Hundreds of houses for over 100,000 workers from lower Burma who are to work in its crop fields in the Hukawng Valley in Kachin State are being constructed by Rangoon-based Yuzana company, said sources close to the firm.
Hundreds of wooden houses for workers and sheds for farming equipments are being set up on both left and right sides along the Stilwell Road or Ledo Road (also known as Burma Road in WW II) between Nawng Mi and Danai (Tanai), said eyewitnesses.
Currently over a thousand Burman workers from lower Burma, are working in the crop fields doing the company's general work. New Burman workers will be brought in soon, according to sources close to the company.
In late 2006, the company started to grow mainly cassava plants and sugar cane in some areas in parts of over 200,000 acres of land which was bought from the Burmese regime in early 2006, said residents of Hukawng Valley.
Moreover, the Yuzana Company is creating crop fields by felling all trees in the forests which have been protected by local Kachin people for a long time. The timber is being transported to Rangoon by train for export since 2006, said local residents.
The Yuzana Company is owned by a young Burman tycoon U Htay Myint, who is close to the businessman son of the junta's No. 2 Srn-Gen Maung Aye. The residents of the Valley cannot protest because it is protected by local Burmese Army bases, added locals.
On the other hand, the company is reconstructing the Stilwell Road with sand-stones from Namti to Danai. But bridges are being constructed with concrete by Chinese workers who are hired by the Yuzana Company, said travellers.
On June 26, 2007, the junta's No. 1 Snr-Gen Than Shwe was urged to stop the Yuzana company's grabbing of land from local Kachins by a letter, which was signed by 19 representatives and over 800 farmers in villages along Ledo Road- Nawng Mi, Warazup, Tingkawk, Kawng Ra and Danai Town in the Valley. However there was no response.
Presently, native Kachins of Hukawng Valley are angry and fuming over the activities of the Yuzana Company and the junta for grabbing their land with military muscle and they view them as the "invaders of their land".
