Shwebo farmers plan to sue over grabbed land

 

"Lands were confiscated for projects. Confiscated lands should not be for an individual or a group. It should be for the state. It seems contradictory to existing laws. It is not necessary to sue farmers with invented accusations. But we are planning to sue the people who confiscated our land forcefully," said farmer Than Hteik.

Legal experts say there are weaknesses in the farmland law enacted in 2012, which includes clauses to pawn farmland and a decision made by a regional government over disputed land ownership.

Since Myanmar has opened up to foreign investment and trade, instances of land seizures have become more common despite a recent parliamentary committee report that insisted confiscated lands which are not being used for state projects be returned to original owners. 

Many farmers often do not have avenues or legal means to contest land confiscation and thus resort to occupying land that has been grabbed or protests. 

"The only result that farmers receive is more losses despite protesting, filing complaint letters to relevant offices, discussions and ploughing contest competitions. So we will demand the government to have our rights legally," Aung Kyaw, a land activist said.

Farmers in various areas of Myanmar have seen their agricultural land taken by the government or the military. Taken by the government, some plots were given to private companies concessioned to develop residential or commercial properties on the land.

It was just last week that the Ministry of Construction reportedly planned to lease 10 acres of state-owned land to Myat Noe Thu Company at only Ks 35 (US$ 0.035) per square foot per year for a jetty construction project. The Ministry of Construction has been criticised for lack of transparency in public housing projects as it has often awarded contracts to companies close to them without undergoing tenders. 

Last month, the government planned to lease 1.65 acres of land owned by the Ministry of Home Affairs located on Sayasan Road in downtown Yangon. The Sein Hin Co Ltd was offered a monthly rate Ks 70 (US$0.07) per square foot. 

In May, farmers from Hukong Valley in Kachin State also threatened legal actions and protests against 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.