

  26. A.A. Borissiak Palaeontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117647, Russia

    Dmitry S. Kopylov

  27. Cherepovets State University, Cherepovets, 162600, Russia

    Dmitry S. Kopylov

  28. Centrum für Naturkunde (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Geologisch-Paläontologisches Museum und Institut für Geologie, Bundesstrasse 55, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Ulrich Kotthoff

  29. Palaeobiology and Vertebrate Palaeontology, Department of Palaeontology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, University of Vienna, UZA 2, Geocentre, Althanstr. 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Jürgen Kriwet

  30. Royal Saskatchewan Museum, 2340 Albert St., Regina, SK, S4P 2V7, Canada

    Ryan C. McKellar

  31. Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB-UMR 7205 MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université-EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CP 50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France

    André Nel

  32. SNSB-Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333, Munich, Germany

    Alexander Nützel & Mike Reich

  33. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333, Munich, Germany

    Alexander Nützel & Mike Reich

  34. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (Museo Geominero), 46004, Valencia, Spain

    Enrique Peñalver

  35. Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France

    Vincent Perrichot

  36. Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus Magnus Platz, 50931, Cologne, Germany

    Anna Pint

  37. Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, 35131, Italy

    Eugenio Ragazzi

  38. Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática, Carretera de Varona 11835 e/Oriente y Lindero, La Habana 19, CP 11900, Calabazar, Boyeros, Havana, Cuba

    Ledis Regalado

  39. Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 7, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Jouko Rikkinen

  40. Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Jouko Rikkinen

  41. Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, 5485 Shadywood Place, P.O. Box 1567, Langley, WA, 98260, USA

    Frederick R. Schram

  42. Palaeontology Department, State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany

    Günter Schweigert

  43. Department of Geology and Paleontological Institute, University of Kansas, Lindley Hall, 1475 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Paul Selden

  44. Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Leyla J. Seyfullah

  45. Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Mónica M. Solórzano-Kraemer

  46. School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

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  47. Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Coyoacán, CdMx, Mexico

    Francisco J. Vega

  48. School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Lida Xing