Next govt likely to deal with land issues: MP
Continued delays over compensation for land expropriated from farmers will result in decisions being dropped on the next government, which could be in place before the end of the year, warns an MP involved in the so-called land-grabbing issue.
"Actually, in the final stage we will give specific answers about what kind of land the government should pay as compensation and how much the government has to pay per acre," said MP Khin Maung Yee, a member of the Farmland Investigation Commission.
"If the government delays payment of compensation or hampers the process, the land-grabbing issues may have to be solved in next government's term."
A general election is expected to be called in October or November, and the government is dealing with several major issues, including constitutional amendments, revisions to the referendum act and protests over the National Education Law.
The farmland investigation commission and the central land management committee jointly investigated the land-grabbing issue.
Khin Maung Yee pointed out that the farmlands seized by the ministries have not been used for many years.
"We found that the ministries haven’t used the farmland they seized for years," he said. "So they will have to return the farmland if they failed to implement the projects they intended for the land. It will be a hindrance if the ministry has to wait for its minister's decision."
Government departments seized more farmland than needed for projects and misused rental charges from tenant farmers, the investigation found. The result has been protests by angry farmers and their supporters. Some farmers have been imprisoned after clashes with authorities.
