Burmese army accused of land seizure in Mong Nong
Residents in southern Shan State’s Mong Nong sub-township
are claiming that their lands have been seized by the Burmese military.
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| Photo by SHRF: land confiscation for Salween Dam in northern Shan State. |
A local source who wished to remain anonymous told Shan
Herald that Burmese army Battalion No. 286, which is based near Kong Kham
village in the Mong Nong Sub-township of Kehsi Township, had erected barbed-wire
fencing around local properties on April 27.
“The Tatmadaw [Burmese military] Battalion
286 is located west of Kong Kham village,” the local source explained. “The
commander of the battalion is Maj. Aung Kyaw Soe, and his deputy is Maj. Thin
Myo Aung. They put up the barbed-wire
fences about 80 feet from Kong Kham, which blocks access to the main road between
Wan Mai and Wiang Gao villages.”
He added: “The lands in
question belong to local villagers, who grow crops there. Altogether, they
think that about 30 acres of land have been confiscated. No compensation was
offered. The villagers even requested the army build a new road but have
received no reply.”
During the era of the military
junta, especially during the 1990s, the arbitrary seizure of farmers’ lands was
a common phenomenon across the country, particularly in Shan State. By the
2000s, much of the seized land had been rented out to agri-business firms, and
a massive government campaign was initiated to encourage investment in the
harvesting of jatropha oil. Ultimately, the scheme failed; investors lost great
sums of money, while farmers lost land and livelihoods.
According to a report in April 2016
by the Ethnic Peace and Resources Project (EPRP), the Tai Youth Organization,
and the We Are Tai group, a total of over 10,000 acres of villagers’ land has
been confiscated by the Burmese military, private businesses, and local ethnic
armed groups in 18 townships across Shan State.
Since the National League for
Democracy (NLD), led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, took power over a
year ago, villagers have petitioned the government for assistance in getting
their lands back. However, only modest successes have been reported.
On April 28, Shan Herald reported that some 30 villagers in northern Shan State’s Hsipaw
Township had staged a protest in the town, demanding that the government
intervene to resolve the issue of lands which, they say, were seized by the
military government over 20 years ago.
By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: Human Rights, News
