Over 900 farmers submitted a petition to Yangon Region government on November 20 over lands in Yangon Region, Dagon Myothit (Seikkan) Township, East Dagon Township and South Dagon Township acquired by the government.

975 local farmers submitted the petition regarding the sale of seized lands acquired by region government for establishing industrial zones and for agriculture. They submitted an application for redistribution of the seized lands by issuing redistribution and land use rights Form (1).

Higher Grade Pleader Pho Phyu who represents the farmers said, “As per the statute law of 2012 Land Law and Vacant Land and Virgin Land Management Law, these lands must be administered and managed only by union government. So, we pointed out in our petition that management of these seized lands by region government within the framework of Local Government Law is violating these land laws.”

The region government transferred the lands to 16 private companies beginning 2014 for the implementation a of model community farming project and agricultural production through land use rights Form 7 but these works have been unsuccessful and the lands reportedly still exist as vacant land and virgin land.

Local farmers say that the companies who got Form 7 for working on the lands did not implement the said projects and moreover were doing other businesses other than agricultural work and production without getting permission from the local government so that the lands must be taken back by the government in accordance with 2012 Agricultural Land Law and they submitted their application for granting them land use rights on these lands by issuing Form 1 as vacant land and virgin land.