Panel promises fairness in Ayeyawady land cases

Chairman Tin Htut told local farmers that the commission had to question both sides before looking to see if the confiscation was in line with procedures and law. 

“Our action will be recorded in history, which is why our commission does not want to be remembered as a villain,” Tin Htut said. 

“There are many land-confiscation cases in our Ayeyawady Region. The public has submitted many complaints. More than 400 people have given us complaint letters on Chaungthar and Ngwesaung. Of the land confiscated by the government, unused plots have been returned to their original owners. As for land confiscated by entrepreneurs, we will let them continue using the plots and will only take back land that is not in use and return it to the original owners,” Thein Aung, chief minister of Ayeyawady Region, said.

More than 600 residents have lost 12,589.51 acres of land in the Ngwesaung Beach area, while more than 70 residents lost 615.57 acres of land in Chaungthar Beach.

“We are negotiating for the land to be returned. Whether the land was confiscated by the military or the government for national projects and industrial zone projects or by entrepreneurs, we are asking for the land to be returned if nothing has been built on it. We also want the compensation to be paid at market rate. It is important to be fair,” Win Myint, Lower House MP from Pathein, said.

The commission started looking into land-confiscation cases eleven months ago in Chaungthar and Ngwesaung areas but this is the first time that they met the local residents.

The commission is hoping to have some land ready to return from June onwards, but locals are worried about the lack of clarity and if the commission has the authority to handle land-confiscation issues. 

“The government gives people the authority, but in many cases, nothing is done. 

“When we met with the Regional Parliament Speaker, he said he doesn’t have the authority regarding land-grabbing issues. So, we met with the Farmland [Investigation] Commission as we thought that they have the authority, but the commission’s chairman said he doesn’t have [the authority]. 

“He said only the regional government has the authority to handle these issues. That’s why I say we are not fully satisfied, because we don’t know clearly who will solve our problems,” villager Myint Aung said.