Ministry of Forestry accused of endangering local heritage

June 15, 2015

Thanbyuzayat: Residents of the ancient city of Wagaru in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State, have accused the Ministry of Forestry of threatening their community’s heritage, following the creation of new Eucalyptus plantations in the ancient city. Last year the Ministry of Forestry planted a thousand Eucalyptus trees in the historic site, with preparations made by the military for another thousand trees to be planted this year.

Residents have expressed frustration that, while local landowners have been stopped from planting rubber trees in the historic area, military personnel, under the remit of the Ministry of Forestry, have nevertheless been permitted to plant trees without restriction. Moreover, residents have detailed concerns that the new Eucalyptus trees were planted without prior warning or consultation of local residents.

Nai Manot Rot, Chairman of a group championing the city’s ancient heritage, explained his concerns that these new plantations represent a threat to the effective preservation of Wagaru’s history and culture, “We think [the Ministry of Forestry’s] reason for planting trees in this area is not honest […] We worry that this area will become a forest and in the future our old city Wagaru will disappear. We have an association to preserve this old city so we would like to be kept informed”.

“This land is our villagers’ heritage, to understand and to get to know their history”, Nai Manot Rot continued. “We have to protect it. It seems that what they are doing now is destroying our history and heritage”.

While Nai Manot Rot’s group have in the past called for Wagaru to be recognised as a heritage site, this has to date been met with silence. Nai Manot Rot told HURFOM that, once his group had met to discuss the issue, they would write to the relevant government departments to register their concerns.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News