Major news in Burma on July 3 : Waste dump extension leaves 70 homeless

Major news in <The Myanmar Times> : Waste dump extension leaves 70 homeless

By Noe Noe Aung / Volume 32, No. 633 July 2 – 8, 2012

FAMILIES recently evicted from illegal settlements in North Dagon township have pleaded for assistance from the government, saying they have nowhere else to live and no money to rent a house.

Sixty-four people from 12 households were evicted from an empty block near Htawelchaung cemetery by Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) officials early on June 25 following repeated warnings to leave. Another household was ordered to leave by June 28 or face eviction.

When The Myanmar Times visited the area on June 27, the remains of destroyed huts were still lying on the ground. Many of the evicted residents were taking shelter from the monsoon rain in a temporary bamboo building that was full of flies due to its proximity to the Htawelchaung rubbish dump.

The evictions came following several warnings from YCDC.

“On June 22, some YCDC people called us and gave us a notice that said we must move from this land as YCDC wants to extend the Htawelchuang dump. That was the third time they advised us,” U Win Cho said.

“We didn’t move though because there is nowhere for us to go. House rent is expensive and we don’t have enough money to rent or buy houses because we survive by doing odd jobs.

“We were farmers and we lived in Toekyaungkalay before. But in 1989, the government took our farm lands because they said they were needed for the country. So we were homeless and then we moved here, besides Htawelchaung cemetery, as this was fallow land. But now we are homeless again.”

U Tin Soe, a casual labourer who lives near the 12 other families, said he would leave the area voluntarily so that his home was not destroyed.

“My house was not included in those demolished by YCDC on June 25. But YCDC and township officials told me that I have to move on June 28,” said U Tin Soe.

For U Tin Soe the eviction was a double blow, as he made a living harvesting and selling Eugenia leaves (thabyay pan) from the hundreds of trees around his home.

“I have many difficulties. If this happened before the rainy season I could have managed something. But now it is such a rush and it is raining every day so moving is really difficult. The worst is that my young daughter – who is in Grade 1 – had to drop out of school,” he said.

A young woman evicted from her home by Yangon City Development Committee on June 25. / Pic: Kaung Htet

Ma Khine Hnin Wai, 14, said the destruction of her home had made it difficult to attend school. “I had an exam on that day [on June 25] but I missed it as my house was demolished in the early morning. Now I have to live in a neighbour’s house. But I have difficulties to study and live there because it is not my home. I’m so sad for my parents, for my family, that I can’t study well,” she said.

The plight of the families has attracted support from local activists and politicians. Daw Naw Ohn Hla, a former political prisoner released under an amnesty in May 2011, said that some children were suffering from diarrhoea because of the weather and the flies from the nearby rubbish dump.

“They need medicine, they need help. And they need somewhere to live. Because of the rain, there is water everywhere and children are sick from the cold weather. Many children are absent their school,” she said.

Daw Khin Wine Kyi, an Amyotha Hluttaw representative for the constituency covering North Dagon, East Dagon and North Okkalapa townships, said she was going to lobby the government for help relocate the families.

“I’m going to report a petition to relevant departments in Yangon Region to give them somewhere to live … for the time being, I have helped them by buying medicine and some tarpaulins to make a shelter,” she said.

“I think the Yangon Region government should deal with this case gently. Our president is trying to create a new country with improved socio-economic development. If that is the case, helping working class people like these families should be our priority.”

But U Than Lwin Oo, head of the Pollution Control and Cleansing Department of YCDC, said that the committee did not plan to expand the rubbish dump but just wanted to remove the squatters.

“All of this land is originally Htawelchaung cemetery land … but for a long time we have been putting rubbish on the low-lying areas of the cemetery land. YCDC is not planning to extend the [rubbish dump], just remove those squatters,” U Than Lwin Oo told The Myanmar Times on June 29.

He said that the department had warned the families multiple times that they had to move, most recently on June 8.

“They didn’t obey so the department formed a group to remove the squatters … and we reported to the Yangon Region government about our intentions. The regional government gave permission and we don’t plan to give them anywhere to live,” U Than Lwin Oo said.

“Now we have made a fence around the cemetery land and put signboards up saying it is owned by YCDC. If anyone squats there again we will take action.”

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