Gold mining activities at a natural spring in Kawng Wein Village, Mong Yai Township, Shan State, are continuing despite strong opposition from local residents and religious leaders. According to community sources, the operation is being carried out with backing from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

The mining began in the second week of June, led by a businessman from Mong Mao Township in the Wa region. He arrived at the site with seven workers, a pickup truck, and a heavy-duty vehicle. The group presented a letter of authorization from the MNDAA’s Hsenwi District Administrative Committee, which granted permission to mine not only in Kawng Wein but also in the Nam Pawng village tract of Lashio Township, both areas under the nominal control of the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP/SSA).

“This spring is a vital water source for local agriculture and a site of spiritual importance protected by our monks and villagers,” said a Mong Yai resident. “They’ve already cleared trees and started mining, even though we protested on June 16. But the operation is still going.”

Residents say more equipment arrived at the site on June 18, further escalating tensions and confusion over jurisdiction.

“Another truck came in, and the Kokang [MNDAA] representatives told us mining would continue,” said the resident. “People are at a loss, no one knows which authority to turn to.”

The incident draws parallels with a similar confrontation in March, when MNDAA troops attempted to mine at a protected spring in Pinghkam, Kutkai Township. That project turned deadly when MNDAA soldiers opened fire on demonstrators, killing six and injuring six others. The MNDAA later paid for funeral and medical expenses, and the operation was suspended.

Efforts to prevent further conflict led to a second round of negotiations between the MNDAA and SSPP officials on June 17 in Than Lwin Village, near Nam Pawng. The two sides reportedly agreed that the MNDAA would refrain from military recruitment, governance, and tax collection in SSPP-held territories, including Mong Yai, Nam Pawng, and Hsin Kyawt, according to a military source cited by SHAN.

Despite that agreement, the MNDAA-supported mining in Mong Yai continues, raising alarms about contested territorial authority, threats to natural resources, and the growing risks to civilian safety in the region.