Burmese Navy’s land grabbing leaves Kywe Tone Nyi Ma’s residents in livelihood hardship

August 18, 2014

Yebyu

August 13, 2014

In October, 2008, No. 43 Maw Ra Wadi Navy which is based near Kywe Tone Nyi Ma Village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division seized 200-acre land of 30 local farmers by labeling the plantation with red and white small billboards which described the land belonged to the army, according to a local source.

A 66-year-old Kywe Tone Nyi Ma resident, Nai Kyaw Soe (aka) Nai Pyar said, “Since before 2009, in October, 2008, Senior Sergeant Myo Min Oo from No. 43 Government Navy Unit came to our plantation and labeled the land with red and white small billboard. The 200-acre land of 30 plantation owners was labeled (and seized by the Navy unit).”

The victim lost his 9-acre productive land to the navy unit. The land seized by Maw Ra Wadi Navy is the real property of the locals which they inherited from generation to generation and the land are currently in farming business.

“I inherited this plantation from my parents. My father owned about 30 acre. He divided the land and gave four of us seven acre each. Later, I bought another 2-acre land and started farming 14 years ago. After that, most of my friends in the village started farming rubber and I also did the same,” continued Nai Kyaw Soe.

Because of the land grabbing, the locals lost their professional livelihood and stuck in hardship. The families have been separated apart as the members had to go to the neighboring countries for work.

“Losing the land is losing our livelihood. We seriously hit rock-bottom. Three of my children had to go to Thailand for work. Doing babysitting, we have to totally rely on the money they send. They can send the money only when they are okay so we’re in a struggle now,” he added.

After the navy unit confiscated the land, via the village abbot, the Kywe Tone Nyi Ma residents had meet with a captain from the unit but the captain told them to go to the Moulmein-based Maw Ra Wadi Navy Command for land inquiry. Regarding the land grabbing, the local residents sent an appeal letter twice to the upper-level authority of the Tenasserim Division in 2009 but no one replied nor took action. Therefore, the locals withdrew their attempt.

“If possible, we want everyone to help us to regain our land that is unfairly confiscated. (But) at the moment, I see no way to get my land back. We want to officially appeal to get our land back, but there is no facilitator in this area. Moreover, the army also uses every way to block land appeal. So I want to request all of educated young activists, political parties and all Mon people want to help our ethnic to find a way for us. If we have no land, the hardship surely continues,” mentioned Nai Kyaw Soe on July 22, 2014.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News