Amber has long captivated public imagination, especially after its portrayal in the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA extracted from amber brought extinct creatures back to life. However, the reality is more profound than the stuff of science fiction. Amber, the fossilised remains of tree resin, hardens over time, preserving plant and animal tissues at a cellular level, a true time capsule of Earth’s ancient ecosystem.
Dating back 100 million years, ‘blood amber‘ from northern Myanmar’s Kachin region is known for its deep red hue and prized for its abundant and rare inclusions. However, the mining of this precious resource has fuelled an illicit trade. Much like 19th-century naturalists plundering specimens from indigenous lands, scientific practices remain unchanged. Burmese amber yields significant discoveries for international researchers – often at the expense of the local communities.
The evolutionary discoveries are endless, from fossilised fireflies shedding light on the origins of glowing insects to fragile feathers attached to bones enabling accurate identification of species. Burmese amber has sparked an ‘orgy’ of discoveries, as the American Museum of Natural History’s David Grimaldi puts it. This frenzy has catapulted palaeontologists like Xing Lida to celebrity status for his identification of a feathered dinosaur tail, leading him to continue scouring amber markets for his next big discovery.
Over the past 30 years, publications on Burmese amber have surged, yet fewer than 0.06% include Burmese co-authors. This boom, not so coincidently, aligns with the conflict between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) which has intensified since their ceasefire collapsed in 2011. The Kachin region is embroiled in violence, with both sides accused of committing human rights abuses, including the use of forced labour, killings, and sexual violence.
Amber extraction, along with other natural resources such as jade, has become a key source of funding for the military junta, exacerbating the suffering of local populations caught in the crossfire. The situation is tense, with the UN Human Rights Council calling for a prosecution against the military junta for genocide and crimes against humanity. From a scientific perspective, the situation is complicated: palaeontologists are unable to study the fossils in situ and amber often falls into the hands of private collectors, leaving researchers with only loaned specimens to study.
The crux of the problem is the legal loophole within Burmese law: fossils are considered ‘antique objects’ illegal to export without a permit (driving collaboration with Burmese experts). But amber is considered a gemstone, allowing it to be exploited. This loophole leaves researchers in a difficult position — whether to seek permission from the Burmese government to study amber specimens that have already left the country, or engage with the black market trade.
Zin-Maung-Maung-Thein and Khin Zaw give the perspective of Burmese palaeontologists, pleading with the international community to work with Burmese organisations to improve scientific research standards and give people “a better understanding of the importance and scientific value of their own natural heritage rather than being robbed of it”.
Moratorium or Mobilisation?
In response to the growing controversy, the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology has called for a publication moratorium regarding Burmese fossil specimens, with a growing list of scientific publishers jumping on board. These ethical stances may seem like a clear-cut solution, but will these gestures alone bring about the system change so desperately needed, or could this blanket ban on publications be inadvertently damaging the local economy and the field of palaeontology?
Critics of the proposed embargo on Myanmar’s amber trade argue that it may harm the very people it seeks to protect – Burmese miners. Instead of a blanket ban, the Journal of Applied Ethical Mining of Natural Resources and Palaeontology advocates for an ethical amber economy that opposes the Tatmadaw, while helping the Burmese community build capacity and knowledge. Echoing UN recommendations, the focus should shift to fostering a community-based model that empowers indigenous people and provides fair-trade opportunities. This approach, though challenging, would allow local communities to control the amber trade, ensuring the profits benefit them rather than the military regime.
The paleontological community has an opportunity, not just to study intriguing fossils, but to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who mine them. Attention should go beyond viewing amber as a scientific resource, ensuring that profits from this trade never forget the suffering of those in the amber mines of Myanmar.
