VOICE FROM THE FARM - PAPER OF ADVICE FOR SOLVING FARM LAND PROBLEMS

Description: 

Synopsis of the Paper: "It is most fundamental to be able to hear voices of farmers as they are in resolving farm land problems which pose the greatest challenge to Myanmar. Therefore, it is expected that the "Voice From The Farm" paper will be supportive to a certain extent. This paper was compiled based on cases that reached the office of 88 Generation Peace and Open Society from respective region and reinforced with discussions resulting from the VOICE OF FARMERprogramme which collects and organizes farmers? voices as well as with observations during field trips to rural areas. Out of those which reached the office, 800 were selected and reviewed. The review of the cases was made after dividing them into six categories, namely, 1) problems concerned with the government, 2) problems concerned with the army, 3) problems concerned with companies, 4) problems concerned with organizations, 5) other problems and 6) farm land crimes. Upon reviewing, the problems concerned with the government counts 394 (49%) and stand as the greatest number. Problems concerned with the government involve ministries, administration departments, corporations, respective levels of local administrative bodies and individuals from them. Upon categorizing the cases based on their type, the cases about land seizures count 606 (76%) and end up being highest. Out of these land seizures, the army?s seizures count 99 (16%) and stand as the second highest. (This numbers are based on the count of the cases not on the total number of acres.). Out of cases from respective states and regions, 232 cases are from Ayeyarwaddy Region, 149 from Yangon Region, 88 from Mandalay Region and they stand at the top among Regions. Out of the states, Shan State has 33 cases and is at the top among States. It is found that most of the cases involve township and village authorities and individuals from Land Record Department. Besides, local military units, police forces and the wealthy are also found involved in the cases. Names of top-ranking government members, parliamentarians and military officials are also found among those who carried out seizures. Land problems arise because of projects and town area and military area expansions. Seizures greater than necessary are found in many. It is also found that seized landhas been left vacant without any businesses operations on them, leased back to former owners or others on a rental basis, made over into plots and sold out and shared for self interests. Farm land pieces with legal deeds and grant certificatesare also found to have been seized. Besides, it is found that authorities and the wealthy connived at seizing public religious land pieces, cemetery land pieces and pasture land pieces. It is also observed that people with low basic education and little knowledge were tricked by various means including undue pressure and threats into signing their consents. That power was abused against the law is obviouslyfound in incidents whereland pieces were seized and returned by verbal orders and promises were not delivered. Worst, there are cases where land pieces were seized in a style of robberies with such bullying acts as show of guns or gun fires into the air. Farmers are being bullied to the point that not only their land pieces were seized, but also they were framed up with charges and sent to jail. It is also found that farmers came to face difficulties because land pieces given as replacements for seized ones are not cultivable, raw andsituated on sides of ravines. Such injustice is also found as compensations were not obtained in full amount, promises were not delivered and only 20 feet x 60 feet plots were given despite 40 feet x 60 feet ones were promised. There are incidents where companies and the army turned their land tenants against former land owner farmers. It is viewed that most of above-mentioned land problems have arisen because of power abuses, corruptions and poor administration and management.Therefore, in resolving land problems, rule of law is crucial. Power abuse and bribery needs to be effectively combated. Legislation and statements by the Union Government and the Parliament alone will not be able to resolve the problems; accountability at various regional levels is needed. Responsibilities that must be urgently undertaken are drawing and amending laws, bye laws and land policies which can guarantee the interests of vast majority of national rural populace. Most of land problems are found to have arisen due to weaknesses of Land Record Department. Reforming Land Record Department in line with the current era, taking of a land census and readjusting maps with ground situations need to be undertaken without delay. Moreover, since promotion of role of farmers? unions can directly secure public participation, it can be largely supportive to resolving land problems. In a nut shell, the extent to which land problems can be resolved greatly hinges on how willing the government in power is to serve the interests of farmers."

Source/publisher: 

88 Generation Peace and Open Society (Agri-business and Farmer Affairs Department)

Date of Publication: 

2014-12-30

Date of entry: 

2016-06-05

Grouping: 

  • Individual Documents

Category: 

Language: 

English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)

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Format: 

pdf pdf

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1.13 MB 4.24 MB