Residents protest in Muse, saying they do not want land-grabbing administrator

Mekong, July 30 In Muse Township, northern Shan State, local residents protested on July 29, expressing their opposition to village administrator U Maung Aye of Mai Yu village tract, who is accused of land grabbing. U Maung Aye, the administrator of Mai Yu village tract, not only seized the land belonging to Aung Nam Hwe village but also sued the villagers at the administrative court of the Brotherhood Alliance in Muse 105 Mile. In this lawsuit, judges from the Kokang Army-MNDAA and the Arakan Army-AA, representing the Brotherhood Alliance administrative committee, ruled in favor of the land-grabbing administrator on July 28. Residents protested, stating that the ruling was not fair, holding signs that read "Protesting and condemning the forceful seizure of village common land," "We do not want administrator U Maung Aye," and "We do not want land thief U Maung Aye." One local resident said, "The ruling by the alliance committee is far from fair to the people. It is not possible to be fair if the case is decided so easily without thoroughly understanding the law. Regarding agricultural land, no matter what documents exist, one cannot claim ownership. Only by thoroughly investigating the origin can the truth be known. More importantly, it is the majority versus one person. As long as the majority does not receive justice, it is useless even if the plaintiff wins the case." The court in the lawsuit made a final ruling after only three hearings, without thoroughly investigating the incident. Therefore, residents stated that they would not hand over the village land to U Maung Aye. A local man said, "The community is not satisfied. The community will not hand over the land to the plaintiff." U Maung Aye, the administrator of Mai Yu village tract in Muse 105 Mile, has been seizing the land of Aung Nam Hwe village in the 105 Mile area, claiming it as his own. He also sued the local residents at the Kokang and AA alliance committee office in 105 Mile in the first week of July. The alliance committee court made a final ruling on July 28, ruling in favor of the administrator who seized the land. A local source said, "Administrator U Maung Aye cannot be a trustworthy and upright person. There are many negative rumors about him regarding land. Furthermore, as an administrator, he has done nothing to resolve land issues. We are from the same village, but he is against our entire village. We have not attended our monastery for a long time. We have not used our village's traditional customs. According to village customs, this cannot be done. It is not that the majority is bullying one person; rather, he is abandoning the village." He added that it is disappointing that the Brotherhood Alliance court ignored the village's customs and traditions and ruled in favor of the evidence prepared under the military council's law. "It is disappointing. It is truly disappointing that the people's customs lost and the military council's evidence won," said the local source. When residents of Aung Nam Hwe village, located along the main road from Muse 105 Mile to Kyauk Kote (Pansai) in Muse Township, were preparing to carry out stone quarrying operations to generate village funds with the agreement of the entire village for the village's common land, administrator U Maung Aye of 105 Mile claimed the land as his own and filed this lawsuit. U Maung Aye is a resident of Nam Hwan village and served as an administrator during the military council's control. After the Kokang Army and the Arakan Army took control, he continued to serve as administrator by the choice of the local residents. Local sources said that this land, which is over one acre in size, has been village common land for over 30 years and has never been sold to anyone.