Authorities grab space on burnt land

IMNA
February 20, 2006

Victims of a fire have claimed that local Burmese authorities contrived to burn down their houses in a poor quarter of Hlaing Township for space for a new factory to be set up by relatives of Senior Gen.Than Shwe and for quarters for their officers.

Government officials are driving stakes on the burnt down site for space that will accommodate about 1,500 houses to be distributed among government officers. It has also reserved space for a factory that will be set up by family members of Senior Gen.Than Shwe, the victims claimed.

All victims were relocated outside the town where land was confiscated for resettlement.

Given the activities and the attitude of the authorities, local residents believe they torched the houses on November 28, 2005.

A rumour is spreading among victims that Senior Gen Than Shwe's family made overtures to the victims to sell the land before the fire destroyed their homes.

But the victims refused because they did not want to resettle in the new place, said one victim who has resettled. The fire occurred after the overture.

A victim said, “We wanted to continue staying on our land even though it was burnt but the authorities didn't allow us.”

The victims got land which was not equivalent to the land they owned before the fire.

One homeless from Hlaing Township who was displaced needed to build his house. He asked for support from his relatives. Most of the victims are workers on daily wages.

When the fire was raging, fire fighters from the fire brigade did not extinguish the fire. So the residents bribed the fire fighters. After which the fire fighters tried to douse the fire, according to residents.