Over 232 acres of land confiscated by army and government ministries being returned for temporary use
Over 232 acres of land confiscated by army and government ministries being returned for temporary use
KIC News, 20 Jun 2016
URL: http://kicnews.org/2016/06/%E1%80%85%E1%80%85%E1%80%B9%E1%80%90%E1%80%95%E1%80%B9%E1%82%8F%E1%80%BD%E1%80%84%E1%80%B9%E1%80%B7-%E1%80%9D%E1%80%94%E1%8
The department of farmland management under Karen state government, has returned 232.4 acres of land that were confiscated in the past by by light infantry batallion (338) and (339), state prison authority, and former industrial zone 2, to its original owners on June 17.
The returned land are from Karen state; Than Moe Taung village of Than Taung Gyi township, Lekana village of P' an township, and Kawk Laing village of Hlaingbwe township, and the return ceremony being held at Kan Tha Ya hall, P' an, Karen state and was attended by Karen state chief minister and staff members from farmland management department.
According to state department of farmland management and record director U Naing Aung, "The now returned land has been carefully scrutinized and found to be unused. We returned this land depends on how farmers worked the land. If we do it legally then we have to wait for any opposing letter according to the law which will take at least a month. If we go according to every step then it will take 89 days. Therefore, for the cultivators to plant crops on time we only provide them with a temporary permit. Then we will work out official ownership transfer the soonest possible according to the law.
The 232.4 acre of land that are returned to its current original owners is a small part of land that was confiscated, and there are many farms and lands left to be returned to its rightful owners, according to owners from whom farms and lands were taken.
'The lands that are returned now is only a small part. There are plenty of lands that were taken by the army and did nothing. The farms that are being returned now is a long distance from the village. The farms are the ones that's not productive, what to use with it. If they want to return the land do it the same to everyone, don't differentiate among people. And also ask people properly before you return the land. There are large parts of land they took it from me, but none of it included among they returned.' said Saw Pauh Pya, a Kawk Laing villager from Hlaingbwe township, to KIC.
The government has taken plenty of lands from the villagers in Karen state since 1991, and they want the government to return these lands to them as soon as possible, according to local villagers who are waiting to get back their land.
(Translated by IMU Mae sot)
The returned land are from Karen state; Than Moe Taung village of Than Taung Gyi township, Lekana village of P' an township, and Kawk Laing village of Hlaingbwe township, and the return ceremony being held at Kan Tha Ya hall, P' an, Karen state and was attended by Karen state chief minister and staff members from farmland management department.
According to state department of farmland management and record director U Naing Aung, "The now returned land has been carefully scrutinized and found to be unused. We returned this land depends on how farmers worked the land. If we do it legally then we have to wait for any opposing letter according to the law which will take at least a month. If we go according to every step then it will take 89 days. Therefore, for the cultivators to plant crops on time we only provide them with a temporary permit. Then we will work out official ownership transfer the soonest possible according to the law.
The 232.4 acre of land that are returned to its current original owners is a small part of land that was confiscated, and there are many farms and lands left to be returned to its rightful owners, according to owners from whom farms and lands were taken.
'The lands that are returned now is only a small part. There are plenty of lands that were taken by the army and did nothing. The farms that are being returned now is a long distance from the village. The farms are the ones that's not productive, what to use with it. If they want to return the land do it the same to everyone, don't differentiate among people. And also ask people properly before you return the land. There are large parts of land they took it from me, but none of it included among they returned.' said Saw Pauh Pya, a Kawk Laing villager from Hlaingbwe township, to KIC.
The government has taken plenty of lands from the villagers in Karen state since 1991, and they want the government to return these lands to them as soon as possible, according to local villagers who are waiting to get back their land.
(Translated by IMU Mae sot)