Yangon urged to deal with squatters
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MP Win Htein from Tamwe Constituency is calling on Yangon's regional government to deal with the problem of squatters.
Thousands of these “squatters” are people evicted from their homes for allegedly living on government or military-owned land. Many had been living in those areas for years.
“I will ask how to address squatter issues and how to provide employment to the squatters in the Yangon Region parliamentary session,” MP Win Htein said.
The heavy-handed evictions, often resulting in the use of force by police, has drawn criticism from the media and civil-society groups who have been advocating for farmers’ rights and against widespread land-grabbing in Myanmar.
The Yangon regional government had initially announced that it would solve the problem in accordance with the existing law by the end of 2013. At the same time it ordered the forceful eviction of squatters beside Hlinethaya-Twantay motorway and those near Shwe Lin Ban Industrial Zone.
The authorities also recently issued an order to raze 400 squatter homes in Thameelay village in Hlegu Township.
In a recent radio message, President Thein Sein said that plans were underway to accommodate squatters and that jobs would also be provided to these people.
At a parliamentary meeting last year, Yangon Mayor Hla Myint said: “Back in 1997, the government practised the policy of ‘hut to apartment’, with housing projects being implemented by the Yangon City Development Committee in Hlaing, Kamayut, Bahan, Thakayta and Dawbon townships.
“However, sometimes the policy was not implemented due to various different reasons. Now, low-cost housing projects are in the works.”
Apartments in government-housing projects cost 23.7 million kyats (about Bt780,000) each and are generally not affordable for working-class people. Hence, many such families have to resort to squatting on government land where they risk eviction and police brutality.
