The junta has ordered the demolition of houses and shops along the two main roads and in several wards of Ye Town Mon State, citing security concerns and alleged encroachment on the road.
On 25 November, the junta issued an order to demolish shops along Razadarit Road and Tanintharyi Road in Ye Town, as well as houses and shops in the wards of Aung Myittar, Aung Mingalar, Nandar, Yan Myo Aung, Yan Gyi Aung, Khay Mar, Annawar, Mar Lar, and Zeyar.
The junta gave a deadline of 7 December for the buildings it had selected to be destroyed. Some buildings have already been torn down, others are in the process of being pulled down, but even though the deadline has passed, others have done nothing and are monitoring the situation.
Those whose houses and shops have already been destroyed in Ye have received no compensation, according to Nai Aue Mon, the programme director of the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) which is researching the matter.
The junta claimed that it had ordered the demolition of shops on Razadarit Road and Tanintharyi Road because they were encroaching on the roads, according to a resident of Ye Town.
He said to NMG: “The junta has ordered the demolition of all buildings along the main roads in the town and has also targeted roadside shops, accusing them of encroaching on the roadway. Some residents have already faced the destruction of their homes. The junta is using heavy machinery like backhoes and excavators to demolish the buildings. The junta is intimidating the public in Ye, and the situation here is dire.”
He also dismissed the junta’s claims that the houses and shops were being demolished because they encroached on a public roadway.
“These houses and shops were built on lands that have been owned by locals since the time of their ancestors and were not illegal constructions,” he asserted.
Similarly, the junta has ordered the destruction of homes and shops near to the airport in Mawlamyine, the Mon State capital, again citing security concerns and encroachment on the road, according to Nai Aue Mon from HURFOM.
He said: “This is the second time the junta has forced the demolition of shops near the airport. There are tea shops and other shops along the road next to the airport. The junta claims they must be removed for security reasons due to their proximity to the airport and alleges that about 50 shops are encroaching on the roadway. But as the junta is forcing the demolition of the shops, it seems inevitable that they will be brought down.”
He also suggested that the main reason the junta was ordering the destruction of houses and shops in Ye and Mawlamyine towns was because of security issues.
He said to NMG: “It is possible that the shops were ordered to be demolished from a security perspective, to prevent resistance members from using roadside tea shops to monitor the movements of junta troops. It may also be an attempt by the junta to suppress the public—whether for security reasons or simply to intimidate the people without cause. Regardless, these buildings must be demolished, and some have already begun to be torn down.”
