Urgent Appeal BURMA/MYANMAR: Twenty-one more farmers falsely convicted for pursuing their land rights Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that twenty-one more farmers from Kanbalu Township have been convicted regarding an attempt to defend their rights to their land, with sentences ranging from 3 months to 4 years. More farmers are being prosecuted this month and others are still facing trials. CASE NARRATIVE: As described in the original appeal (AHRC-UAC-109-2014), farmers from Kanbalu Township, whose lands were confiscated by the military during the military regime, are being prosecuted by the military and the Myanmar Economic Corporation for attempting to take back their land. The lands were grabbed by the military but without providing compensation thus violating the Land Acquisition Act. The farmers have also been forced to move their houses from the land and their crops have been destroyed by the military (See: AHRC-STM-162-2014). According to the latest information received, 21 more farmers from Mya Mon village, Kanbalu Township, have been prosecuted on 20 August 2014. Several of them are from the same family. One person prosecuted passed away 6 years ago. The most recent judgment determine that the farmers are guilty of a crime of trying to take possession of their own land. This judgment also adds that the farmers not being aware that pursuing their right to the land is a crime is neither a defense, nor a mitigating factor. The judge has also remarked that this judgment reflects the military’s desire to punish the farmers. Thus, this is a clear miscarriage of justice and more pressure must be put on the government of Burma to put an end to this persecution. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Land grabbing and prosecution of farmers occur all over Burma. Following government reforms, the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services ordered such confiscated land to be returned back to the original owners. But, the President informed Parliament on 2 July 2014 that the government could not return over 350,000 acres of confiscated land, as they were still in use. Contradiction in the information of the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services has left farmers confused and lack of the rule of law has made the problem worse. Further details can be found in the sample letter below. SUGGESTED ACTION: Please write a letter to the following government authorities to urge the government to respond to the injustices that the military continues to perpetrate against farmers. A sample letter follows. Please note that for the purpose of the letter Myanmar is referred to by its traditional name, Burma. Please also be informed that the AHRC is writing separate letters to the UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights in Myanmar; on the independence of judges and lawyers; and to the UN Regional Office in Bangkok, calling for their interventions into this matter. SAMPLE LETTER: Dear ……………, BURMA/MYANMAR: Twenty-one more farmers falsely convicted for pursuing their land rights Names of victims: Over 350 farmers from Kanbalu Township humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAU-025-2014
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 09:26:25 +0000