The Burmese Army Forced to
Nae Non, Independent Mon News Agency
In order to avoid the bad image of ‘land
confiscation’, the Burmese Army’s battalions based in Mon State forced the local
Mon farmers to accept 100 Kyat payment for one acre of land and let them sign
in selling documents, accordingly to the civilians from Ye Township.
Burmese Army’s LIB No. 583 that bases in Kyaung-ywa village, eastern of Ye Town, confiscated about
100 acres of lands and forced the farmers to take money for 100 Kyat per acre,
said Mr. Nai Blai, whose lands were also confiscated.
The commanders also forced the local farmers
to go to Military Operational Command No. 19 (MOC No. 19) Headquarters at Ye
Town and let them sign the selling contract and paid them 100 Kyat per acre.
Although the farmers do not want to take that
small amount of money, as they feared the order, they have traveled to Ye Town
and signed the document. Some farmers received 2000 Kyat (~ 2
"It’s not even sufficient for transport
cost to travel back and forth to Ye with the money they paid us", said
disappointed Nai Blai to IMNA.
The price of the land in the area with orchid
and rubber trees is about 1 to 1.5 Million Kyat (1000 – 1500 US Dollar) in the
area, accordingly to the farmers.
The forced signing orchestrated by the
Burmese Army is that they planned in prior to have evidence that they did not
take the lands in free of charge, or not confiscate, one of Nai Blai’s friends gave his opinion while they were in Ye to
sign the selling document.
At first many farmers refused to travel to Ye
and take money from the army. But LIB No. 583 pressured them seriously and
later they have to go and take the money including signing of selling
documents.
"Now, after they confiscated the lands
with orchid plantations, they are free to collect all types of fruits",
added other farmers.
Although some farmers would like to sell the
lands, nobody in the areas are brave enough to buy any lands as they worried
the Burmese Army would continue to confiscate more lands.
Human Rights Foundation of Monland also
reported in 2003 and 2004 that the Burmese Army confiscated about 10, 000 acres
of lands from Mon farmers in various townships in
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