Residents removed by new airport project face hardship

August 16, 2024

HURFOM: On May 23rd, 2024, residents from Kyike Ywelve village, Mudon Township, Mon State were removed by the military junta because the junta plans to build a new international airport on their lands. l

Despite receiving some compensation, residents are unable to construct new houses due to inadequate funds, labor shortages and the high price of construction materials. In addition the land plots provided by the junta, do not have enough space to build a new house.

“Most of the removed residents can’t build a new house. The price of construction materials has skyrocketed and the compensation does not cover the cost for a new house. So some families have gone to Thailand for work (to earn money to build a new house),” said a Kyike Ywelve village.

According to villagers, five families have already gone to Thailand for work as they could not afford to build a new house.

“We can’t calculate the cost for a new house as the price is going up now. So we’ve come to Thailand for work,” said a Kyike Ywelve resident currently working in Thailand.

In June 2022, the junta removed 26 houses from the village claiming they were in the project area of the new international airport.

“Most of the removed residents built a temporary hut on their new land plot. The airport project has already been started as the junta is digging canals in our old places,” said a Kyike Ywelve resident.

The junta also seized land plots from Nine Hlone, Nyaung Gone and Ma Yan villages of Mudon Township for the new international airport project.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News