Burmese Investment Boom Fuels Worries Over Land Grabs

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October 22, 2012
BANGKOK — The opening of Burma’s economy to foreign investors is
leading to conflicts over land confiscation, as politically-connected
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Now, as the government considers new laws to attract foreign investors,
activists say there has been a rash of land seizures with up to 3.6
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million hectares being taken by government, private companies and the
military as the economy prepares for more foreign investment.

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The Institute’s Woods says new land laws and foreign investment laws
will leave small scale farmers vulnerable in government moves to set up
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unfair - this comes up in the media. Even in the north you hear stories
of Chinese investment which is already providing much more significant
compensation for land per acre than used to be,” Perdiquero noted.
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Analysts say the issue remains a key test of the Burmese government’s
ability to entice foreign investment and create a government body to
address the complaints of the country’s citizens.