Parliamentary commission to resolve Yangon land disputes on case-by-case basis

 

The ongoing disputes include the land grabbing at Migyaungkan Wards 1, 2 and 3 in Thingankyun Township.

Khaing Maung Yay, also Lower House MP, said that the chairperson Tin Htut and his commission members have discussed the work plans. The commission is expected to meet with the protesters in order to hear their demands

“We have made a separate discussion with the commission chairperson. We are to meet with the protesters prior to Thingyan festival. We will continue to carry on trying to resolve land disputes,” said the Lower House MP.

Disputes have led to a number of protests and violent crackdown. The government and the legislature seem to be losing the credibility after failing to meet the people’s expectations for resolving land disputes, according to protesters.

The commission earlier compiled a report with 745 complaints involving 512,204 acres of land for the parliament’s consideration. They cover disputes involving the military, related to the city expansion and the industrial zones and stemming from the state and private businesses. There has been no action so far and land owners keep on losing the possession of their lands. 

In a development, villagers from Thameekalay village were recently banned from staying in the Kayin State, despite an offer from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). On April 2, the convoy of trucks were stopped at the Donthami Bridge, close to Thaton and Hpa-an, under the orders of the regional security and border affairs minister. 

Col Saw San Aung from the DKBA said the government feared that providing the homeless villagers land would only worsen tensions over land grabbing. 

The villagers were evicted in February by the military. They have sought refuge in the Aungtheikdhi Monastery in Bago Region, despite warnings to leave. Some chose to follow the DKBA.