Land grabs: Panglong villagers call on NLD to intervene
Residents of southern Shan
State’s Panglong sub-township have called on the newly elected government led
by the National League for Democracy (NLD) to intervene in their fight to get
lands back.
Representatives of the
villagers said they had submitted a letter of complaint last Thursday to the Shan
State government, noting that this marks the tenth time they have formally
complained, having written to the authorities about their case nine times
previously during the tenure of the Thein Sein government.
“As this [NLD]
administration is regarded as a democratic government, we are hopeful of
getting our lands back,” said Sai Saw Na, one of those whose lands were
confiscated.
“It’s our land, so we want
it back. We want to grow crops,” he said. “And we will continue pressing our
demands until we get our lands back.”
The residents claim that 60
acres of land – located in the village of Wan Mai, within Hai Nang
village-tract in Panglong – originally belonged to 27 local landowners. They
accuse the former headman of Hai Nang village-tract, Khun Aung Win, of seizing
the property in 2008.
The residents said that Khun
Aung Win and the local authorities under his control arbitrarily confiscated
their lands by claiming they had a Form 105, which is a legal document proving ownership
of a plot of land. The local villagers said that Khun Aung Win and his cohorts
then sold the lands on to third parties, including a coal mining firm.
The 27 Wan Mai villagers
maintain that they have petitioned to get their land back since 2010. Headman Khun
Aung Win has since died.
“This land belonged to my
parents,” said another landowner, who wished to remain anonymous. “I want to
get it back, and I will keep demanding this, whoever is in the government.”
According to a 70-year old
villager in the area, he can recall that the land in question belonged to Wan
Maw village back when he was a child. He said that due to an epidemic, villagers
had to relocate south of Wan Maw to the village of Wan Mai, meaning “new
village.” He said that famers have cultivated that land ever since.
The complainants said they have
erected billboards on the confiscated area, stating that the land belongs to
them. However, they said that representatives of the coal mining company, who
claim the lands are rightfully theirs, have destroyed the signs.
“We are very hopeful that the
NLD government will bring justice to this case,” said a villager.
Tags: Human Rights, News
