Farmers want permission to grow crops on 600 acres of farmland to the south-east of So-Hlar-Ku village in Phruso Township, that Burma Army Battalion 531 confiscated 20 years ago, said Ko Tureh a farming affairs activist.
The farmers sent letters asking to be permitted to grow crops on the land to the Kayah (Karenni) State government and the Phruso Township Administration offices on 30 April.
In the letters the farmers asked to be allowed to cultivate the confiscated land now and in the future or to be given replacement farmland.
Ko Tureh said: “The So-Hlar-Ku farmers make their livelihood by working this farmland. If they cannot work it what are they going to eat?”
A farmer from So-Hlar-Ku village explained that the growing season was fast approaching so the farmers want to get approval to use the land so that they can start planting. She said: “We have to plant in May, if we have to wait longer it will be badly affect our crop production, which is not good because we rely on these crops for our livelihood.”
U Thereh, chairman of the Karenni Farmers Union said: “We will stand side by side with the farmers and fight for their rights to get back their confiscated farmlands.
Five farmers were prosecuted in Phruso Court on 27 April by the army for growing on the confiscated farmland. On that day over 400 farmers also protested in Phruso demanding the return of their confiscated lands.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
