A Catholic missionary has accused Kayah State Chief Minister L Phaung Sho of taking lands owned by the Catholic church in his constituency Mese by abusing his power and authority.

Two years after taking charge of the office in the 2015 general elections, the 39-year-old Kayah State CM obtained a lease for a plot of land in his name including part of the land belonging to the Catholic church, Father Richard Thura Tun of Loikaw Catholic Church said.

“We don’t know much about law but we feel it is unfair for us. This is owned by the Catholic Church and it is for Catholicism. We are not only talking about the price of the land, but we are also talking about misuse of power,” Father Richard Thura Tun told media persons at a press conference held in Yangon today, November 8.

The Catholic Church accused Kayah State CM of the disputed land in Mese town, on Thai-Myanmar border, southeast of Kayah State in 2014 while he was serving as Mese Township Assistant Education Officer before being elected and appointed as CM, he built a boundary wall around the disputed land as his private property.

Father Richard Thura Tun said they sent a complaint letter to ruling NLD party and government officials including Aung San Suu Kyi but there was no action taken.

Mizzima contacted the Kayah State government office three times to ask about the accusation but they replied only that they were not free yet to answer any questions.