Monday, May 1, 2017

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

Military agrees to return seized lands in Laikha

Posted: 01 May 2017 01:20 AM PDT

A number of rural families in southern Shan State's Laikha Township are to be given back lands that were confiscated from them by the Burmese army more than 20 years ago.


According to Sai Htun Aung, an MP from the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) representing Laikha Township, village elders and MPs met with representatives of the Burmese military on April 28. He said that the military officials agreed to give back the villagers' lands.

"We have submitted details of the case to the Shan State parliament. The deputy minister of defense told us that they would return the lands to the rightful owners," said Sai Htun Aung. 

"We are now moving ahead by checking and preparing the land.
"[Burmese army] Battalion No. 515 seized the residents' lands in Honar Wanparng tract when they set up their base there in the 1990s," the SNLD lawmaker said, adding that the farmers claim about 184 acres of lands were confiscated.

He added that no timeline had yet been laid out for when Battalion No. 515 would officially hand over the lands.

Shan Herald reported on April 28 that the residents in Kha Laing village in northern Shan State's Hsipaw Township had gathered in the street to demand the return of their lands from the Burmese military.

During the era of the military junta, arbitrary seizures of farmers' lands were common across the country, particularly in Shan State. By the 2000s, much of the seized land had been rented out to agri-business firms, and a massive government campaign was initiated to encourage investment in the harvesting of jatropha oil. Ultimately, the scheme failed; investors lost great sums of money, while farmers lost land and livelihoods.

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

WHAT IS THE UNFC DOING?

Posted: 30 Apr 2017 07:53 PM PDT

The UNFC has supposedly agreed in principle on its nine demands with Aung
San Suu Kyi's peace team. Some members are even saying that they might
sign the NCA.

The problem with this is that agreeing "in principle" means nothing. It
means absolutely nothing! The nine points have to be IMPLEMENTED, which
will never happen, hence the UNFC members should never sign the NCA. Here
are the nine points.

1. Bilateral ceasefire agreement between the government-military and the
UNFC;
2. To build a federal union with result achieved from 21CPC;
3. Agreement of tripartite dialogue composition;
4. Drafting and promulgation of constitutional law based on the outcome of
21CPC;
5. Advance agreement on Military Codes of Conduct (CoC) and monitoring on
Terms of Reference (ToR);
6. Formation of military Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) with
representatives from government, EAOs and international figures acceptable
to both parties;
7. Formation of a neutral, enforcement tribunal for NCA involving domestic
and international law experts and judges that are acceptable to both
parties;
8. Developmental projects to be tackled according to Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative (EITI), in cooperation with the public and the
EAOs; and
9. Signing of the NCA after the above points are in agreement.
(Source: via Kachinland News, UNFC Statement – December 13, 2016)

Point 1 is to declare an actual on the ground ceasefire, which the
military dictatorship will never, ever do. What the hell is going on? Why
are the UNFC members acting like there is progress, when for the only
party that matters, the Tatmadaw, there is none? If they are just
"negotiating," trying to be nice, that's one thing. But the alliance
members should never sign anything until an agreement that truly protects
their peoples, the ethnic nationalities of Burma, is achieved.
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