Participants at the Voice of Farmers discussion held from 19-20 August at the 88 Generation- Peace and Open Society office in Yangon. Photo: Bo Bo / Mizzima
An announcement of 17 points of farmers' aspirations was made at the Farmers’ Voice Gathering Discussion led by the Farmers’ Affair Committee on August 20.
The Farmers' Affair Committee is under the 88 Generation- Peace and Open Society. The discussion was held at their office from August 19 to 20.
“Some farmers who attended the discussion had to leave during the meeting as they had court hearings. Some of them had to take leave from their daily wage jobs. The daily wagers used to own farms before. They have lost their farms and work as laborers now. Their lives are filled with tragedies”, said U Tun Myint Aung, Chairperson of the Agri-business and Farmers’ Affairs Committee.
The 17-Point Aspirations include, immediate restoration of grabbed land to rightful owners and return of land where projects are not running currently. Additionally, the 17-Point Aspirations seek to encourage resettlement of farmers, payment of compensation directly to the former land owners instead of channelizing it through administrative officers, prohibit oppression of farmers, forbid destruction of farmlands and crops, and to stop interrogating farmers like they are criminals.
The 17 points addresses major difficulties that all the farmers face on a daily basis. It will be submitted to the President, President’s Advisors, NGOs, Embassies and Chairpersons of the Upper and Lower Parliaments within a month.
The discussion was attended by 6 groups of farmers from each state and division in Myanmar. They discussed six major agenda items, namely, confiscated lands, the difficulties and problems of Agri-business, administrative problems of regional authorities, foreign investments, problems farmer face due to government projects, Vacant, Fallow and Virgin land Management Law, complications of by-laws and the role of Farmers’ Association.
More than 500 farmers from Shan state, Kayar state, Bago division, Ayeyarwaddy division and Magwe division attended the Farmers’ Voice Gathering Discussion.
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