Myanmar's military-owned company to pay extra for confiscated lands

Myanmar's military-owned company to pay extra for confiscated lands

Published on Monday, 03 December 2012 16:59

Myanmar Economics Holdings Ltd. (MEHL) will raise the compensation for more than 6,700 acres of lands they took in Lapadaungtaung Mountain for the copper mine project in Sagaing region, northwest of Myanmar.

The move came after the riot police cracked down the protesters' camps in Ladapadungtaung copper mine project on November 29.

The military-owned company initially paid around US$588 dollars (500,000 kyats) in compensation for one acre of land that they have taken just before the protests.

The new compensation rate would vary depending on the type of soil and location, project official Myint Aung said on November 30.

"If land owners had claimed the compensation in an official way, it would have been put forward to the responsible persons of the company. The responsible persons of the company had a plan to raise the compensation depending on the type of soil and location. If the soil is in good condition, they will receive better compensation," Myint Aung said.

Senior head of the MEHL Win Kyi said on October 23 that the company has actually paid the lands owners the initial compensation in line with the rate agreed by local authorities. However, they were not satisfied.

"As they [owners of these lands] are not satisfied with the initial compensation, they staged protests to claim more money. If they want bigger compensation, the company is poised to pay it," Win Kyi added.

The compensation should be paid by the Burmese company, as well as China's Wanbao Mining Copper Ltd. which is also running the project.

Reports of Environmental Impact Assessment-EIA and Environmental Management Plan-EMP of Lapadaungtaung project will be available in 2013 March.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2012/12/04/myanmars-military-owned-company-to-pay-extra-for-confiscated-lands/