IMNA – The companies constructing cement factories in Kaw Pa Naw and Kaw Don villages of Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, have only paid one-third of the amount price to villagers whose lands were confiscated for the project, according to the original landowners.
A woman whose land was confiscated in Kaw Pa Naw village said, “The current value of my land is about six million, but I only received about two million. It was the most the company paid to anyone. Some just received about 300,000–400,000 kyat as their compensation”.
Paddy fields and rubber plantations totaling approximately 800 acres between Kaw Pa Naw and Kaw Don villages have already been measured and prepared for the construction of two cement factories, according to Nai Aue Mon, Coordinator of the Human Rights Documentation and Dissemination Project, Human Rights Foundation of Monland – Burma.
A female victim of land confiscation said that the lands were confiscated without the knowledge of the owners. “[We] didn’t know they had been measuring, and [the factory owners] didn’t inform anything to us. They didn’t ask us to sell our land. They just told the owners the day the company paid the compensation to the owners how much they would receive for their land, and asked for a signature.”
About twenty of forty-nine landowners in Kaw Pa Naw village agreed to sign their names in order to receive the compensation offered by the company.
To prepare for the cement factory, Zaykabar Company began measuring lands at the end of 2010, and compensated the owners starting in January 2011.
According to the permission document from the Ministry of Industry (1), the two companies building the two cement factories are PA Celing Trading Company and John Company, stated a government-run newspaper.
Nai Aue Mon said, “The first company to measure lands was Zaykabar, but it seems now they will not to get a bad name due to the naming of the other companies”.
Measuring in Kaw Don village began, but it is unknown when or if the companies will compensate the locals, said a landowner from Kaw Don.
“They have measured twice, but we don’t know when they will call. However, we have decided not to accept the compensation,” said the owner.
A total of twenty companies have been granted permission to build cement factories, including Max Myanmar, Htoo, Kanbawza Shwetaung, G-4, Asia World, Jade Land, IGE, Yuzana, John, San Lin International, Myanmar Kaung Tone, Myanmar Naing, YIG, Shan Yoma Inmine, Min Anoryadar, Ngwe Yee Palee, Tun Thwen Mining, Tan Taw Myat, and PA Celing.
Currently, fourteen cement factories are operating in Burma, with Max Myanmar, Htoo, Kanbawza, Shwe Taung, and G-4 planning to construct new factories.
