Residents express concerns over megaproject

On 26th February 2020 it was reported that construction of ‘coming large-scale projects’ on Kalagote island, namely the deep seaport and an airport, was the source of serious concern for local people. According to island residents red flags had been planted during the last rainy season and a new road had been built in the area around Pauk Chaung near the upper harbour. Kalagote Village Administrator, U Daung Sein, said “They [the navy] said it was for the airport, however really, we are not sure about that. They are experimenting [doing ground testing] with backhoes and bulldozers.” Residents had not been fully informed about the projects by local authorities and were worried they might lose their farmlands and local businesses. An island resident, Nai Aung Min, said “I do not want these projects here. If the [projects are implemented], we will surely lose our main source of livelihoods such as our farmlands, so how can we move forward if this happens?”[2] Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) reported that after learning of the megaproject plans, for a deep seaport, a bridge, an airfield and other related infrastructure on Kalagote island villagers expressed concerns over their livelihoods from fisheries, farming and gardening. One villager said “We could not work anymore if this project is to be implemented. We only know how to fish. We don’t know [how to do other work] to go to foreign country. Therefore, we don’t want such an airfield and deep-seaport.” A few months previously, villagers, who had been hearing about the deep seaport and airport since August 2019 but had not been informed, had gathered to ask authorities about the plans and learned that an airfield 2,438 meters in length and 1,219 meters wide was planned. One villager said: “They did not call to tell us. They told us [only] when we asked after gathering. They told us that all so we just know that. Later, red flags were set in the ground, including in my plantation. When we asked them [marine battalion], they said it was the order from above.” HURFOM attempted to interview the Village  Administrator regarding but was only given a “no comment” response. Villagers decided to form a group to monitor the project. The population of Kalagote island is approximately 5,000 and there are about 1,000 houses.[3]

Kalagote island seized by the Navy in 2001

Kalagote island, also referred to as Kaleguak, was confiscated by the Mawyawaddy Navy Command in 2001, following seizure of more than 80 hectares in the lower portion of the island for an artillery base in 1996. In June 2014 General Kyaw Nyunt, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Defence, stated that no army base had been established on the island but there were no plans to return the seized land. Residents continued to live and work there. Representatives from the affected constituencies were enquiring whether the army planned to return seized land that was not required for the country’s defence strategy. On 24th July 2014, at the 10th regular session of the Pyi Thu Hlataw (Lower House) representative Mi Myint Than, presented the issue. She said locals had been forced to give their signatures without being paid compensation and asked “will this army-seized land also be returned to the people, as lands [in other parts of Burma] have been returned?” General Kyaw Nyunt responded that the Ministry of Home Affairs had handed the entire 1,427 hectares of Kalegauk island land to Mawyawaddy Navy Command free of charge and that 920 island residents had agreed to the land acquisition, providing their signatures in the presence of the former Ye Township Law and Order Restoration Council, the Township People Police and an official from the Land Marking Department. But island residents say their lands have been passed down through the generations. They claim that no-one gave up their land for free, they had merely given their signatures for land-grant applications for their properties.[4]

At the Mon State Investment Fair 2019 the Mon State government invited investors to participate in six sectors: agriculture, fisheries, tourism, trade and logistics, manufacturing and infrastructure. Chief Minister of Mon State, Dr. Aye Zan, said: “The location of Mon State means there is strong potential to leverage the trade channels with Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.” U Htun Htay, Mon State Minister for Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Transportation said: “We are seeking local and foreign investors to develop cold storage and cold chain infrastructure which will support the agriculture sector in Mon State. Surbana Jurong presented its Mon State Vision Master Plan (2035), described in an article in Myanmar Times as ‘a dynamic conceptual zoning layout of major urban centres in Mon State with distinctive development potential, providing a guide for the strategic and systematic future growth of the state’. One speaker at the event, Gopikrishana Rengasamy, KPMG Singapore director for infrastructure and energy, sais “Myanmar has resources such as good soil and a variety of climactic zones to grow different crops” making recommendations including contract farming whereby production is carried out according to agreements between farmers and buyers.[6]

In February 2020 Kalagote island residents expressed concerns over proposed construction of a deep seaport and airport. Red flags had been planted in the ground and new road constructed near the island’s upper harbour. Village Administrator U Daung Sein said backhoes (excavators) and bulldozers were in operation. Villagers were informed that an airfield 2,438 metres long and 1,219 metres wide is planned.[2]