A lawmaker from Arakan’s State’s Mraybon Constituency (no. 1), U Aung Win, told Narinjara that the fact that only a few land confiscation cases have been resolved in Arakan State demonstrates the incompetence of the state government. Statistics reveal that only 17 out of 212 land confiscation cases have been resolved by the Arakan State government so far.
“There are many land confiscation cases which still haven’ been resolved by the government. Even some cases which supposedly have been resolved haven’t actually been resolved pursuant to proper legal guidelines,” he added.
Most of the land confiscation cases reported in Arakan State involve the Burmese Army taking farmland. In addition, some cases involve local businessmen who engage in landgrabbing in cooperation with corrupt officials, revealed U Aung Win.
U Aung Win also mentioned that in some cases the army gives the land to middlemen, thereby preventing the farmer who originally owned the land from getting his/her land back.
According to government sources, most land confiscation cases in Arakan State have taken place in the following townships: Pauktaw, Myaybon, Minbya, Thandway, and Gwa Township.
U Aung Win has already raised the landgrabbing issue during the 10th Arakan State Assembly meeting, which began on August 15th and will end on September 5th. He also appealed to other legislators to submit proposals regarding land confiscation issues so that landgrabbing cases can be resolved in accordance with the law.
