Grabbing Land: Destructive Development in Ta'ang Region

ABSTRACTED FROM THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In accordance to the land confiscation documented in this report, the Burmese military regime has not only constantly violated the domestic laws in Burma like the Nationalisation Act, the Land Acquisition Act and also Customary Law but also international law, such as the UDHR charter, CEDAW, CRC, ICESCR and farming protection rights. Thereon, farmers have illegally had their farming lands confiscated some have received minimal and insufficient compensation and other victims have had their lands confiscated without any compensation whatsoever; this report represents those listed above. Moreover, the farmers and local people have had their farming lands confiscated without any practical alternatives or solutions from the military or Government. This is reflected in the current food crisis as well as the devastating affects of underdeveloped living standards existing throughout the country. In the report's research, six fieldworkers met and interviewed 51 farmers and local people who were victims of land confiscation. Through these interviews they collected and compiled their research to reflect the impact of land confiscation in the Ta'ang area and to give a platform to the victims to express their and their families' loss and suffereing as a result of their land being taken. The people interviewed represent only a portion of those who have been victims of land confiscation in the Ta'ang areas throughout Burma. This report endeavors to highlight the continuing human rights violations suffered by the Ta'ang people as a direct result of land confiscation.

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