MP says army will give unused confiscated land back to farmers

MP says army will give unused confiscated land back to farmers

By Win Ko Ko Latt   |   Monday, 08 July 2013

The parliamentary land confiscation investigation committee will make arrangements to return unused farmland confiscated by the Tatmadaw to the original owners from this month, a committee member told The Myanmar Times last week.

A bulldozer clears fields in Thanlyin township's Alwan Sut village that were seized from farmers by the Myanmar Navy. (Ko Taik/The Myanmar Times)

"Minister for Defence General Wai Lwin told commission chairman U Tin Htut, the Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Zalon, that the army will definitely give back farmlands confiscated by the army in July," upper house representative U Hla Swe said.

"The army will give back all farmland confiscated except that on which buildings have been constructed or are under construction," he said.

He also urged farmers to carefully keep all records of land tax payments to prove their ownership. If they lost their records, the recommendation of four neighbours will be enough to establish ownership, he said.

The land confiscation investigation committee found that more than 247,077 acres has been taken by the military from farmers in Myanmar. It is unclear how much of this is in use and how much will be returned.

Nay Pyi Taw-based lawyer U Khin Mg Zaw, who helps farmers involved in land disputes, said he was "very glad" that the Tatmadaw had agreed to return the land.

"However, the government should also be watchful that ward and village administrators do not do anything untoward when the land is being given back," he said. "I hope that all farmland grabbed by the army is returned."

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/07/09/mp-says-army-will-give-unused-confiscated-land-back-to-farmers/