As loggers cut down trees in a nature reserve north of the Kachin State capital, authorities have been turning a blind eye or profiting from the illicit timber production, according to local residents.
Since the 2021 military coup, the number of groups logging illegally in the area has grown to more than a dozen, the local residents said. The groups reportedly fell the trees during the daytime and haul the timber away at night.
N'Khai Bum National Park, where the illegal logging is taking place, is west of Tang Hpe village near the confluence of the Mali and N’Mai rivers, and was designated as a nature reserve in 2017. However, loggers began removing trees after bribing the personnel responsible for protecting the area, according to a local man.
“There are barely any trees left. It’s that bad,” the local man said. “There are around 20 sawmills. . .
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