AYEYARWADDY DIVISION – Local people reported that civilian houses in Auk Kwin Village, Pyapon Township are being demolished upon orders of the junta council, accusing them of encroaching on junta-owned land.
The houses that the junta council ordered to be demolished were the houses that local people have lived in since the establishment of Auk Kwin Village. However, the terrorist military said that the 34 houses are built on military-owned land and ordered the residents to demolish their houses by May 31 at the latest.
“No notice was sent to us. Junta battalion 98 called us to a meeting and told us to demolish our houses. The meeting was held in the military compounds. The company commander spoke to us. They demarcated the land on April 23, called a meeting on the 25th and a second meeting on May 7. We have lived here for over 60 years since the establishment of Auk Kwin Village. It has also been about 30 years since boundary pillars were built in the back of the house as military territory. Now, they ordered to demolish the houses saying the land belongs to the military, saying the houses must be demolished,” said a local resident.
Auk Kwin Village has around 400 households, and 34 houses are ordered to be demolished, accused of being built on military land. There is also no land compensation for those households, according to local people.