Lamine land owners struggling to retain land

August 17, 2016

In 2004,part of MiKyin Pan’s landin Lamine, Ye Township, Mon State, was confiscated by the former Lamine administrator, U NyuntAung. Today, My Kyin Pan is still trying to retain her land back.

The land is situated in Lamine and Kaw Dwoot village road. The village administrator claimed that the land is located on grazing ground.

MiKyin Pan’s daughter,Mi Mar Aye, told HURFOM, “They came to ask usfor the land which they want to use for agricultural purposes. They asked us to sign a document but my mother refused and responded that we make a living off of the land. 3 or 5 years after they took our land, they told us they would allow us to work on the land again but we have to pay them for using it. My mother responded that she will not work on the land if she has to pay for using her own land. She will only work if they give theland back.”

During U Thein Sein’s government, Mon State Prime Minister, U OhnMyint, came to Lamine. During his visit, Hluttaw representative,MiMyintThan, who is also from Lamine,assisted local people toget their land back. U OhnMyintrequested that the land be returned, however, Win WinSoe, from Ye Townshipadministration office, who can make decisions on whether or not to return the land to land owners, said they will returnthe land after the first harvest. However, after the first harvest the land was not returned because they claimed that the land is grazing ground.

Mi Mar Aye continues, “We have been working on this land for a very long time, since the colonial era.They released a letter and even tried to sue us for disputing the right to grazing land.”

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News