The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) released a statement on November 25 asking the authorities not to allow others to grab war victims’ land by force.

The statement also reported that local ethnics from Kachin and northern Shan States had abandoned their cattle and farms in their native area in June 2011, and they nowlived poorly in refugee camps.

 In the interim, some companies had grabbed farmland and public forest. The statement warned those companies not to grab by force and destroy the farmland.

“The statement was released by KIO’s central committee,” said Lamai Khunjar from Myitkyina- based Peace Creation Group. “We had learnt that the companies have cultivated refugee-owned land and they also designated the land plots especially in the  Bhamaw-Myitgyina, Tanai and Myitgyina-Puta-O road sections. The war victims didn’t inform us. But, it is very difficult to get data.”

Chinese companies are now farming tissue-cultured banana plantations at the eastern bank of Ayeyawady River in Kachin State.

While concerned about these plantations, the Kachin State Government Committee can’t do a ground investigation because the region remains insecure, according to the Kachin State government.