Two Ramree men arrested over land dispute

By Admin 03 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
3 July 2023, Ramree

A restaurant owner and a local man were arrested for allegedly squatting on land that the junta-controlled Ministry of Construction claims ownership of in Ward 3 of Ramree Township, Arakan State, on Monday morning, according to family members.

The two arrestees have been identified as U Aung Lwin, owner of ‘Than Yaw Zin’ restaurant, and U Maung Pwar. The restaurant was reportedly bulldozed by about 50 junta police and departmental personnel without prior notice.

U Aung Lwin and U Maung Pwar were arrested when they attempted to intervene to prevent the demolition of the restaurant, said Daw Ma Htwe, the wife of U Aung Lwin.

“We have been forcibly evicted from this land plot that the Ministry of Construction claims ownership of. We have been living on this land plot for over 20 years. This land plot is owned by the township municipality. We quarrelled with them [junta police and departmental personnel]. U Maung Pwar was also arrested for preventing the demolition of the restaurant,” she explained.

The whereabouts of two arrestees remain unknown, family members said.

Residents said the land where the dispute occurred was previously occupied by intelligence officers and was not owned by the Construction Ministry.

“Previously, the couple ran a restaurant on this land plot to sell food for intelligence officers. Neither the Ministry of Construction nor the township municipality owns this land plot. Junta personnel dismantled the restaurant by force,” said U Kan Kaung, a community elder in Ramree.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from the township police station and officials from the Ministry of Construction regarding the demolition of the restaurant.