Junta to evict over 800 alleged squatters in Yangon

By Admin 24 Jun 2023

DMG Newsroom
24 June 2023, Sittwe

The Myanmar military has ordered more than 130 households in Ward Nos. 56 and 70 of Yangon’s South Dagon Township to vacate by the third week of July, accusing them of squatting on land owned by the Yangon City Development Committee.

The district municipality and township General Administration Department issued eviction notices to the households on Friday, saying they must vacate by July 22 or face legal action under municipal law.

“We have to remove our houses within one month. The municipal staff came to send the eviction notice. They were accompanied by police and soldiers. And their tone was threatening,” said a resident of Ward No. 56.

More than 80 houses in Ward No. 56 and over 70 houses in Ward No. 70 received the eviction notices. The number of occupants totals more than 800 people.

Members of the affected population referred to a programme undertaken by the now ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government.

“All the houses got smart cards under the NLD government. All the lands are farmland, and have nothing to do with the municipality,” said a resident of Ward No. 70 who asked for anonymity.

In late 2016, the NLD government launched a project to survey the population of squatters across 13 townships in Yangon. The surveyed households received “smart” ID cards, which confirm their status as squatters. The smart cards include bar codes, fingerprints and photo identification. Many of the smart card recipients had hoped to use the cards to obtain apartments from the government in the future.

The affected residents have also expressed dismay at the prospect of having to move during the rainy season.

“They have gone too far, forcing us to move. I have been living here for more than 10 years. I don’t know where else to live,” said one resident.

Since the coup, the regime has forcibly removed more than 1,000 households in Shwepyithar, Hlaing Tharyar, Mingalardon and North Dagon townships, effectively rendering over 20,000 people homeless.