Farmers risk stiff sentences for protesting land grabs
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Since the beginning of 2014 more than 149 farmers have been detained for protesting against the return of grabbed land, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
Many of the farmers have been charged with trespassing as well as violating the notorious Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law, which requires individuals to obtain a permit from local authorities allowing them to demonstrate.
“The directives of the president are not in effect at the bottom level,” said Bo Kyi of the AAPP. “The laws are not in effect at the bottom level. This is not a good sign.”
The Parliamentary Land Investigation Commission released a report at the end of February uncovering 745 cases of land seizure. According to the report, more than 500,000 acres of land has been grabbed by the army, local government authorities and private companies.
The Ministry for Home Affairs responded to the report saying that plans were underway to return land to farmers that has not been used for national projects.
So far, no substantial action has been taken and farmers face ever growing threats if they try to protest or petition the government.
Activists have criticised local authorities, who some say are manipulating cases leading to more land seizures and evictions.
“Farmers are peacefully staging protests because their lands have been grabbed,” said Min Zeya from the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society. “They are peacefully showing their wishes to return illegally confiscated lands to them but the authorities are charging them with Section 18. Such actions are not fair.”
In a recent case, six farmers from Kyarinn village in Bago Region were jailed on February 18 over a land case involving a politically connected company. Similar cases abound across the country.
The chairman of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, Kyaw Ko Ko, criticised political parties for taking a grand stand over land grabbing in parliament but taking little action on the issue while farmers and activists continue to face stiff sentences for protesting.
The AAPP listed 30 political prisoners still in jail and are monitoring cases of farmers being arrested for protesting the return of their lands. Activists have also faced harsh penalties for supporting farmers and can also be accused of violating Section 18.
