Amid UNESCO heritage bid, illegal settlements in Mrauk-U to be removed within six months: Archaeology Department

By DMG 11 Apr 2022

DMG Newsroom
11 April 2022,Mrauk_U

Officials from the Department of Archaeology and National Museum have said illegal settlements in Arakan State’s Mrauk-U will be removed within six months, ahead of the expected visit of experts evaluating the ancient city’s bid for UNESCO World Heritage status. 

Out of about 600 illegal settlements in Mrauk-U, the houses of squatters near the moats and office of the Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department will be removed on a prioritised basis, according to U Kyi Khin, director of the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Mrauk-U branch). 

“Illegal settlements in Mrauk-U, in northern Arakan State, will be removed within six months, before experts from UNESCO visit the ancient Arakanese city. Everything that affects the view of ancient buildings will be removed,” he told DMG. 

In addition, squatters near Thakya Manaung and Yadanar Manaung pagodas will be evicted from the area in phases, according to the department. 

U Kyi Khin said the government was planning to provide land alternatives for the evictees so that they would not suffer financial hardship. 

“It can be said that the relevant authorities have already started to remove the squatters. We are currently looking for land plots for the evictees,” he added. 

“If the squatters are to be removed, I think it should be done now,” said a former Arakan State MP for Mrauk-U Township, U Tun Thar Sein. “Nothing has been done on the ground, so we doubt that these squatters will be removed. The reason for the scepticism is that no plan has been implemented to evict squatters from illegal settlements so far.” 

The number of squatters in Mrauk-U has increased year after year due to weak enforcement of the rule of law, U Tun Thar Sein told DMG, adding that if illegal settlements are not addressed effectively, Mrauk-U’s archeological heritage could be lost. 

“A high school on Nan Taw Yar Hill, an old hospital near a moat, and an old office are scheduled to be demolished,” said U Than Tun, Arakan State’s minister for natural resources under the military government. 

Experts are due to make Mrauk-U field visits in the coming months, with the World Heritage Committee expected to make a decision thereafter on whether the ancient city should be inscribed on the World Heritage List.