Cyclone affected farmlands likely to be seized for forest reserve

Myint Maung
Mizzima News

Monday, 23 June 2008, New Delhi – In an inexplicable move the forest department of the ruling Burmese military junta has decided to confiscate nearly 25,000 acres of cyclone affected farmlands in Kadone Kani village tract, Bogale Township, Irrawaddy Division. The idea – to extend the reserve forest area and there is no answer to what will happen to the livelihood of farmers.

The announcement on June 17 was issued by the Township Forest Department chief U Kan Tun. He in turn was under directives of the Irrawaddy Division Forest Department in a circular on June 15 which said about 23,000 acres of cyclone affected farmlands will be seized and converted to forest reserve, local residents said.

"The announcement states nearly 25,000 acres of farmland will be confiscated," a local resident from Bogale told Mizzima.

The current forest reserve area is 33,340 acres. It will be increased to 58,443 acres after confiscation of the farmlands.

The Irrawaddy Divisional Forest Department circulated its announcement of the seizure to government departments in Pathein, Myaungmya and Bogale Townships. It also sent copies to Kyin Chaung and Kyun Thar Yar Villages Peace and Development Council (PDC) under the Kadone Kani Kodone Kani village tract PDC.

Though residents say that cyclone affected farmers who will lose their farmlands soon, they cannot estimate the exact number of farmers who will be affected by the draconian order of the Divisional Forest Department.

"Some farmers have begun cultivation on their farmlands while some are still waiting because of lack of inadequate equipments and farm inputs," a local resident of Bogale said.

"If the forest department officials force farmers to handover their farmlands, the farmers will make a collective appeal to government officials by producing supporting documents of farmland sale deeds signed by the 'Agricultural Marketing Corporation', the agreement made with forest department and land use right documented in the Land Record and Resettlement Department", he added.