The UMEHL controls or oversees all vital foreign and domestic economic activity and most of the revenue generated through it or its subsidiaries goes directly to highranking generals rather than government ministries (Lintner, 2009). In requiring that foreign businesses establish a working relationship with UMEHL, it is able to maintain awareness of and monitor what international players are doing with regard to the economy. Overseeing legitimate business interests is not the only task of the enterprise. It is speculated that the economic conglomerate is intertwined with more illicit business dealings, even going as far as black market trading both domestically and internationally. According to a WikiLeaks’ report, companies involved in the manufacturing sector have been known to pay bribes to UMEHL in order to secure contracts and licenses. As the report explains; “Having a relationship with MEHL, even if it’s not an official joint venture, is essential if a company wants to make a profit” (Carl-Yoder, 2018). Further conjecture holds that UMEHL is a partner with the Chinese business Wanbao in Burma’s largest copper mine complex, a company that has long-standing allegations of violence against civilians by security forces as well as land rights abuses (Peel, 2017). UMEHL has a long history of human rights violations and interactions with the black market economy. The Jade and Gemstone Mining Industry According to a confidential report, UMEHL controls production in Burma’s gem and jade mines, and any private domestic company interested in extraction must establish a joint venture with UMEHL in order to obtain the permits required to mine: 47