The authorities forcibly relocated some 30 households from a highway construction site in Paletwa Township, Chin State. The site was part the Indo-Burma Kaladan Multimodal Project.
Max Myanmar Co. Ltd is responsible for the road construction that will connect Mizoram State in northeast India with Chin State. Thirty households, about one third of the total in Oh Temawa village, received no compensation, according to Mr. Chan Htun, Secretary Two of the Chin Progressive Party (CNP).
“The houses, where the road is being constructed, were demolished by the authorities. Now, I confirmed that 30 households have been moved,” said Chan Htun.
The Oh Temawa villagers had been irrigating their fields. Max Myanmar Co. Ltd workers destroyed 75 acres, forcing the villagers to stop cultivation there, said Mr. Shein Tun.
Mr. Shein Tun told Khonumthung the CNP’s hopes to persuade the central government and Max Myanmar Co. Ltd to provide compensation as well as deal with issues under the state constitution so as to stop relocating people from the multimodal project site.
“The meeting will be held on Saturday and we discuss the forced relocation of people. Our party will request the government of Myanmar and the company to compensate local people,” said Shein Tun.
The multimodal project was signed between Burma and India governments in April 2008 and will cost around 140 million dollars.
The construction is being undertaken by Essar Company of India and that company plans to complete the project in 2013. Khonumthung News
