Karenni (Kayah) State farmers have decided to form a farmers' union and elected an 18 member central committee at the end of a three-day long farmers’ conference at So-Hlar-Kuu Village, in Phruso Township. Kayah State.
Although farmers have tried to solve land confiscation problems individually it has not been effective. So, they have formed a union so that they can work together said Sayar Thereh, the chairman of the union.
He said: “To be able to solve the problems [of land confiscations] occurring in several areas and to be able to meet farmers networks from several areas, we held a conference and formed a union.”
The conference was held from 14 to 16 February.
Sayar Dee De, a central committee member of the Union of Karenni State Youth (UKSY) said: “Farmers should try to manage their own affairs as it will be more effective. We will only take a support role.”
At the farmer’s conference the central committee of the union was elected, union policy was drawn up, a logo and flag were created and a working plan was decided on.
Ma Yin Yin Hla from Hpasawng Township said: “Regarding the problems of land confiscation we do not know anything, including the [relevant] laws. The formation of the union is a great thing for us.”
Besides farmers from Kayah State the conference was attended by farmers from the Mobye and Pong Long areas and farmers from Pinlaung township in Shan state whose lands had been confiscated.
In total 170 farmers attended the conference.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
