[Myanmar] Child Illness Not Caused By Copper Mine, Govt Claims

The controversial Letpadaung mine near Monywa in Sagaing Division did not cause the illness of four local children, who suffer from cerebral palsy, loss of vision and in one case a brain tumor, the Burma government claims. The children, aged 1 to 16 years, were examined in Rangoon’s Children Hospital on the request of Aung San Suu Kyi, who chairs the special commission that investigates the mine project. Examinations found that the children’s condition was not related to exposure to toxic acids from the mine, an announcement in the state-run The New Light of Myanmar said on Friday. “According to the aforementioned examination results, there are no symptoms of exposure to acid,†it said.