In the beginning of 2000 the Than Daung Gyi tourist project, which the SPDC had originally hoped to build for ‘Visit Myanmar Year 1996", was revived. Lt. General Win Myint, Secretary-3 of the SPDC, who came to Than Daung Gyi, Karen State along with Hotels and Tourism Minister Major General Saw Lwin and other officials in February 2000 to plan the project. According to the Burmese language newspaper ‘The Mirror’ dated 12/2/2000, Major General Saw Lwin remarked in his speech during the visit on the "need to carry out the Taung Sakan Myo (Hill Camp Town) project to make it interesting for international tourists." A day after Win Myint and Saw Lwin’s visit, Colonel Myo Myint was ordered by the Southern Regional Command commander, Major General Tin Aye, to move the markets in the town and told where to house the soldiers’ families, how to build the roads, how to use the bulldozers to dig the roads and where to build a communications center. Following the visit, the military confiscated the land, including the tea, coffee and dogfruit crops of the villagers, relocated the villagers, and began construction on new buildings. They have also started digging the town road.

The plan is to make Than Daung Gyi a tourist destination within one year. The Burmese press (see The Mirror, 12/2/00, and The New Light of Myanmar, 12/2/00) has reported that eighteen (unnamed) ‘private’ Burmese companies have invested in the project. A new hotel is being built for the tourists. According to the plan, the communication center will even have e-mail, an odd feature when even the internet cafes in Rangoon don’t have email or internet access. Forced labor is being used for the construction of the buildings. The nearby Maw Koh hot springs in Ker Weh and another hot springs at Taw Bya Gyi village are also to be part of the project. Taw Bya Gyi is along the New Than Daung-Than Daung Gyi road, but a new road is being constructed to Ker Weh. Villagers in the Ker Weh area have been forced to clear the way for the bulldozers and to dig out any big stones. They are not paid for the work, nor are they given any food.

A new battalion, Infantry Battalion #124, set up its headquarters in Than Daung Gyi for the purpose of securing the town for the project. A large new camp, which the SPDC is calling ‘Bayinnaung Town’, is being built in the town to house the soldiers and their families. The military has confiscated the land for four miles around it to build on. This land included the tea, coffee and dogfruit plantations of many villagers. Security for the project has been deemed very important. Light Infantry Battalions #344, 349, and 439 and Infantry Battalions #20, 34, and 55 have been sent to the area around the town to maintain security. At least four battalions from Military Operations Command #6 were also sent to the area in January and stayed until the end of March for the purpose of guaranteeing security for the project. (Source: KHRG)

GO TO MAIN PAGE