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National League for Democracy
NO (97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan, Rangoon
Statement NO: 17(1/99)
This relates to a petition dated 15 January 1999 written by a farmer on
behalf of the cultivators in some of the village tracts situated in
Sagaing Township, Sagaing Division. It was addressed to the Chairman of
the State Peace and Development Council under the heading "Corruption of
Divisional and subordinate authorities causes hardships and tragic
circumstances."
1. Because of the continuing and forceful momentum of the Irrawaddy
River its banks have collapsed and the river has now reaches the edge of
the villages of Chaung-pauk, Pauk-taw, Mye-kaing, Kyat-taung, Pei-ngase
and Let-pan situated in Sagaing township. Land formed by the process of
silting which is used as an alternative for cultivation has disappeared.
The narrow strip of land behind the villages has been acquired by the
power-wielding authorities combined with the Department of Microbiology
leaving the farmers with no land whatsoever to eke out a living
resulting in distress of mind and body. Some have died and others have
gone insane. Even to feed their cattle there is no available land.
Consequently their animals have starved to death, and those that are
surviving can not be utilized for any labour because of their very weak
physical condition.
2. The farmers from these villages were called to the house of the
chairman of the Ward PDC(Peace and Development Council) where U Tin
Ngwe and U Sein Aung from the Land Records Department got them to sign
some papers deceitfully explaining that this was for the purpose of
crops allotment. Eventually they learnt that their signatures were used
by the officials for their own benefit in the application form "La-Na
(39)" to convert land for cultivation of paddy to garden land.
3. Thirty farmers were picked out and summoned to the Chaung-pauk
Microbiology Department and informed that land would be acquired for the
construction of the department's factory and compensation for loss of
crops for 1988 would be paid at Kyats ten thousand per acre if agreed
to. If there was any dissatisfaction and the compensation was not
accepted but complaints were lodged with anyone, then legal action would
be taken against them for subversive activities. They were thus
compelled to accept the money for a total acreage of 106.35.
4. Previously, in 1994/95 the power-wielding authorities combined with
the Microbiology Department acquired over three hundred acres in the
village tracts of Ye-kha and Kyauk-kar in the Taung-yoe sub-township and
in 1998, over three hundred acres in Kyaung-pauk village tract. The
cultivators and their families are suffering mental distress to such an
extent that many have died and others exist under very harsh conditions.
5. U Aung Maung, a clerk employed by the authorities of the area and a
resident of Shwe-kyet-taunt village, Myetaing village-tract, composed
the petition that was presented to the higher authorities and as a
result has been dismissed from service by the District General
Administrative Officer. Two others who lodged the petition and assisted
in the process are in hiding because they are being hounded out.
6. The remaining cultivators have been compelled to sign up indicating
agreement to serve under the Microbiology Department. U Nwa Maung was
sentenced to one month's imprisonment and to pay a fine of Kyats five
hundred for refusing to sign up. U Kyi Htay, Chairman of Chaung-Pauk
village-tract PDC publicly announced that payment for the remaining 200
acres would be made on 12 January and arrest and legal action would be
taken against those refused to accept the compensation.
7. Though the claim was that the land would be used for a factory and
as garden land, plough machines were brought in and "No Trespassing"
signs placed everywhere. Then again, the cultivators were told if three
baskets of sesame out of every ten produced was made over to the
Microbiology department, they would be allowed to cultivate the land.
This was to their disadvantage and unacceptable. By such and every other
method the existence of the cultivators has been made miserable - bad
like what was experienced during the colonial period at the hands of the
chettyars.
8. These are matters that never should be. We urge the authorities to
investigate these matters to bring about a just settlement taking into
consideration the hardships and suffering of the farmers in respect of
the living conditions, health, education and welfare of the families and
that the right to cultivate and enjoy the fruit of the land be restored
to them.
9. We understand that the said petition to the Chairman of the SPDC was
signed by 76 farmers and the list of 20 persons who were involved in
this project causing loss of land to the cultivators has been provided
as hereunder:-
List of civil servants who were involved in this deceitful practice.
1. Major General Soe Win Division PDC Chairman
2. Lt Colonel Ye Htut " " Secretary
3. Lt Colonel Sein Ya District " Chairman
4. Lt Colonel Ohn Myint " " Secretary
5. U Than Oo " " Judge
6. U Myint Swe Township " Chairman
7. U Win Myint " " Secretary
8. U Ba Nyein " " Head clerk
9. Daw Mya Mya Win " in-charge of departments
10. U Maung Maung " Police In-charge
11. U Thein Oo Min-goon police station in-charge
12. U Tin New Inspector
13. U Sein Aung Land Records Dept In-charge
14. U Myo Oo " " " staff
15. U Maung Myint Surveyor
16. U Htay Maung District Administration
17. Daw May Yu Khaing Deputy Manager, Microbiology
(Yae-Kha-Inn camp)
18. U Pho Aung Staff, Microbiology Dept
19. U Myint Swe Advisor
Chairman (Ya-Ya-Ka) Htan Taw village
20. U Kyi Htay " " Chaung Pauk village
***** All persons in the list are from the Sagaing Division, Sagaing
Township
Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy
29 January 1999