Statement by Political and Community Based Organizations in Kayah State Condemning the Planned Trespassing Charges Against 190 Villagers of Hso Lyah Ku Village in Pruso Township of Kayah State

By Civil Society Organizations • July 8, 2014

a) The lands around Hso Lyah Ku village, which have been farmed for generations by the villagers, have been forcibly confiscated by Light Infantry Battalion 531 due to the failure of previous governments to issue title deeds to land owners, and also due to the failure to proceed with registration of the land according to the 2012 Land Law.

b) The villagers have the right to continue ploughing their land and plant crops each year, as their families have been doing for generations.

c) We, the local people, believe that LIB 531’s plan to file legal charges against 190 villagers for trespassing when they were simply plowing their land to plant crops is not justified, and is an infringement of their rights.

d) 2014 is an important year of potential transition towards democracy and lasting peace in Burma. Given that democracy and revolution must be based on the people, we believe that the threatened lawsuit by LIB 531 and the continued confiscation of local villagers’ land will stall the progress towards democracy and peace in the country.

e) Therefore, to promote the establishment of democracy and peace, we demand that LIB 531 immediately withdraws its planned lawsuit against the 190 farmers and returns to the Hso Lyah Ku villagers all the lands that they have confiscated.

f) We encourage all farmers, other educated people, and responsible persons in Kayah State to oppose the action threatened by LIB 531 and help cooperate in fighting for justice for land issues in Kayah State.

g) We urge the government and Members of Parliament to take responsibility for the land conflict around Hso Lyah Ku village, and ensure that it is solved fairly as soon as possible.

Organizations endorsing this statement:
Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)
Karenni Nationalities People’s Liberation Front (KNPLF)
Karenni National Peace and Development Party (KNPDP)
Kayan New Land Party (KNLP)
All Nationalities Democracy Party (ANDP)
Kayan National Party (KNP)
Karenni National Women Organization (KNOW)
88 Generation (Kayah State)
Kayah State Youth Network (KSYN)
Ko Le Hso farmers Group
Karenni Women Network
Women Galaxy (Loikaw)

Union of Karenni State Youth:
1)     Karenni National Youth Organization (KNYO)
2)     Kayan New Generation Youth (KNGY)
3)     Kayan Women Organization (KyWO)
4)     Student Union (Kayah State)
5)     Individual activists

Farmers Network (Karenni State):
1)     Law Thalay Farmers
2)     Mataw Khu Farmers
3)     Moebye Farmers
4)     A Lae Kayan Farmers
5)     Paung Laung areas’ Farmers

Contact:
Union of Karenni State Youth (UKSY)
Phone: 09 492748524
Phone: 09 428005127 ( For English language)