Land owners in Mrauk-U’s new town project want deserved compensation

By Khaing Roe La 06 Sep 2019

Khaing Roe La | DMG
6 September, Sittwe
 
A new town project will be developed on over 400 acres of land in Mrauk-U Township, Arakan State and some farmers who own the land targeted for the project area expect that they will be paid appropriate compensation.

The new town project will be implemented on 436 acres of land owned by 65 farmers from Dhammariz Ward, Maungshuikan and Okkphokan Villages near the Yangon-Sittwe Road north of Mrauk-U Town. Officials from the township farmland management committee, the General Administration Department and the Department of Planning visited the project area and held a discussion with the land owners on 1 September.

Officials asked farmers to set the price for the land slated for the project, said some farmers. “They convened over 60 farmers who owned the farmland in the area and asked for land compensation prices” said U Kyaw Naing Win, farmer from Okphokan Village. Farmers demand MMK 20 million for per acre for their land and are concerned they will not get the price they set.

“The current price per acre of farmland ranges from MMK 20 million to MMK 23 million. We worry that the government will not compensate us at the current price. We want MMK 20 million for per acre. If we don’t get it, we will not be satisfied,” said U Maung Mya Thar, farmer from Maungshuikan Village.

The government has yet to issue the directive for the proposed land for the project and compensation should be given to farmers in line with the the current price, said U Kyaw Htwee, In-charge of Farmer’s Legal Aid Network.

“If the land price does not fall, farmers will suffer from it. This is the reason why farmers worry about it. This issue should be addressed in accordance with the law,” he added.

The new town project will affect the draft proposal to list Mrauk-U into the UNESCO world cultural heritage zone. Discussions were made to relocate some houses in the precinct of ancient pagodas in Mrauk-U but the government has not officially informed the house owners about it.