Monday, 15 August 2011 20:17 Kun Chan
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - A unit of the Burmese Navy has confiscated 1,000 acres of land in Yebyu Township to be used as a military training field and for the contruction of military barracks and hostels, according to a report delivered by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM).
The 50-page report, “Burma’s Navy Attacks Civilians’ Livelihood,” released on Monday by HURFOM said that since December 2010, the Burmese Navy Unit No. 43 had confiscated a total of 1,000 acres of rubber plantations and plots, which were used by 240 families on Kywe Thone Nyi Ma Island in Yebyu Township in Tanintharyi [Tennaserim] Region.
The Navy unit confiscated the land without giving the owners compensation, according to the report. Moreover, the Navy unit has surveyed and marked out another 3,000 acres of land to be confiscated from the residents on the island and in neighbouring villages, the report said.
Kywe Thone Nyi Ma Village is located on the island at the boundary between Mon State and Tanintharyi Region. There are more than 600 houses in the village and most of the villagers obtain a living by farming, growing vegetable gardens and fishing.
“Despite the new government, there is still land confiscation by the military. There are still human rights violations by the military in most of the ethnic areas,” Ko Oo Mon, an official from the Thailand-based HURFOM, told Mizzima.
The report was obtained by observations and the conducting of interview with 60 residents who became jobless after their land were confiscated and went to Yay, Thanbyuzayat in Mon State and to Thailand to find new jobs.
The owners of the confiscated land did not know which department they should complain to and even if they knew, they dare not complain, one of the owners told Mizzima.
“We are fearful of them, so we dare not complain. We don’t know which department we should complain to. Some people bought some confiscated land just less than one year ago, but their land was then confiscated. If we (try to) resell the land, nobody will buy,” the owner said.
Similarly, in November 2010, the Zaygabar Company owned by Dr. Khin Shwe reportedly confiscated 800 acres of land from the residents to build a cement factory in Nitone Village in Kyaikmayaw Township in Mon State.
In addition, the South East Command is planning to confiscate rubber plantations that are four miles east of Thakkawt Village on the Thanbyuzayat-Three Pagoda Pass Road in Mon State, according to the residents.
According to figures compiled by HURFOM, the military made the biggest land seizures in Yay, Thanbyuzayat and Kyaikmayaw Townships in Mon State and Yebyu in the Tanintharyi Region in 2000-2005. The military has confiscated more than 20,000 acres of land up until 2011, according to the NGO’s findings.
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - A unit of the Burmese Navy has confiscated 1,000 acres of land in Yebyu Township to be used as a military training field and for the contruction of military barracks and hostels, according to a report delivered by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM).
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| Report discusses land confiscation and abuses. |
The Navy unit confiscated the land without giving the owners compensation, according to the report. Moreover, the Navy unit has surveyed and marked out another 3,000 acres of land to be confiscated from the residents on the island and in neighbouring villages, the report said.
Kywe Thone Nyi Ma Village is located on the island at the boundary between Mon State and Tanintharyi Region. There are more than 600 houses in the village and most of the villagers obtain a living by farming, growing vegetable gardens and fishing.
“Despite the new government, there is still land confiscation by the military. There are still human rights violations by the military in most of the ethnic areas,” Ko Oo Mon, an official from the Thailand-based HURFOM, told Mizzima.
The report was obtained by observations and the conducting of interview with 60 residents who became jobless after their land were confiscated and went to Yay, Thanbyuzayat in Mon State and to Thailand to find new jobs.
The owners of the confiscated land did not know which department they should complain to and even if they knew, they dare not complain, one of the owners told Mizzima.
“We are fearful of them, so we dare not complain. We don’t know which department we should complain to. Some people bought some confiscated land just less than one year ago, but their land was then confiscated. If we (try to) resell the land, nobody will buy,” the owner said.
Similarly, in November 2010, the Zaygabar Company owned by Dr. Khin Shwe reportedly confiscated 800 acres of land from the residents to build a cement factory in Nitone Village in Kyaikmayaw Township in Mon State.
In addition, the South East Command is planning to confiscate rubber plantations that are four miles east of Thakkawt Village on the Thanbyuzayat-Three Pagoda Pass Road in Mon State, according to the residents.
According to figures compiled by HURFOM, the military made the biggest land seizures in Yay, Thanbyuzayat and Kyaikmayaw Townships in Mon State and Yebyu in the Tanintharyi Region in 2000-2005. The military has confiscated more than 20,000 acres of land up until 2011, according to the NGO’s findings.
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