Defiant farmers fighting for grabbed land

 

On Wednesday, farmers from Hukong Valley in Kachin State have held a press briefing to denounce the grabbing of their land by the influential Yuzana Company owned by MP Htay Myint.

They claim the company grabbed more than 300,000 acres of ancestral land in the Hukong Valley without proper compensation, and have threatened legal action and protests.

“When Yuzana entered Kachin State saying it was working for regional development, we suffered all kinds of hardships,” said Khun Naw, a local of Bankouk village. 

“It was like they were killing us when they grabbed our lands. Company officials destroyed our villages and we were beaten. When we made complaints to the superiors, what they replied was it was done under orders from above. They said they couldn’t help anything. And we were neglected. As we had no way to earn, our children became illiterate. Some of us died as we had nothing to pay for our medical expenses,” he added. 

On August 30, 2012, the farmers threatened to protest in front of Yuzana’s headquarters at Shwewgontaing junction in Yangon. Company officials quickly invited them to Nay Pyi Taw for a negotiation where, according to farmer Bauk Jar, company owner Htay Myint said in front of other government officials that he would provide fair compensation.

“The company just gave away other farmers’ lands as a substitute, causing disputes among the farmers. No farmers dare to take the land given to them,” said Bauk Jar. 

He added that the land grabbed by the company included farmland and graveyards along the Ledo road and villages in Wahyarzut village tract in Mohnyin district. The company grabbed the land labelling it as vacant.

Many farmers have complained of the destruction of natural resources in the area claimed by the company, increase in poppy plantations and increased instances of abuse of local women. 

The farmers plan to sue the company.

On May 27, more than 300 Kayah farmers also started ploughing 438 acres of paddy fields on land seized by the military. 

The farmers from Solharku village, Pruso, used 11 mini-tractors and said this action has been permitted by the rural Farmers Committee.

“We do not need to ask for their permission as the paddy fields are from our forefathers. This is our land and we have the duty to look after our village. So we sent notices to the authorities that we are going to go ahead with the ploughing. We will battle from sowing to reaping,” said by Tuyal, a villager of Solharku who is leading the defiant farmers.

Last September, the military designated many areas of fertile farmland, including paddy fields, as army territory. Someone, on behalf of the battalion commander, posted a notice dated February 19, 2014, forbidding the farmers from accessing the area, which is now under military control. 

A total of 1,208 acres, including 438 acres of hillside cultivation areas and pasturelands, have been grabbed by the military following the ploughing protest of Solharku villagers. 

Farmers have also sent letters to Parliament and the presidential office in protest. 

Protests against land grabbing are rife in Myanmar. 

According to Vice President Nyan Htun, more than 150,000 acres of military-seized lands are slated to be returned to the original owners. In March, he called for quicker action on returning military-seized lands to original owners, according to state media. 

The Ministry of Defence has already returned more than 50,000 acres of seized lands, he said.

He added that relevant government organisations should offer a comprehensive explanation to the public about the seized lands that have not been returned. He said they should also fully explain whether they’re operating constructively or not.

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 have been grabbed by the army, local government authorities and private companies.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said more than a hundred farmers had been detained for protesting against the return of grabbed land since the beginning of 2014.