8 News THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 8- 14, 2013
8 News THE MYANMAR TIMES JULY 8- 14, 2013
Yangon farmers protest land dispute
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SU PHYO WIN
suphyo1990 @ gmail. com
MORE than 300 farmers demonstrated outside the offices of four companies in East Dagon township last week about the confiscation of more than 1770 acres of land in 2008.
The land, which was seized from 351 farmers, was ostensibly to be used for a contract farming project.
The farmers, from Htaung Ta Lote, Sit Pin, Thone Khwa and Ywar Thar Gyi villages in East Dagon township, protested outside the offices of Dagon International, Yuzana, Myint Zeya and Sin Shweli special rice companies.
The protesters held signboards with slogans calling on the government to settle land disputes quickly, and asking for the end to legal action against farmers by companies that occupy the land, which has been seized under the military regime.
Farmer U Tin Aye, who had 30 acres of land confiscated, said people in the area were deceived.
“ When President U Thein Sein was prime minister, he came to us with
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the four companies and said that they would do contract farming with us,” he said,“ which would provide us with interest-free loans and also technological and technical support.”
He added that U Thein Sein had told farmers that their land would not be confiscated. And yet within one month“ we were kicked off our land and have not been able to return until now”, said U Tin Aye. He added that his land had been seized by Sin Shweli Company.
Several farmers who took part in the protest told The Myanmar Times that the confiscation had left them with no hope because they had few other career options.
“ We hope to rebuild our lives, after years of living on nothing,” said U Tin Sein, whose 10 acres were seized by Yuzana.
“ We want our land back so that we can return to work. We just want a fair resolution of this conflict,” he said.
With a number of major companies recently announcing that they would return seized lands to its original owners – including Htoo Group and Max Myanmar – farmers across the country are stepping up efforts to get fair compensation or have their land returned.
“ We heard that Max Myanmar already paid compensation of K2.8 million an acre, and at South Dagon they
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are negotiating with farmers,” said U Tin Win, an organiser of the protest whose 40 acres were appropriated in Htaung Ta Lote village.“ We hope that [ the four companies ] will come to us and negotiate. The last time that we tried to negotiate with the companies, we asked for K3.5 million an acre but the companies did not respond. |
Farmers protest over a land dispute in East Dagon township. Photo:
Zarni Phyo
“ If the companies don’ t want to pay compensation, we want our land back.”
Spokespersons for the companies said the land had been officially handed to them by the government, and they had borne the financial risk of contract farming the land. As a result, they said during a meeting with the farmers and the national parliament’ s land dispute
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investigation commission that they have no intention of returning the land.
U Khine Maung Yi, a member of the commission, said the companies had lost money from the contract farming.
“ When we were negotiating with the companies they said that they had made losses through contract farming because the farmers never paid back their loans,” he said.“ And because the government officially gave the companies the right to farm the land, the companies say they cannot return it.”
But U Hlaing, who also lost 40 acres to Sin Shweli after trying to do contract farming for two years, said few farmers were ever likely to succeed under the agreements they were forced to sign.
“ Only a few farmers owned machinery and the company made the farmers pay back 10 baskets of rice for each acre as the rental fee,” he said.“ And we had to pay back the loans too.”
U Khine Maung Yi said the military government had tried to use contract farming to boost agriculture production by mechanising farming, adding that the farmers should be asking the government for compensation – not the companies.
“ If land is confiscated for a project that fails, then the land should be returned. But the government should manage this problem.”
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International Management Group
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
The International Management Group is an international organization with an office established in Yangon and is seeking for the following positions for EU-funded capacity building project.
( a) National Programme Officer( national) is required for a new EU-funded project in the IMG office in Yangon. The position requires over 5 years’ experience in senior project management. A Postgraduate development or political science degree a requirement. Required to assist in the management of an exciting programme of grants and sub-grants. Required to assist in managing a staff of 4. Work and coordinate with international and national partner organisations. Experience with EU programming preferred. Fluent spoken and written English is required. Excellent computer skills required. Applications by email. Deadline: 16th July, 2013.
( b) Logistics and Procurement Officer( national) is required for a new EU-funded project in the IMG office in Yangon. Experience in procuring items such as office supplies, furniture, equipment, cars, etc., for the IMG office and project partners. Experience required in national and preferred in international procurement. Experience with EU rules preferred. Candidate will also be expected to produce documentation on procurement and payments. Experience necessary in scheduling travel and accommodation, and in organizing IMG events. The position requires at least 3 years experience in procurement and logistics. Fluent spoken and written English is required. Excellent computer skills required. The position requires working to support a team of 5 staff within a larger office. Applications by email. Deadline: 16th July, 2013.
( c) Financial Officer( national) is required for a new EU-funded project in the IMG office in Yangon. Sound experience in accounting, financial reporting and procedure. Experience in handling bank accounts. The position requires at least 5 years’ experience in programme accounting. Proficiency in spoken and written English is required as well as excellent computer skills in basic software packages. The position requires working to support a team of 5 staff within a larger office.
( d) Secretary / Assistant( national) is required for a new EUfunded project in the IMG office in Yangon. Experience in office administration, basic book-keeping, and letter writing is essential. Experience in arranging workshops, bookings for travel and accommodation essential. The position requires at least 3 years’ experience in programme assistance or office administration. Proficiency in spoken and written English is required as well as excellent computer skills in basic software packages. The position requires working to support a team of 5 staff within a larger office.
The complete Terms of Reference for the position can be obtained at the IMG website: www. img-int. org Please send application and CV with cover letter to the IMG Office at: Room 506, 5th Floor, Royal Yaw Min Gyi Condominium, No. 52, Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon, Yangon, via email to: vacancy-myanmar @ img-int. org before closing date July 16th 2013.
Farmers’ protection bill slammed
SU PHYO WIN suphyo1990 @ gmail. com
NEW legislation to protect farmers is being dismissed as political theatre that will fail to benefit the nearly 70 percent of Myanmar’ s population that relies on agriculture for their livelihood.
The farmers’ protection bill submitted to parliament on June 30 was drafted without meaningful input from farmers,
U Tun Myint Aung, chair of the 88 Generation group’ s farmers’ committee, told a press conference in Yangon on July 3.
“ Farmers are having their land confiscated and some are nearly starving,” U Tun Myint Aung said. He said the root of the problem was land seizures under the military government, and said these crimes need to be addressed.
“ The most urgent matter is to make a law that can fully protect the rights of farmers,” U Tun Myint Aung added.
U Myo Aung, a member of the activist group’ s farmers’ committee, said the legislation was drafted by bureaucrats and businesspeople. He said it might actually exacerbate the problems farmers face because it benefits businesses.
The legislation focuses on lending, pricing and industrial farming that will assist businesses, bankers and industrial farmers, he said.
An economics researcher warned that any attempt to set prices would be“ a very terrible move”.
“ There have been discussions around downgrading Thai bonds due to the excessive fiscal pressure arising from
[ Thailand’ s ] rice price scheme,” said the researcher.
Although subsidising farmers is common“ and not necessarily bad policy”, the researcher questioned where Myanmar“ is going to find the money to do this”.
“ Ultimately, the law does not say anything specific and looks like an electoral campaign [ pledge ],” he said.
“ There is a big risk that the only ones getting subsidised credit are going to be capital intensive industrial farms, while the rest of the population might not have the economic literacy, risk propensity and access to institutions needed to get credit / grants.”
He said the bill is mute on land grabbing and has“ little economics and a lot of politics”.
PATH is an international, nonprofit organization that currently seeks qualified candidates for Finance & Administrative Officerin our Yangon-based office, expected to open this summer.
The Finance & Admin Officer will provide office oversight and operations support in compliance with PATH administrative and financial policies. He / she will be responsible for monitoring financial transactions, preparing payroll, relevant taxes, and monthly financial report to HQ, among other things. Administrative tasksmay include office management and logistics, reception duties, note taking, records management, coordination of workshops and staff travel, and other duties as requested.
Knowledge, skills and experience required: A minimum five years ' experience with an international organization or NGO in a related field. Bachelor’ s degree in accounting or equivalent preferred; Excellent word processing and database skills; Strong communication and organizational skills; Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team; Excellent written and spoken Myanmar and English; Ability to participate effectively in meetings and Skype calls with colleagues and partners. For full position description and information on the application process, please visit the jobs section of the PATH website( www. path. org).