About this Event
Nearly one year ago, the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia team launched a public dashboard documenting more than 2,000 instances of unregulated mining along rivers in mainland Southeast Asia. Since then, our work, alongside that of partners working tirelessly across the region, has identified mining pollution on new rivers in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia; helped mobilize tens of millions of dollars in support from donor governments; and begun to map networks of illicit actors driving the mining boom. Civil society groups in northern Thailand continue to lead the way in exposing the health, community, and environmental toll of the transboundary impacts of mining in Myanmar, and their calls are now gaining traction with Thai parliamentarians.
Yet awareness has not yet translated into meaningful action. So far in 2026, more than thirty new Chinese-operated rare earth mines have begun operating in Myanmar’s borderlands and in Laos, and Laos has lifted its moratorium on mining despite mounting public concern. Rivers continue to be poisoned, downstream communities face growing risks to their health and livelihoods, and governments have yet to take meaningful steps to stop the damage.
Join us for a conversation with leading voices from frontline advocacy, research, and human rights documentation as we take stock of what we now know, examine why the mining continues unchecked, and explore how sustained and amplified efforts can be turned into lasting action for the communities and rivers at risk.
Event venue & nearby stays
1211 Connecticut Ave NW, 1211 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, United States
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