(YANGON, Myanmar) — Two Chinese workers at a copper mine in Myanmar were freed Monday after being held more than 30 hours by activists who were demanding the closure of the mine.
The two 23-year-old Chinese contractors were abducted Sunday as they were carrying out a land survey, the Wanbao Mining company said.
The government sent a team to the area to negotiate their release. Villagers had demanded their land back so they could farm it.
"Two of our workers were freed around 6 p.m. They were not physically harmed, though they were tied with rope," said Myint Thein, one of the mine's local managers.
Myint Thein said the Chinese company had not given in to any of the demands made by the activists.
The Letpadaung mine — a joint venture between a Myanmar military-controlled holding company and China's Wanbao Mining Copper Ltd., a unit of weapons manufacturer China North Industries Corp. — has been a focal point of land rights disputes in recent years.
Villagers claim thousands of acres (hectares) of farmland was seized to allow its expansion and that the deal, approved when the country was still under military dictatorship, lacked transparency. They worry that the mine is causing environmental, social and health problems.
A violent crackdown on protesters in late 2012 injured more than 100 people, mostly Buddhist monks, when police fired smoke bombs containing white phosphorous.
Amid an outcry, work at the mine was temporarily halted. The mining contract was renegotiated to ensure that millions of dollars go toward community development projects and to pay compensation to villagers, paving the way for the resumption of activities last year.
But activists and villagers have continued to express displeasure.
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