“We will be adjudicated in September after attorneys from both side submit testimonies and evidence to the court by August 30”, U Tun Kyi one of the 10 protesters told Mizzima on August 22.

The pipeline started  transportation of 400 million cubic feet of gas daily from Kyauk Phyu in Rakhine state to Kunming in China daily on July 15 and was officially launched on July 28.

The 10 protesters led a protest by 500 residents demanding Regional Development Programs in the areas which are along the Shwe Natural Gas Pipeline, on April 18. They were arrested by Ma Day Kyun Police officers and booked under Section 18 at the Kyauk Phyu court.

U Tun Kyi said that court hearings for the case began at the Kyauk Phyu court on May 6. They have already had 11 hearing so far.

“They arrested only 10 of us among all the demonstrators. They arrested us as a warning to the remaining people, to prevent protest in the future. We will accept the punishment and continue demanding regional development programs”, said U Tun Kyi.

During the protest, the Kyauk Phyu residents demanded settlement of land problems that will arise due to the pipeline, facilitation of transportation for the villages, to provide electricity and construct regional health care centers, schools and wells in each village.

Ma Snow from Kyauk Phyu Natural Gas Pipeline Watch Group told Mizzima that there are some people who have not received compensation for their inherited land which are along the gas pipeline, since they do not have adequate documents.