A proposed protest against the Chinese company, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), at Taung Falar Village in Ann Township, Rakhine State planned for Thursday has been postponed until 21 September 2015.
According to Ko Myo Lwin, the chairman of the Ann All-Round Development Association, local people decided to organise the protest because CNPC has failed to address the problem of loses caused to farmers by the company's oil and gas pipelines.
The protest, originally planned for 16 September, was being held because CNPC had refused to listen to shrimp farm owners and farmers complaints about the difficulties the company's pipelines were causing them.
But the head of Ann Township requested that the farmers try again to negotiate with the company officials, so the protest was immediately postponed, according to Ko Myo Lwin.
Nearly 100 families face serious losses due to damage caused to their shrimp farms and farming land by the pipelines passing through them.
The families have been trying to re-use the land, but they have been unable to farm the land or raise shrimps on it because it has degraded too much.
Because of this the families have had no other option except to demand compensation for their losses. When CNPC officials did not respond to their grievances they unanimously agreed to protest against the company's policies.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
