SHAN STATE (SOUTH) – According to the victims, the division 55 under the junta council forcibly expropriated more than 30 acres of land, in Kalaw township, Southern Shan state.
On February 10, the Division 55 expropriated the civilians owned lands which are located on the road sides of Aungban-Pindaya road, in Kalaw township. After the Division 55 expropriated, some of the generals shared the lands.
A victim farmer mentioned that “they said they have to expropriate 30 acres of land and they have expropriated lots of land on the east side of the main road, on the northern part of Kaunghmutaw pagoda, in Loimahkan village. There are lots of farmers who lost their lands. The Division 55 took responsibility for the expropriation and the junta council officers shared and took the lands for their own sake. They (the junta council troops) planted the red flags in the lands where the farmers are currently cultivating, under the accusations that Kalaw division 55 ordered to expropriate.”
On February 10, the junta council troops had come by the military vehicles carrying concrete pillars and fenced all of the lands which are on the east side of the main road, near the entrance to Loimahkan village, by using the military coordination commander (Army/ Navy/ Air) Maung Maung Aye.
The victim continued that “they (the junta council troops) carried the concrete pillars by military vehicles at once. The junta council generals came by a white Mark 2 to superintend them. Following that, the junta troops planted pillars, painted green marks on the tops of the pillars and fenced the civilians’ land off at once. After the coup, there are many farmers who lost their lands due to the forcible expropriation of land by the junta council generals.”
As Kalaw town is a place where tourism business is developed and the weather is cool, the junta council generals are eyeing on the lands in Kalaw. Hence, the forcible expropriation of lands continues to occur in Kalaw.