Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has given the green light for the military to return more than 150,000 acres of seized farmland to the original owners, a deputy minister for defence has told parliament.
Major General Kyaw Nyunt told Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives on February 5 that the complete list of 154,116.48 acres to be returned will be published soon in state-run newspapers.
“The military plans to relinquish confiscated land and does not plan to seize any more land,” Maj Gen Kyaw Nyunt said.
The admission came after MPs criticised the Ministry of Defence’s draft budget for 2014-15, which included funding for agricultural activities. A number of MPs said the Tatmadaw should cease non-military activities and focus more attention on training.
Deputy Minister Maj Gen Kyaw Nyunt insisted that resolving land disputes is a priority for the military. He said he believed the issue could be resolved in a way that can rebuild the military’s good relationship with the people.
“The Tatmadaw does not use forced labour on its land and there is no law that permits us to do so,” he said.