Burmese Army confiscated over 3300 Acres of land in

Mon areas during 2004

 

Independent Mon News Agency

January 5, 2005

 

Burmese military regime SPDC’s armed force, Burmese

Army, has confiscated over 3300 acres of land belonged

to the local farmers for their army businesses and

troop deployment in southern part of Burma and they

did not pay any compensation in 2004.

 

Burmese Army confiscated about 2000 acres of lands in

Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon state for their new bases

of army battalions and about 700 acres of land for

their dam construction in Ye Township in mid-2004.

 

About 300 acres lands were confiscated in southern

part of Ye Township in September 2004, and about 300

acres in Three Pagoda Township, Karen State for bases

and deployment of new battalions. According to sourced

reported, the Army never paid compensation to the

local farmers for their lands.

 

Most confiscated lands were cultivated lands of crop

trees and farmers or the local people have relied on

for their income and survival from these lands. After

the land confiscated, landowners became job-less, some

people migrated to Thailand for seeking work, and some

landowners fled to refugee camps and Internally

Displaced Persons’ resettled villages.

 

“Firstly the land owners always faced serious

livelihood problem, secondly they have to find new

land space for their families which almost is

difficult. Because the Burmese Army does not allow the

villagers to stay in the jungle where is far from the

towns or villages. Thirdly, they have to flee to

neighbor country for seeking work as illegal migrant

workers,” Nai Kasauh Mon, the Director of Human Right

Foundation of Monland explained the problems of

landowners facing after their lands were confiscated.

 

“I don’t think so that the land loss farmers will get

compensation from the regime during there is no peace

and political settlement in Burma, and political

change. The regime already knew that people are

relying on the farms and crop cultivation. But they

did not care. Although the New Mon State Party, the

Mon cease-fire group, requested the military regime

for new lands and compensation, the regime did not

care. And there is a difficulty to have a political

change in Burma without international pressure or UN

involvement and helps solve it,” Nai Kasauh Mon added.

 

According New Mon State Party (NMSP) leaders, they

have many times requested in the meetings to Burmese

military regime to give compensation to the landowners

or provide new land spaces. But no positive response

or compensation were given by the regime.

 

According to “No Land to Farm” report, published in

late 2003 by Human Rights Foundation of Monland, the

regime and the Burmese Army confiscated more than 8000

acres of land in years 1998-2002 and they never paid

any compensation. After the report came out the

government military authorities gathered landowners

and promised for compensation.

 

Before the cease-fire, many Mon political leaders and

Mon people believed that human rights violation will

be decreased down.   However, the violations have

gradually increased in Mon areas in terms of economics

rights of the Mon people.  Some human rights

violations such as land confiscation, sexual

violations against women and forced labor have

increased

 

For further information, please contact to Independent

Mon News Agency

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