Farmers in Twante Township in Yangon Region organized a press conference in Yangon in an attempt to get appropriate compensations for their farmlands seized by the Myanmar Military and the Prisons Department more than 40 years ago.

The Myanmar Military, also known as Tatmadaw, and the Prisons Department seized their lands (total of 5,000 acres) in Shwe Tha Htay area, Shwe Mu Yinn area and Gaday Ta Than area in the township in 1976 without giving reasons.

In 2019, the Central Committee for Scrutinizing Confiscated Farmlands issued a statement saying compensations should be given for the confiscated lands in Shwe Mu Yin area, but the relevant ministry has not given them the compensations, said U San Win, one of the original owners of the lands.

The original owners of the lands have been trying to get back their lands or compensation since the previous government’s tenure, but in vain.