Farmers defy military, cultivate farmland
By Su Hlaing Tun | Monday, 22 April 2013Farmers in Nay Pyi Taw whose fields were confiscated by the army more than 20 years ago have begun growing crops on the land still vacant.
On April 9, cultivators in Lewe township's Aung Chan Thar village started ploughing 100 acres of farmlands confiscated by 302 Light Infantry Regiment in 1990-91.
After the land was taken, farmers were allowed to cultivate it by paying K15,000 an acre for a period of three years. The army has now allowed the farmers to use 50 acres of confiscated lands as farmlands again, but they have ploughed 100 acres.
"We want the chance to grow on our farmlands because they didn't do anything on the land they confiscated. So we plan to grow on all 100 acres. Everything is going well. We've ploughed the lands and now we're irrigating them," said farmer U Hla Ohn of Aung Chan Thar village on April 10.
The fields, which are 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the regiment headquarters, are irrigated by the Awayyar dam.
"These lands are easy to irrigate and we can grow in all three seasons," he added.
Meanwhile, farmers in Kyoe Za Lote village in Lewe township have applied to the government to let them grow crops on 231 acres of farmland confiscated by No 6 Mobile Operations Command.
"We've applied for a permit to grow on the confiscated land, which was left vacant. All we want is to cultivate our own land," said Ko Nay Linn Aung.
The land in Kyoe Za Lote was confiscated in 2003, with farmers receiving K200,000 an acre for farmland and K100,000 an acre for other cultivated land.
Translated by Thiri Min Htun
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/07/04/farmers-defy-military-cultivate-farmland/
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