Civilians to be moved for new capital

War/Human Rights

Civilians to be moved for new capital

Reporter: Chai Sayam
At least hundreds of residents in the vicinity of the new command center in central Burma will be uprooted when an airport planned by the military leaders is being constructed, according to sources from the area:

The area around Ayelar and Leway, the two towns south and southwest respectively of Pyinmana, soon to be the government-cum-military base of Burma, had already been charted by the survey department, they said.

Five of the government ministries, namely, Forestry, Energy, Agriculture and Irrigation, No.1 Industry and Information, have already received orders to be resettled in the area specified by Rangoon by October, 4 miles outside Pyinmana.

"Government servants who refuse to move there are told they will be fired and therefore cannot expect any pension," explained an unhappy government source. "We know there are ready-made lodgings for us there but no one bothers to suggest how we can expect to generate extra income to support our families. In addition, we keep hearing malaria is rampant there."

The War Office, a source was told, would be located in an excavation at the foothills of the Pegu Yoma range, west of Pyinmana. "I was told the generals are merely fulfilling the ideas initiated by generals Aung San and Kyaw Zaw (now an exile in China) during the 1940's," he said. "One officer did observe that it would also be easier for the leaders to flee to China (from Pyinmana) in the event of an invasion."

According to Irrawaddy, 14 June, the order to move to Pyinmana was issued by the government the previous day.

Related reports by S.H.A.N.

• Army receives schooling in tank warfare, 24 January 2005

• Junta's new ruling center, 8 February 2005