The Meaning of Land in Myanmar

The Meaning of Land in Myanmar
A Primer

“Land is like our vein; it is vital for our living. After our land was confiscated, we don’t know what to do for our livelihood,” says a farmer from Kachin State in Myanmar. Today many inhabitants of rural communities in Myanmar live under threat of losing their lands in a battle for resources spurred by ethnic conflict, exploitative land laws, and powerful economic actors. The existence of a legal right to the land does not translate into that right being respected in practice, and people across the country are now working to protect their right to the land.

Chapters:

1 What is land and why is it important?
2 Why is land such a burning issue in Myanmar?
3 How is land related to debates about development?
4 Is there a human right to land?
5 What steps are people in Myanmar taking to express and assert their human right to land?