Mudon Land Conflict Remains Unresolved

August 30, 2016

Mudon Township: More than 1000 acres of land in Mudon Township was confiscated in order to make the area a community forest by the Ministry of Industry. This was confiscated during the previous government administration in 2013. Land owners and the Ministry of Industry are disputing with each other and the land confiscation problem still remains unresolved today.

The Forestry Department has given the permission to the Ministry of Industry to confiscate the land. Many villagers’ lands are included in the confiscated area. There are some land owners who had applied for land grants. Some owners have already received land grants. However, the Ministry of Industry ignores this.

After the land was taken, the Ministry of Industry claimed that land owners disputed against forest land. The Ministry proposed that land owners should sign a document that the owners should pay them 30 percent from rubber production. But land owners cannot afford to pay that amount.

Nai Ong Jana from Kamar Wut in Mudon Township, told HURFOM, “They [Ministry of Industry] brought the case to court. Some people went to court but many people didn’t go when they called. I am a retired teacher because school land was included in the confiscation for 1 acre. I disagree with their confiscation. I applied to the land record department to measure my land.”

Some people did not go to court, and therefore the court cannot resolve the case for those who would like to get their land back but have not attended. Those who have land grants, the Ministry of Industry have given their lands to others. As the conflict is difficult to solve, they have stopped confiscation. Now, land owners have conflicts amongst themselves as to whose land is whose.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News