Advocacy Event: Land Rights Issue To Be Focused On Yangon Photo Festival

The 12th edition of Yangon Photo Festival will be focused on the issue of land rights.

The European Union is one of the major partners of the festival, the EU Ambassador expressed that EU is a strong supporter of Myanmar's peace process, and pointed out that conflict over land and the use of natural resources is the very significant source of conflict. Therefore, this issue has been focused for this year's edition.

Ambassador, European Union (Myanmar), H.E. Kristian Schmidt said "It's important that everybody understand the issues that people around the country are facing and the price they are paying for the absence of peace. I think this exhibition is not that criticize. It is to draw people's attention to the social issues that are around the country. Hopefully, that will increase the desire and understanding that peace is really really necessary."

The Ambassador also pointed out the need to have clear legislation that can guarantee for the original owners of a particular land to avoid the conflict. 

Ambassador, European Union (Myanmar), H.E. Kristian Schmidt said "In many of the ethnic areas, there are many different types of land ownership... you have piece of paper, it belongs to you... And then you also have system where the land belongs to a family to the village or you don't have a piece of paper. But it always been yours. But you can't prove it. So if you cannot prove it, and suddenly you are no longer able to go to your land and other people are coming in. Then you have a conflict. And I think in those cases, we have seen a process of important to have land reform."

Myanmar has enacted the Farmland Law and the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Law to solve the land confiscation issues under the National Land Use Policy.

The Ambassador expressed his support and cooperation with the Government for effective implementation of the policies.

Ambassador, European Union (Myanmar), H.E. Kristian Schmidt said "We are supporting Myanmar’s National Land Use Policy and National Land Use Council. Though very good policy and very good constitution, but there is a lot of legislation that is overlapping and confusion, the Virgin, Fallow and Vacant Land Law. Some of these pieces of legislation are not sort of coherent  with the overall objectives of the government to secure peace and security the tenure of land. So, we would like to support the government in coordinating and strengthening its capacity to solve this issue."

The Ambassador expressed that some 3000 visitors are expected to come to the festival which advocates about the most pressing social issues which will be held from 19th February to 21st March.