Mutual farming system results in loss of land for farmers

by Phanida

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The mutual farming system in collaboration with private companies has been a disaster for over 1,600 farmers from Dagon Seikkan Township in Rangoon Division, with farmers losing their lands, according to the NLD Peasant Affairs Committee.

The new mutual farming system took off in over 30,000 acres of farmlands in a special agricultural zone last year. But this year, the private companies paid a pittance of only Kyat 20,000 per acre instead of the market price of Kyat 400,000 to 500,000 and then seized farmers’ lands.

"The farmlands were taken over by paying only Kyat 20,000 per acre and farmers are not allowed to till the land.

Moreover farmers were ordered to demolish the farmhouses on the lands. The farmers are seething in anger," the NLD Peasant Affairs Committee Secretary Kyaw Myint told Mizzima.

Over 10 private companies including Htoo, Dagon International, Pinle Koe Thwe, Good Brother, Ahmyother Totetyay, Shwe Nagar Min, Aden Co. worked the farmlands along with the farmers on a mutual farming system by sharing farm produce.

Under the agreement, the farmers, who own the lands, were to get 40 per cent of the profit and get extra money as wages if they worked on their own farmland as farmhands.

The private companies were to provide farming equipments and implements and all production costs. They firms were to get 60 per cent of the profit for investing.

But the private companies seem to have gone back on their commitment and are now paying at a rate, which is much below the market price. To make matters worse the companies are not letting the farmers work in their paddy fields as farmhands. Adding insult to injury they are being forced to demolish their farmhouses. A farmer from Thayetpin Chaung village has lodged a complaint at the NLD office by providing documentary evidence.

An official of one of the private companies working with farmers said that they could not make profits in keeping with the agreement but some companies did make some profit.

"Initially, we agreed. But later it didn't work out. Some companies paid Kyat 20,000. Those who could not work in their land were content with what they got. Some worked in their land and they got something but not in accordance with the agreement reached," he told Mizzima.

"As for the discontent among farmers, some people who bought the land when prices were low would say they are losing their farmlands. It depends on the private companies too. It's impossible to please everybody in every business," he added.

Over 8,800 acres of paddy fields owned by over 1,600 farmers have a dispute regarding profit sharing and ownership in the agriculture special zone in Dagon Seikkan Township. The villages were the dispute exists are Thayetpinchaung, Nyaungbin, Kyisu, Laydaungkan and Thonegwa, the NLD Peasant Affair Committee Secretary said.

It is learnt that some farmers who received refund for their paddy fields have already lodged complaints with the Ministry of Agriculture and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

READ MORE---> Mutual farming system results in loss of land for farmers...

Tycoons close to junta to disburse agri loans

Burma's new banking system
"Cronies' Agricultural Investments
we lend you the money,
we own your land
a new development instructed by Junta" -- Jeg's quote

Rangoon (Mizzima) – The Burmese military junta has instructed 25 companies owned by top business tycoons, close to the regime, to disburse agricultural loans to farmers.

Businessmen, known to be cronies of the junta’s generals, dealing in rice have been asked to provide agricultural loans of Kyat 50,000 [approximately USD 50] to 100,000 per acre to farmers in Irrawaddy and Pegu Division at 2 per cent of interest rates per month.

According to the Myanmar Rice Producers’ Association, top businessmen like Zaw Zaw of Max Company, Chit Khaing of Aden Construction Works, Khin Shwe of Zay Kabar Company are leading the consortium of companies, businessmen and farmers in providing the loan.

A businessman, who is a partner of Gold Delta Company specializing in rice, led by Aden Chin Khaing said that they were assigned to provide production costs, technology and farm implements to rice producers on behalf of the junta.

“Of these 25 companies, some are owned and run by a single person. Some are in partnership with two or three companies,” he added.

“Gold Delta comprises 21 companies. Almost 30 local businessmen and farmers from Dahnuphyu are among them. We will start our business with a total paid up capital of Kyat 10 billion,” he said.

But some companies such as Htoo Trading and ‘Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry’ (UMFCCI) Chairman Win Myint are into the business as sole traders with their own capital, the businessman said.

Htoo Trading Co. Project Director Ye Min Oo said that their company has invested Kyat 3 billion in the business. Local businessmen from Bogale invested Kyat 2 billion in the business and will provide agricultural loan of Kyat 50,000 per acre.

Gold Delta Co. headed by ‘Aden’ Chit Khaing invested Kyat 10 billion and will provide loans of Kyat 100,000 per acre to the farmers in about 500 villages.

Following the foot-step, several other businessmen have began setting up companies with names such as Kyaiklat Rice Producing Co. owned by Dagon International Co. in Kyaiklat Township, Irrawaddy Agricultural Development Co. owned by ‘Yuzana’ Htay Myint in Pyapon Township, Max Myanmar Co. owned by Zaw Zaw in Yekyi and Ah Thote Townships, Shwe Nagar Min Co. owned by Win Myint in Myaungmya Township, a company owned by Wady in Maubin.

But a few businessmen in Burma views the new initiative as the junta’s effort to soothe the anger of farmers, who have accused the government of failing to provide assistance, and to allow a few businessmen, whom the junta has selected as candidates for the 2010 election, to be able to campaign for the election.

Most of the businessmen involved in the consortium are blacklisted in the US and EU economic sanctions against Burma. US have announced the names of over 100 businessmen, whom they called are providing financial lifeline to the junta, under the list.

In the wake of the brutal crackdown against peaceful demonstrators in the 2007 September saffron revolution led by monks, where scores of protesters were killed and thousands of activists arrested, the US and EU imposed targeted sanctions against State owned enterprises, the top echelon of the junta, protégés of the junta and their business networks.

Following the devastating Cyclone Nargis, which destroyed paddy fields and inundated many more with sea water, farmers find low yields in their work. While some farmers have welcomed the loan programme, many worried that they might be asked to payback with their paddy products at a reduced price.

Farmers said, they have bitter experiences in the past, where they took loans from businessmen, local army units and even local authorities in exchange for their paddy products. But they were forced to give their products at a much lesser rate then in the market.

In some cases, famers who are unable to repay their loans and do not have a good yield of paddy, they are forced to surrender their land for the loan they have taken.

Farmers from Thakan village tract on Bogale-Pyapon highway said that some of the farmers in their areas dare not take loans even at cheap interest rates.

But a project director at ‘Htoo’ Trading Co. told Mizzima, “The businessmen are doing this because they have been directed by the State. We don’t expect any economic benefits from the farmers. Two per cent interest rate is nothing for us.” (JEG's: of course 2% is nothing to cronies as they are taking the land which is worth a lot more)

Sources at the Ministry of Economics and Commerce said the government have instructed the companies dealing in rice, that they could export rice only after deducting the amount allotted for sales in the region.

A former executive committee member of the UMFCCI told Mizzima, “We are doing this mainly because of pressure from seniors [junta’s high officials]. We have no intention of extracting profit from the farmers. Our main concern is free export of rice. In this country, authorities, if we follow their instructions usually give us other business opportunities.”

He said, besides, farmers would be thankful to the businessmen for providing loans and could gain their support, which could serve as a campaign for the upcoming 2010 election. (JEG's: elections campaign aha?...)

Sources at the Myanmar Rice Traders Association said Burma set the target of rice export at maximum 1.5 million tons for the this fiscal year - April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010. Burma was able to export over 658,000 tons of rice in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

While Burma’s export quality rice contains about 25 per cent of broken rice, it cost about USD 320 per ton in the export market. Over 80 per cent of Burma’s exports in rice goes to African countries.

READ MORE---> Tycoons close to junta to disburse agri loans...

Extensive farm lands confiscated in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State (Kaladan): The concerned authorities, namely Nasaka or Burma’s border security force, confiscated more than 1,000 acres of farmland in Maungdaw Township on June 15, a local from Kyikanpyin village said.

The confiscated lands belong to Kyikanpyin village tract, he added.

The authorities did not mention the reason for the confiscation. During the monsoon season, the authorities offered to take lease of the farm lands from the Nasaka, in a bid to cultivate the lands during the season, a farmer from the village said.

However, none of the farmers agreed to lease their lands and the area was existing as a grass field.

On the other hand, the concerned authorities with the Land Survey Committee members measured the lands and erected posts with red flags and marked the boundary area in Shweza village tract, claiming it was for the new settlers, who would come from Burma proper. But, still the owners of the lands would be able to cultivate on those field, a village authority member said.

In Buthidaung Township, the authorities ordered the evacuation of 12 Rohingya villages of Wariyoung (Say Ohkya) village tract, last month for relocation of Natala villagers in that area, a school teacher from Buthidaung said.

Most of the villagers are farmers, after confiscation of their lands, the Rohingya become landless and jobless. Arakan State will turn into a place, where the Rohingya community will starve, because without their land, the Rohingya farmers will be compelled to cross the Burma-Bangladesh border. It is a very dangerous policy, which is followed by the junta authorities to wipe out the Rohingya community from Arakan soil, according to a politician from Arakan.

READ MORE---> Extensive farm lands confiscated in Maungdaw...

New arrivals flee from Northern Arakan

Maungdaw, Arakan State (Kaladan): More people brought from Burma proper, who were recently settled in Northern Arakan, fled from their village, said a village headman from a Model (Natala) village.

Most of the new settlers in the village were provided money, food, houses and other necessities for two months work, he added.

The authorities gave them facilities two months after which they were supposed to work for themselves with the equipment provided. Soon after they ran away from the village, said a Rakhine villager from Taungbro of Maungdaw.

“We know that the new settlers from Burma are being brought here for the ensuing election in 2010 to mobilise the people in Natala villages for votes. They get more facility than us. We don’t know why they run away despite this,” he said.

“Because of the Natala settlers, we have lost our farmlands and cattle. We had to pay for them. They create trouble for our community making the place unsafe, said a Rohingya villager from Alaythan Kyaw.

About 1,000 acres of land were seized in Maungdaw Township for Natala (model) villagers after the Western Command Commander Brig General Thaung Aye visited Northern Arakan on May 4, said a village headman from Maungdaw South.

Around 200 settler families arrived in Maungdaw on April 4. They were settled in Maungdaw Township. Twenty families were settled in Taungbro village, 80 families in Nurula Para, 20 families in Sikdar Para and the rest were settled in south of Maungdaw Town.

The junta authorities plan to annihilate the Rohingya community from Arakan State by setting up Natala villagers in northern Arakan and stepping up human rights violations against the Rohingya community by arbitrary arrests and torture, extortion on false and fabricated cases, restriction of movement, restriction in marriages and insulting the women folk, said a schoolteacher.

Thus the Rohingya community is forced to flee to Bangladesh from their home land, he added.

But the settlers, who were brought from Burma, were given everything for their livelihood and all types of facilities. He wondered why they were running away from their village where they were to settle.

READ MORE---> New arrivals flee from Northern Arakan...

Junta issues tall order to eradicate poppy cultivation

Hseng Khio Fah

(SHANLAND) -Naypyidaw has issued a directive to destroy all poppy fields in the upcoming poppy 2009-2010 season, according to sources close to the official circle.

The order was passed by the Minister of Home Affairs in late June after seeing survey report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that Burma still remains the world’s second largest source of opium poppy cultivation.

According to the UNODC figures, 68,446 acres of poppies were grown in Burma during the 2007-2008 season of which 11,948 were destroyed during the period. In the last poppy season (2008-2009), there were 70,423 acre of poppy fields and again only 9,607 acres were destroyed. (Up to 50% were destroyed by bad weather-Editor)

However, the directive had not taken into consideration the reliance placed by the local army and police units on the local populace, according to an official source in eastern Shan State. “If people are not allowed to grow, they will have nothing and the junta men will also go hungry,” he said.

The Lahu National Development Organization (LNDO) also said that poppy cultivation could increase in the coming season (2009-2010) as most poppy areas are under the control of the junta-backed militia units.“For one thing, the militia forces have to share opium tax with the local military units,” he said. “For another, local authorities are relying on the people to vote for the government party in the upcoming elections.”

President Barack Obama has said that the War on Drugs, launched by President Nixon in 1971, is an “utter failure.”

READ MORE---> Junta issues tall order to eradicate poppy cultivation...

Rohingya community pray for rain

Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): The Rohingya community in Maungdaw is seeking the blessings of God (Almighty Allah) for rain as most farmers are facing problems in cultivating paddy. They prayed in their area on Friday Juma (weekly) prayer, said a local elder from Maungdaw.

“The monsoon is late this time and we can’t plough our farms as there is no rainfall in our area. So, we requested our religious leaders to pray for rain,” said Anwar, a farmer from Nyaung Chaung village, Maungdaw.

The monsoon season starts every year in the beginning of June, but, we can’t do any thing this time because the monsoon has not set in yet, he added.

“We need rainfall in our area to cultivate crops for our survival,” he added.

“Yesterday, in most of the villages of Maungdaw people prayed for rain in their Mosques after Friday Juma prayers and hoped the blessing will come to us to help cultivate paddy in the farms,” said an elder from Maungdaw.

“We need to pray for rain. In previous years we sat together in the open field and prayed for rain and it did rain,” said a student from Maungdaw.

READ MORE---> Rohingya community pray for rain...

Farmers' Loans Reserved for Model Villagers

Maungdaw (Narinjara): The Burmese military junta has allocated 600 lakh kyat for farmers in Maungdaw District for agricultural loans, but the district authorities are preparing to lend the money to model villagers in 27 model villages instead, said a senior clerk from the district office on the condition of anonymity.

He said, "The military authority allocated 600 lakh kyat to our district but the farmers in our township are unable to get the loans because the local authority is arranging to lend the money to model villagers."

The military junta has allocated 2,000 lakh kyat for agricultural loans for all of Arakan State this agricultural season. Of that amount, 600 lakh has been allocated to Maungdaw District.

There are four districts in Arakan State - Sittwe, Kyaukpru, Thandwe, and Maungdaw - and the remaining 1,400 lakh has been set aside for the remaining three districts in the state.

"The authority has collected the list of farms owned by model villagers in the township. Later the list will be transferred to the agricultural bank in Maungdaw to withdraw the loans to them," he said.

Agricultural loans have recently been provided by the government's central bank to farmers through the agricultural bank, but local authorities in Maungdaw are neglecting to distribute the loans to Arakanese farmers in the district.

"I think the authority does not want to make loans to Muslim farmers because they are not citizens in Burma, so the authority decided to loan to the model villagers," the clerk said.

According to a local farmer source, the authority is only making loans to model villagers from Burma proper, and is not making loans to either Muslim or ethnic Rakhine, Dynet, and Khami farmers.

READ MORE---> Farmers' Loans Reserved for Model Villagers...

Banks skim money from Burmese farmers

(DVB)–The Burmese government’s agricultural bank is skimming money from agricultural loans for farmers and using it in their own loan sharking ventures, say the opposition National League for Democracy party.

The government’s central bank offers farmers monthly loans of 10,000 kyat ($US10) per acre of farmland through local town-level agricultural banks.

A member of the Farmer’s Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD) said that an agricultural bank in Rangoon division’s Htantabin town is pocketing a portion of each loan.

“The bank is cutting 250 kyat out of every 10,000 kyat loan we get for our farms,” said Maung Maung Kyi.

Htantabin townhsip has about 1200 acres of farmland, while nearby Phyuu township has about 1600 acres.

“In total, they gain about 30 million Kyat profit from all the farmlands in the township,” he said, adding that other townships were being subject to the scheme.

According to Maung Maung Kyi, the bank had also been limiting farmers from receiving loans for more than 10 acres of farmland per person.

A source close to the agricultural bank in Bago division’s Nyaung Lay Pin said that bank officials are keeping the rest of the money for their own use.

Normally, agricultural loans are provided by the government’s central bank in accordance with the amount of farmland owned by the farmer.

According to the source, local agricultural banks are setting arbitrary limitations on loans to farmers, and pocketing money from loans to those with more than 10 acres.

“For example; if there are ten farmers in a village and they own 15 acres each, then the bank officials can skim 500,000 from the extra acres exceeding the 10 acre limit,” said the source.

Loans provided by the government come with very small interest and so officials “can play loan sharking [with more interest] with the money they skim”, said the source, before they have to return it to the government at the end of harvesting season.

He also said that officials from Bago’s agricultural bank, working together with local village authorities, are forcing farmers to buy fertilizer from them with a elevated price if they want to receive the loan.

The agricultural banks in Rangoon and Bago divisions were unavailable for comments.

Reporting by Ahunt Phone Myat

READ MORE---> Banks skim money from Burmese farmers...

Burmese Army prevents farmers from going to their farms, then steals from them

June 5, 2009

HURFOM (Rehmonnya): The Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 282 commander Nyi Nyi Soe warned villagers of insurgent group activity and wouldn’t allow farmers to return to their land.

Meanwhile, the troops reportedly stole food and cooking gear from the farms in Kaleinaung Sub - Township, Yebyu Township. Having also slaughtered some of the animals, they then tried selling their seized goods in the market.

According to the Alaesakhan villager, Ma Pher, “The troops stole betel nuts and cashews from our farms and sold them in the market. In addition, they also killed and cooked our farm animals (including chickens and ducks). The soldiers took all of our kitchen equipment to use in their camps.”

“Even though we know the soldiers are stealing our products and killing our animals, we can do and say nothing to them,” Ma Pher continued.

Villagers in the area, for fear of violence and torture, reported to HURFOM that they often feel forced to do whatever the military troops command of them.

According to another Alaesakhan villager, the soldiers initially posed as sawyers and ordinary villagers to gather information about Chan Dein insurgent group activities. When they heard something that interested them, they reported back to LIB 282. At that time, battalion commander Nyi Nyi Soe ordered the farmers not to go to their farms.

One member of the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) said, “When Nyi Nyi Soe arrived into the village, he allowed his soldiers to kill the villagers’ farm animals such as pigs, chickens and ducks.

The VPDC member added that, even after the troops had stolen all they wanted from the farms, “he also forced villagers to pay for the [soldiers’] rations of oil, rice, salt”

READ MORE---> Burmese Army prevents farmers from going to their farms, then steals from them...

Arakanese women leave state to find work

Rathidaung (Narinjara): Economic hardship in Arakan State is forcing many women to leave for the eastern side of Burma to work as day labourers in a company which is seeking employees from Arakan.

“The economic situation in Arakan state has been worsening by the year since 1988. This year is the worst, so women are also leaving the state like men looking for jobs in other parts of Burma,” a teacher in Rathidaung said.

Yuzana, Oil-Palm Company, has offered people from Arakan state work in the oil-palm gardens located in Tanintharye division, near the Thailand border. So many unemployed women in Arakan state have left Tanintharye division to join the company as day labourers.

A woman from Rathidaung said,” Many young women from the northern part of Rathidaung Township, one of the most neglected areas by the Burmese junta, left their villages for Tanintharye division to work in the oil-palm gardens.”

The company is also providing travel fees as well as advance money for food to the women coming from Arakan state to work in the oil palm gardens.

“We have received 30,000 Kyat as salary from the company after joining and the company also provides food and traveling expenses. So we are placed comfortably. Many women from across Arakan state left their homes for Tanintharye to work in the oil-palm gardens,” she said.

The Burmese junta has neglected Arakan state, never bothering to build factories and industrial units since the country’s independence in 1948.

The teacher said,” our state is very rich in natural resources but it is very poor because there is no job opportunity for the people. The government has not built any factory in our state leaving us with no opportunity for work. There are only two job opportunities in Arakan state for young people -- one is joining the Burmese Army and another is becoming rickshaw pullers.”

Many Arakanese youths, both educated and uneducated, left the state for neighbouring countries including Thailand and Malaysia and Burma proper in search of jobs.

This year women also followed the men. They left Arakan state for other parts of Burma, especially Tanintharye Division to work in the many oil palm gardens as day labourers.

“Women leaving the state have to do with this year’s economic slowdown. Many farmers in Arakan state are facing severe economic crisis after paddy and rice prices plummeted, the,” he teacher added.

This time last year, 100 baskets of paddy was 200,000 Kyats in Arakan state but this year the same amount of paddy is only 90,000 Kyats.

However, there is no government plan in place in Burma to help the farmers overcome the economic crisis.

READ MORE---> Arakanese women leave state to find work...

Fund crunch threatens rice production in Burma: WFP

by Solomon

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Farmers in the cyclone affected areas in Burma are in acute need of cash and credit assistance to buy inputs for the ensuing monsoon planting season, the United Nations World Food Programme said.

Chris Kaye, country director of the WFP in Rangoon, told Mizzima on Wednesday, “The current priority of the assistance community generally is to help ensure small farmers have the required cash and credit to purchase inputs for the current planting season.”

While WFP is able to continue work without many problems in distributing food assistance, “food and water remains critical for cyclone survivors, in many areas of Burma’s Irrawaddy delta” he said.

But he said the current priority is to help farmers, whose farms were inundated and destroyed by the cyclone, plant crops in the current planting season.

The Irrawaddy delta, also known as Burma’s rice bowl, was laid waste by the deadly Cyclone Nargis, leaving at least 130,000 dead or missing and devastating the lives of more than 2.4 million people.

Sean Turnell, Professor of Economics in Macquarie University in Australia said in an earlier interview to Mizzima that the rural economy in Burma is on the verge of collapse due to lack of funds and micro-credit system.

Earlier, he said, most farmers rely on money lenders for loan or credit, but with the impact of the cyclone, farmers can no longer rely on money lenders as they face equal devastation.

He said farmers are facing extreme difficulties as they were unable to get enough cash from the sale of their paddy products in the last season, because of the decreasing prices caused by the global economic recession.

He urged the Burmese regime to inject money in the rural economy to help the farmers.

Meanwhile, farmers in the Irrawaddy delta complained of lack of available funds even for borrowing and are desperately in need of assistance to be able to plant in the current season.

“We are facing difficulties in starting our work because of financial problems. It is very difficult to get loans,” said a farmer who could only cultivate half an acre in the last monsoon.

“I did not get any monetary support or material for farming except tarpaulins,” he said.

He said like him, most farmers are still unable to cultivate all their farmland as they have no money to buy inputs for cultivation. And some have already stopped farming.

UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) earlier told Mizzima that shortage of fund is becoming a big challenge in continuing with the recovery work.

Shin Imao, FAO’s representative in Burma told Mizzima, rice production has drastically plummeted and the recovery of livelihoods and food security is still a big challenge.

“Production is down, so we need to have more quick responses to assist farmers to recover production,” said Imao.

Rice production in the delta dropped drastically after Cyclone Nargis struck, “with the produce 45 per cent less than previous years,” Imao said.

READ MORE---> Fund crunch threatens rice production in Burma: WFP...

Jailed farmers’ lawyer refused appeal - Pho Phyu

(DVB)–An appeal for a renowned lawyer jailed after helping Burmese farmers complain to the United Nations of land confiscation by the military was last week rejected by court authorities, his lawyer said.

In January this year, lawyer Pho Phyu was arrested and then sentenced in March under the Unlawful Associations Act to four years in prison.

He had been assisting farmers in Magwe division, central Burma, to file complaints to the UN’s International Labour Organisation regarding the confiscation of over 5000 acres of farmland by the Burmese army.

“The court rejected our request to reconsider his sentence so his term remains at four years as before,” said lawyer Myint Thwin.

“We are to take our appeal to a higher level court.”

Min Lwin Oo, spokesperson for the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission denounced the court decision and charges, pointing out that Pho Phyu had not formed any association under which he could be charged under the Act.

“The organisation never existed and there is also no evidence that Pho Phyu was drawing plans to form one,” he said.

“Yet they still passed the sentence upon him before they could prove anything and it is very wrong to reaffirm that at court.”

The ILO’s liaison office in Rangoon was unavailable for a comment.

The Unlawful Associations Act outlaws groups and organizations deemed by the government to be a threat to national stability.

It has been used to sentence numerous activists and politicians, often under very spurious grounds given the arbitrary criteria under which groups are deemed ‘unlawful’.

In April, the exiled Burma Lawyers Council called for abolishment of the Act, citing the malleability under which the government uses it to sentence opposition members, journalists and activists.

Reporting by Aye Nai

READ MORE---> Jailed farmers’ lawyer refused appeal - Pho Phyu...

Natala villagers steal cattle from Rohingya

Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): Natala villagers have been stealing cattle from Rohingya villagers in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships after being settled in Arakan north, said a businessman on condition of anonymity.

For instance, in the wee hours of May 25, at about 2 am, a group of Natala villagers of Aung Thaya village carrying lethal weapons went to Maung Nama village to steal cattle. The Aung Thaya Natala village is only 1.5 km from Maung Nama village.

Five Natala villagers were secretly taking away a big bull from the owner’s cow shed at night. But, they met one of the villagers on their way out. Seeing the Natala villagers with the bull, the villager raised a hue and cry, so some of the villagers including the owner of the bull rushed to the spot. But the Natala villagers had fled by then, said a relative of the victim.

When the Rohingya villagers approached the Natala village, the Natala villagers attacked them with their catapults forcing the Rohingya villagers to withdraw.

The owner of the bull is Nurul Islam (37), son of Mokhulur Rahman, hailing from Maung Nama village in Maungdaw Township. If he does not get back his bull, he will be unable to till his farm in the ensuing rainy reason. The animal is worth least Kyat 300,000, said a relative of the owner.

The Natala villagers also steal cattle from Buthidaung Township. The Natala villagers go to Buthidaung Township from Maungdaw Township after negotiating the mountain passes of Mayu Mountain which separates the two townships. After stealing cattle from Buthidaung Township, they sell the mea tin the nearby market of Nasaka Headquarters in Maungdaw Township, said a villager from Tinmay village of Buthidaung Township on condition of anonymity.

The following day, the owner along with the village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) members went to the Nasaka Headquarters to complain. The Nasaka promise to investigate the matter, said a schoolteacher.

The Natala villagers are notorious and have been brought by the regime to Arakan north from Burma proper for settlement in order to harass the Rohingya community and to depopulate Arakan of Rohingya people. They frequently steal cattle from the Rohingya community and sell meat at the market of Nasaka headquarters. The Natala villagers are never asked by Nasaka from where they get the meat to sell in the market as they have no cattle, said a friend of the victim.

The Natala villagers were encouraged by the authorities to harass Rohingya villagers, said a villager.

Earlier, the Natala villagers robbed, looting money and goods from Rohingya villagers. “Where do they get the courage to commit crimes against the Rohingya community coming from Burma proper”? asked a Rohingya elder.

Rohingyas are an unfortunate lot. Although, they are part of the Burmese race and have been living in Arakan for about a thousand years, they have been persistently subjected to persecution by successive Burmese regimes. In the past, Rohingyas were driven out from their homes more than once. Opposed to Burmese laws, the Burmese constitution and international laws, these ill fated people have been discriminated because of their race, religion, culture and language, said an advocate from Maungdaw town who declined to be named.

READ MORE---> Natala villagers steal cattle from Rohingya...

Irrawaddy News Weekly Business Roundup - May 29, 2009

By WILLIAM BOOT
The Irrawaddy News

Trade Unions Pressure Chevron on Burma

Two American trade unions backed by a several human rights groups have attempted to force US oil giant Chevron to justify its continued involvement with the “pariah military regime” of Burma.

The teamsters’ and AFL-CIO unions sought to press a vote at Chevron’s annual shareholders’ meeting in California on Wednesday to disclose business dealings in Burma, where it has a stake in the Yadana gas field.

The disclosure bid, which garnered 25 percent of the vote but failed to pass, questioned the Chevron management’s political risk assessment criteria.

“We’re pleased that other Chevron shareholders recognize the enormous legal, financial, political and reputational risks associated with operating in Burma,” said teamsters’ general-secretary Thomas Keegel after the vote.

“The Burmese military junta is one of Chevron's partners in Yadana through its military-run oil company, Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise.

That makes Chevron business partners with a pariah military regime that has brutally dominated the people of Burma and that has put a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest.”

Chevron, which has a 28 percent share in the Yadana field, managed by France’s Total, says it will not quit Burma, despite pressure also from the US Congress.

The Californian company insists that its business presence in Burma benefits ordinary people.


China’s Green Policy Stops at Border where River Changes Name

A Chinese state-owned company is pressing ahead with a project to build a large dam on the Salween River in Burma—after the Beijing government ordered a halt to similar projects along the same river in China.

Praise has been lavished on China’s Pemier Wen Jiabao for suspending dam work on the upper reaches of the Nujiang River, reportedly over environmental concerns.

But those concerns appear to evaporate after the 3,240-kilometer river from the foothills of the Himalayas crosses into Burma.

The Chinese Sinohydro Corporation construction company is still moving ahead with a 1,200-megawatt hydroelectric dam scheme on the same river at Hatgyi in Karen State.

In Burma, the river is called the Salween and the military regime is unconcerned about the environment. Chinese and Thai government state agencies are involved in the Hatgyi project.

Environmentalists say the concerns now apparently preoccupying government officials across the border in China do not apply in Burma, where a number of controversial dams are proposed.

“All of the dams planned on the Salween River will greatly disrupt the riverine ecosystem and destroy the livelihoods of those peoples living along the river,” says the NGO Burma Rivers Network. “Large areas of land…will be flooded. Those living along the river will be forcibly relocated, likely without compensation.”

Most of the electricity from the Hatgyi project is earmarked for Thailand.


Burma, Bangladesh Discuss Improved Sea Links to Boost Trade

Burma and Bangladesh are attempting to improve trade and cooperation in the Arakan coastal region border area between the two countries.

Proposals for agricultural fertilizer factories, hydroelectric schemes and commercial coastal traffic between Chittagong and Sittwe were discussed at a ministerial level meeting, according to Bangladeshi media reports.

The two sides talked about ways of boosting the value of bilateral trade more than 300 percent—from US $140 million a year in 2008 to US $500 million in 2010.

The proposals, between a Bangladeshi delegation led by Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and several of Burma’s military leaders, including energy minister Gen Lun Thi, came despite friction in other relations between the two countries.

The issue of sea territory boundaries between the two countries in the Bay of Bengal remains unresolved, and Dhaka is expected to refer that issue to the United Nations for arbitration.

Both sides claim areas believed to harbor lucrative undersea natural gas deposits.


New Cyclone Hits Fishing, Rice Industries

Cyclone damage in Burma’s Arakan State has damaged coastal shrimp farms and agricultural crops while other farming communities are still trying to recover from last year’s Cyclone Nargis.

Cyclone Aila earlier this week ripped through coastal areas on both sides of the border between Burma and Bangladesh.

Hundreds of flimsy built houses have been destroyed and fishing and shrimp farming businesses badly dislocated, according to the Kaladan news agency.

The cost of damage has not yet been assessed. Reports from Arakan say the authorities had made little or no preparation for this year’s cyclone season.

Burma’s fishing and rice industries are still struggling to recover from the devastation wreaked by Nargis one year ago.

READ MORE---> Irrawaddy News Weekly Business Roundup - May 29, 2009...

Junta orders planting Physic Nut in northern Burma

KNG - Early this week, the Burmese military junta released a new order to resume regular Physic Nut (Jet Suu in Burmese) plantation activities in Myitkyina, the capital of the country's northern Kachin State, said local sources.

Residents in each quarter in Myitkyina have been told to plant Physic Nut saplings in the spaces on the left and right, along the roadside in two areas--- the road between Maw Hpawng village-Myitkyina downtown and Tatkone quarter-Balaminhtin Irrawaddy River Bridge. The orders came from the quarters' administrative offices (Ya Ya Ka).

Under a rotation system, civilians from each quarter have been ordered to grow the saplings in the given areas. Both civilians and government personnel have been directed to grow the saplings, said residents of Myitkyina.

Yesterday, two residents from each sub-area in Tatkone were ordered to go with iron crowbars to the planting areas on the roadside towards Balaminhtin Irrawaddy River Bridge from Tatkone by the quarter administrative office, said residents.

Again, 15 sub-areas in the quarters between Maw Hpawng and Myitkyina downtown have been ordered to send two-inch long 100 stems of Physic Nut each to their quarters' administrative offices by 5 p.m. Burma Standard Time today, according to residents of these quarters.

The local military authorities use civilians as forced labour for Physic Nut planting but they avoid planting saplings with too many people for fear of media attention, said local people.

In Kachin State, the Physic Nut or also called Jatropha Curcas has to be grown in the whole state under the government project in the entire country. Most Physic Nut trees are planted alongside main roads, public places, football grounds and in front of government buildings in Kachin State, said locals.

At the same time, children and some adults are often hospitalized with vomiting caused by eating the poisonous fruits of Physic Nut but the military authorities are yet to put a single 'warning poster' in front of the plantations in public places, complained local residents.

The Physic Nut or also called Castor Oil Plant locally bears fruits in three years after planting. The junta has ordered to grow Physic Nut in 500,000 acres in Kachin State.

The junta claims to produce bio-fuel or diesel from Physic Nut but there is no market to sell the Physic Nut fruits in Kachin State till now, said local people.

READ MORE---> Junta orders planting Physic Nut in northern Burma...

Nasaka loots cattle, goats from villagers in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State (KPN): Nasaka, Burma’s border security force snatched four heads of cattle and 130 goats from a village under the Maungdaw Township alleging that the villagers had not enlisted their new born calves and kids in the animal list.

On May 6, at about 11 pm, two groups of Nasaka personnel from Basara (Tha Win Chaung) outpost camp under the Inn Din village tract of Maungdaw Township went to Kwason village and forcibly took away 130 goats and four heads of cattle to their camp from the village. They alleged that the villagers had not enrolled their calves and kids.

In this village, to enlist new born calves and kids to the Nasaka’s cattle list, villagers have to pay 10,000 kyat per calf and 500 kyat per kid. So, some of the villagers are reluctant to enroll in the Nasaka camp by paying so much money. They also have to go through many kinds of harassment by the Nasaka when they go to the camp for enlistment.

The next day morning, the cattle owners went to the Nasaka camp to get back their animals. But, Nasaka did not return the cattle and goats to the owners.

Besides, on May 7, the Nasaka of the Basara camp ordered the villagers not to go out of the village because Nasaka would go to the village to check the cattle list. They also said if the villagers want to avoid the check, they could pay Kyat 300,000 to the Nasaka.

Learning this, the village elders collected 1,000 to 5,000 per family owning cattle and goats in keeping with their status. They paid the collected money to the Nasaka officer.

According to one villager, Moqul Ahmed (50), son of Asad Jaman and Md. Hussain ( 55) paid Kyat 5,000 per each while Gulbaher(35), a widow, and Hussain Ahmed (40), son of Basa Meah paid Kyat 1,000 each. They are all from Bassara village of Maungdaw Township.

“There is no country in the world except Burma where villagers have to pay money for their new born calves and kids,” a village elder said.

READ MORE---> Nasaka loots cattle, goats from villagers in Maungdaw...

Burma’s rural economy on verge of collapse: economist

by Mungpi

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Unless Burma’s military rulers inject cash into the rural credit system, the country’s rural economy will likely collapse as farmers in rural areas face a “chronic shortage of credit”, an economist told Mizzima.

Sean Turnell, an Economics Professor at Macquarie University in Australia, said that because of a lack of a proper economic policy to uplift Burma’s rural economy, the rural credit system is “completely dried up” and in desperate need of cash assistance. [JEG's: there is an airport in nappytown wanting more attention at the moment...:-( ]

“I am getting report after report that there is a chronic shortage of credit in cash,” said Turnell, adding the rural economy is suffering despite the ruling junta having significant foreign reserves derived from the sale of natural gas.

Turnell said the estimate of the junta’s foreign reserves from the sale of natural gas during fiscal year of 2007-08 is about US $5 billion. However, these reserves are not spent on developing the rural economy, which is on the verge of collapsing with the credit system “completely drying up”.

Meanwhile, a report by the Financial Times, citing a new International Monetary Fund report on Burma, said natural gas exports have swollen the country’s foreign exchange reserves to a record high of US $3.6 billion – despite investment into social welfare remaining minimal.

The as of yet unpublished IMF report, which the Financial Times cited, said unless the Burmese government makes improvements in its business climate, the future of the country is “bleak”.

The IMF argued Burma's economy was hit hard by the global economic slowdown and the devastating cyclone of May 2008, which killed 140,000 people and caused the growth in gross domestic product to slow to about 4.5 percent last year, down from 5.5 percent a year earlier.

The country’s ruling military generals, however, do not include all of its gas revenue in the annual public account, instead reporting only a portion of the foreign revenues, which are calculated at the 30-year-old official exchange rate of six kyat to a dollar, according to the report. Currently, a US dollar on the black market fetches approximately 1,050 kyat.

Turnell, agreeing with the report’s calculation, said the Burmese junta’s practice of accounting for foreign exchange revenue at the old and obsolete exchange rate in effect captures less than one per cent of the total budget revenue from the sale of gas for fiscal year 2007-08, as opposed to the 57 percent it would account for if valued at the market rate.

He estimates that Burma’s generals will earn between US $3-3.5 billion from the sale of gas for fiscal year 2008-09.

But, at the same time, farmers are facing an acute shortage of investment funds, he said. Many farmers are forced to sell their products immediately after harvest and to buy the same food that they are selling for consumption.

Turnell, who has closely followed Burma’s economy for several years, said the global economic slowdown has indirectly impacted Burma’s agriculture sector, which largely depends on exports to neighboring countries.

With the declining price of rice, farmers, particularly in the Cyclone Nargis-hit Irrawaddy delta, will find it extremely difficult to plant paddy in the upcoming monsoon, as they are heavily indebted and will try to reduce cost, he maintained.

In the absence of a rural credit system being implemented by the government, farmers will again be dependent on local money lenders, who usually demand high interest rates, up to 20 percent, leaving farmers with an insurmountable debt obligation.

Turnell said that to come out of this crisis, in the short term the Burmese government could inject some of its gas revenue into a rural credit system through the Myanmar Agriculture Development Bank (MADB) or another existing institution.

Alternatively, he said the junta could simply remove restrictions that forbid commercial banks from lending to farmers.

“It’s so bizarre. I can never understand this particular law, which actually outlaws the commercial banks from lending to the farmers,” he added.

He also warned that unless the government comes in to help the farmers in the rural areas, “food shortages could be on the card in later the year.”

READ ALSO: Farmers forced to buy seed by the Military Junta Army
Farmers live under duress of Burmese Army

READ MORE---> Burma’s rural economy on verge of collapse: economist...

Burmese Army officers marry and abandon Kachin women

(KNG) -There is a culture prevalent in Nong Mong (Naw Mung in Kachin) city in Putao district in Kachin State, northern Burma where high ranking Burmese military officers marry native Kachin woman and later abandon them and their children, a source said.

Nong Mong is a small city of the native Rawang tribe of Kachin nationals. The Burmese Army has extended its military stranglehold in Putao district after the Burmese ruling junta's No. 2 strongman vice senior general Maung Aye visited the area in 2004, said residents of Putao.

According to a resident of Nong Mong, when Burmese military officers are transferred to Nong Mong city, most of them marry local Rawang woman. And when they move to another posting, they leave their wife and children behind.

However, the Rawang women who marry the officers try to follow their husbands when they get transferred to other places. However, not many can afford to follow them because of transportation and travelling costs, he added.

There are many children with Burmese names but they only speak the Rawang language, said a resident in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State who recently came from Nong Mong.

Nong Mong is 60 miles from northeast Putao district and the road communication and transportation is terrible with few cars. Vehicles travel only one day in a week to Nong Mong from Putao, he added.

Putao is one of the most remote and isolated districts in northern Burma and the airline is the only regular transportation with other parts of Burma. Native Jinghpaw, Rawang and Lisu people live under the systematic pursuit of Buddhism and Burmanization implemented by local Burmese army bases, according to native Putao.

According to a local, even though the Burmese military junta calls Nong Mong a city, it is not like a city at all and has not seen development. Most of the local people have to work in the farm everyday for a living.

READ MORE---> Burmese Army officers marry and abandon Kachin women...

Farmers live under duress of Burmese Army

(KNG) -Farmers in Burma's northern Kachin State are being meted out ill treatment in the name of growing summer paddy by local Burmese Army battalions, said local farmers.

Farmers, who are mainly into cultivation of monsoon paddy in Kachin State, are being forced to grow summer paddy. Some of their buffalos and oxen are being slaughtered for beef or sold for money in the market, while some are being used in the paddy fields for ploughing by Burmese Army troops, complained local farmers.

In Burma, summer paddy is grown in March and harvested in late May before the onset of the monsoons in June.

Last March, the Burmese Army's Infantry Battalion (IB or Kha La Ya) No. 142 based in Dawhpumyang in Bhamo district deliberately drove seven heads of cattle into their summer paddy fields. Three cows were slaughtered while the rest received gun-shot wounds, said local farmers.

The current price of a cow is between 500,000 Kyat (US $490) and 600,000 Kyat (US $588) in Kachin State, said local farmers.

The cattle are owned by Kachin villagers in Dingga village in Dawhpumyang sub-township. They also grow summer paddy in the fields which are temporarily seized from Dingga farmers, according to farmers of the village.

Again on April 26, Burmese soldiers of IB No. 142 drove a herd of cattle belonging to Dingga farmers to the seized paddy fields and the cattle owners were threatened with imprisonment. The soldiers also demanded fines ranging between 30,000 Kyat (US $29) and 80,000 Kyat (US $78) per cow because the cattle ate their summer paddy, added local farmers.

Local farmers said the soldiers fence their summer paddy fields only on one side and the cattle enter the fields from the sides without fences.

At the moment, farmers in Dingga village are spending their days in nightmarish conditions because they may be fined or imprisoned when they check for their cattle in the summer paddy fields where soldiers deliberately drive cattle, the farmers said.

Similarly, another Burmese Army battalion, IB No. 58, based in Waingmaw town is also treating local farmers shabbily in the name of growing summer paddy, said farmers in Waingmaw.

Farmers who grow paddy in monsoon by using water from Washong Dam, the government’s irrigation project, have been ordered to grow summer paddy with their own money by the IB No. 58, said farmers.

Some farmers' paddy fields have been temporarily seized by soldiers. Again the local people's cattle entering the summer paddy fields are also slaughtered by soldiers, according to sources close to cattle owners.

Most farmers in Kachin State are reluctant to grow summer paddy because the farmers cannot start ploughing monsoon paddy in time. They have to skip cultivating monsoon paddy because of the summer paddy, said local farmers.

Usually, farmers in Kachin State rely on monsoon paddy which starts to grow from June and they do not need to put much effort to grow it, said local farmers.

Meanwhile, the Burmese military junta is forcibly selling a new variety of paddy seed to farmers in Kahcin State for 7,000 Kyat equivalent to US $ 6.8 per Tin (1 Tin = 40.9 Litre) and claiming that Kachin State will be the fourth largest rice producing state in the country. This is being proclaimed by pasting posters around Kachin State.

READ MORE---> Farmers live under duress of Burmese Army...

Farmers live under duress of Burmese Army

Written by KNG

Farmers in Burma's northern Kachin State are being meted out ill treatment in the name of growing summer paddy by local Burmese Army battalions, said local farmers.

Farmers, who are mainly into cultivation of monsoon paddy in Kachin State, are being forced to grow summer paddy. Some of their buffalos and oxen are being slaughtered for beef or sold for money in the market, while some are being used in the paddy fields for ploughing by Burmese Army troops, complained local farmers.

In Burma, summer paddy is grown in March and harvested in late May before the onset of the monsoons in June.

Last March, the Burmese Army's Infantry Battalion (IB or Kha La Ya) No. 142 based in Dawhpumyang in Bhamo district deliberately drove seven heads of cattle into their summer paddy fields. Three cows were slaughtered while the rest received gun-shot wounds, said local farmers.

The current price of a cow is between 500,000 Kyat (US $490) and 600,000 Kyat (US $588) in Kachin State, said local farmers.

The cattle are owned by Kachin villagers in Dingga village in Dawhpumyang sub-township. They also grow summer paddy in the fields which are temporarily seized from Dingga farmers, according to farmers of the village.

Again on April 26, Burmese soldiers of IB No. 142 drove a herd of cattle belonging to Dingga farmers to the seized paddy fields and the cattle owners were threatened with imprisonment. The soldiers also demanded fines ranging between 30,000 Kyat (US $29) and 80,000 Kyat (US $78) per cow because the cattle ate their summer paddy, added local farmers.

Local farmers said the soldiers fence their summer paddy fields only on one side and the cattle enter the fields from the sides without fences.

At the moment, farmers in Dingga village are spending their days in nightmarish conditions because they may be fined or imprisoned when they check for their cattle in the summer paddy fields where soldiers deliberately drive cattle, the farmers said.

Similarly, another Burmese Army battalion, IB No. 58, based in Waingmaw town is also treating local farmers shabbily in the name of growing summer paddy, said farmers in Waingmaw.

Farmers who grow paddy in monsoon by using water from Washong Dam, the government’s irrigation project, have been ordered to grow summer paddy with their own money by the IB No. 58, said farmers.

Some farmers' paddy fields have been temporarily seized by soldiers. Again the local people's cattle entering the summer paddy fields are also slaughtered by soldiers, according to sources close to cattle owners.

Most farmers in Kachin State are reluctant to grow summer paddy because the farmers cannot start ploughing monsoon paddy in time. They have to skip cultivating monsoon paddy because of the summer paddy, said local farmers.

Usually, farmers in Kachin State rely on monsoon paddy which starts to grow from June and they do not need to put much effort to grow it, said local farmers.

Meanwhile, the Burmese military junta is forcibly selling a new variety of paddy seed to farmers in Kahcin State for 7,000 Kyat equivalent to US $ 6.8 per Tin (1 Tin = 40.9 Litre) and claiming that Kachin State will be the fourth largest rice producing state in the country. This is being proclaimed by pasting posters around Kachin State.

READ MORE---> Farmers live under duress of Burmese Army...