Burmese Army confiscated over 3300 Acres of land in
Mon areas during 2004
Independent Mon News Agency
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
did not pay any compensation in
2004.
Burmese Army confiscated about 2000 acres of lands in
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
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
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
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
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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