Karen Groups Aim to Strengthen Customary Land Management System in KNU Areas
Karen Groups Aim to Strengthen Customary Land Management System in KNU Areas
Karen News, 04 Jun 2019
URL: https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/karen-groups-aim-strengthen-customary-land-management-system-knu-areas
Hundreds of Karen representatives from 56 different groups gathered to strengthen Karen customary land management systems at a seminar held at Lay Wah, Karen State from May 29 to 30, 2019.
The Kaw Customary Land Seminar was attended by 519 people including representatives from local community and civil society, donors, INGOs, political parties, and officers of the Karen National Union.
The post seminar statement said, Kaw is the Karen customary land management system. This is land which is collectively used, managed, conserved and governed. These practices are based on the conservation of land, forest, water, and other natural resources, and emerge from a combination of traditional value systems and traditional/customary law.
Presentations at the seminar said there are 198 Kaw customary land systems in Kawthoolei (Karen areas under KNU administrations) and these customary land management systems successfully provided land protection and sustainable livelihoods, and are still relevant and applicable to the current situation.
Padoh Saw Nay Tha Blay, head of the Karen Agricultural Department said Kaw principle can be linked to federalism.
“Kaw management system allows regional self-determination over territory and we want to strengthen this and make more people aware of this system.”
The seminar statement explained the Kaw system “contradicts the Myanmar government’s land laws, as it allows for collective participation in political decision-making. Suppressing such customary systems hinders the peace building process, preventing the establishment of federalism. The Myanmar government’s land laws therefore must be abolished and accordingly rewritten.”
The KNU and Karen environmental groups vowed to continue to strengthen and implement the Kaw customary land governance systems in line with the KNU’s land and forest policies within its administrative territories.
The Kaw Customary Land Seminar was attended by 519 people including representatives from local community and civil society, donors, INGOs, political parties, and officers of the Karen National Union.
The post seminar statement said, Kaw is the Karen customary land management system. This is land which is collectively used, managed, conserved and governed. These practices are based on the conservation of land, forest, water, and other natural resources, and emerge from a combination of traditional value systems and traditional/customary law.
Presentations at the seminar said there are 198 Kaw customary land systems in Kawthoolei (Karen areas under KNU administrations) and these customary land management systems successfully provided land protection and sustainable livelihoods, and are still relevant and applicable to the current situation.
Padoh Saw Nay Tha Blay, head of the Karen Agricultural Department said Kaw principle can be linked to federalism.
“Kaw management system allows regional self-determination over territory and we want to strengthen this and make more people aware of this system.”
The seminar statement explained the Kaw system “contradicts the Myanmar government’s land laws, as it allows for collective participation in political decision-making. Suppressing such customary systems hinders the peace building process, preventing the establishment of federalism. The Myanmar government’s land laws therefore must be abolished and accordingly rewritten.”
The KNU and Karen environmental groups vowed to continue to strengthen and implement the Kaw customary land governance systems in line with the KNU’s land and forest policies within its administrative territories.