(Kao Wao: October 24, 2003)

Human Rights Foundation of Monland has released a report on land confiscation in the Mon areas.

The report mainly focuses on the issue of land confiscation, including Burmese military deployment and the suffering of landowners for over six years after the New Mon State Party and the Burmese military junta signed the cease-fire agreement.

According to the report, over the six-year period, the BA confiscated over 7780 acres of land with an estimated value of Kyat 1,311 million from over 370 farmers in Mon State and in Southern Burma. Land confiscation by the BA has had a widespread impact in Mon State and the most severe cases are found in Ye township, southern Mon State.

The Burmese military regime has deployed thousands of Burmese troops in the area since 1995 causing internal displacement among the populations.

The report, compiled with 21 case studies, was presented to humanitarian organizations and other interested parties to review the plight of refugees, displaced persons and illegal migrants to neighboring countries.

For over nine years now, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland published its regular monthly report titled the "Mon Forum." The land confiscation report highlights the reasons why people flee their home country.

After loosing their land to the BA, farmers have no options; hundreds of families load up their belongings on their backs, pull their children out of school, and flee to refugee camps along Thai-Burma border. Thousands seek jobs in Thailand and Malaysia. After the cease-fire agreement in 1995, the military government, State Peace and Development Council built over ten new battalions in Mon State.

The army confiscates farms and plantations and forces owners to work on land they once owned without compensation, pay or benefits. This act is inhumane and dehumanizing and causes tremendous hardship on villagers, the report concluded.