Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA)

July 31, 2003

SPDC cleverly appoach the Buddhist monks in farmland confiscation for the new route

To implement Southeast Command and Maj. Gen. Maung Bo’s adopted road construction plan in Karen State that connects two villages, Zathapyin and Kyone-doe, the SPDC authorities in the area approached the Buddhist to confiscate lands, on which the route passes through.

The authorities planned to measure and confiscate these lands in the first week of August. As they would like to avoid the conflict with farmers, the authorities approached the Buddhist monks in the area to confiscate the paddy-growing farmlands on behalf of them.

In the meeting with monks, the authorities instructed to them that they should take the signatures of the farmers that agreeing to offer their lands.

The road is about 17 miles long and many acres of lands, which are along the route would be confiscated. Because of forcible instruction, the monks also have to inform to farmers about the land confiscation and to sign that they offer their lands, said by an elder man.

Accordingly to the man, to ease in land confiscation, they approached the monks to confiscate lands. Because of the instruction to the monks, there is an argument between monks and farmers.

In the last dry season, Commander of Southeast Command, Maj. Gen. Thura Mying Aung conscripted many villagers to contribute their unpaid labour in the construction of a 30 miles road from Tarana village in Mon State to Kyone-doe village in Karen State. Again now, the authorities plan to build this Zathapyin-Kyone-doe road in Pa-an Township of Karen State and as first step, they confiscate lands.

Kawkareik District Peace and Development Council Chairman, U Ko Ko Gyi, will conscript the villagers again in the construction of this new road in the coming dry season, September or October, like he did in the construction of 30 miles long road construction.