More than 170 acres of farmland was allegedly sold without notifying the farmers of the construction of a cement factory in Maekayo village, Mon state.
U Win Aung, one of the affected farmers in Kyaikmayaw township, said he was shocked when he discovered his annual application for cultivation was rejected.
“We just cultivate the farm like what we did in every previous year. But when we went to submit a Form 1, applying for permission to cultivate our farm, we were told that our farm has been sold to a company. We do not know who this farm has been sold to, but we are the real owners.”
Other farmers were also discouraged from working on their land, U Win Aung said.
“These farms are passed from their great great grandparents from generation to generation. They work on their farms every year for their livings,” said Min Kayai, who serves on a committee that assists farmers in land disputes.
Independent Mon News Agency received a copy of a Feb. 1, 2011 letter to the Village Peace and Development Council (now named Village [Track] Administration) claiming compensation was paid to 32 farmers for 176.15 acres of farmland in Kawlasat and 406 land plots in Maekayo village. It was signed by Dr. Nu Nu Win, managing director for JUNE Industry Ltd, who requested for the land title to be changed alleging the company already purchased it.
“It is said the company bought those farm land. But they didn’t get an agreement from the farm owners and no compensation and nothing exchanged between the company and farmers at all,” Min Kayai said.
On Nov. 2, letters were sent by the concerned farmers requesting help from the New Mon State Party, All Mon Regions Democracy Party and Mon Democracy Party, Min Kayai said.
