Urban development at the cost of rural areas
- From: "MRC-USA" <mrcorg@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 29 Jun 2006 14:41:29 -0700
Urban development at the cost of rural areas
IMNA
June 29, 2006
Urban development in Burma by the military regime often comes at the
expense of the rural areas. This has seriously hampered growth in rural
areas.
Extension of city train services as part of development projects in
urban areas has resulted in stoppage of services in the rural sector.
"The regime shifted the express train from Mon State to the new
capital Pyinmana at the end of May" according to sources close to
railway officers in Mon State.
The train was moved to the new capital on the orders of Senior General
Than Shwe, sourced added.
The Dawei train has stopped running since the end of May, said
residents in Ye Township. Mon State had three trains including express
and ordinary trains. One was running between Moulmein and Dawei while
two trains operated between Moulmein and Ye.
Residents said they had no idea why the train between Moulmein and
Dawei was not running.
Reduction of train services by the regime have left passengers
complaining and grumblingly because of the problems they have been
facing while travelling.
The postmen on the rail route are also facing problems because the
trains never stop or reduce speeds at the small stations to help
deliver the letters, said sources.
"The Dawei railway road is a temporary affair and sometimes the train
slips and we miss a heartbeat out of fear," a passenger who has
travelled on the train said.
According to the Myanmar Television MRTV, passengers can now travel
smoothly to the new capital Pyinmana.
The regime declared that they built the 101.36 mile long Dawei-Ye
railway with their Tatmadawmen between 1994 and 1998.
But human rights groups in exile said, that the railway was built with
forced labour and has been named the second death railway of Burma
because many people had died after they were forced to work in the
railway construction site.
A monk from Chaungtaung in Ye Township said that the military had
forced villagers from around Ye Township and Thanbyuzayat Township to
build the railway.
He added that the villagers were forced to work for many years in the
construction of the railway. Some of them died during construction and
some were raped.
............................................................................................................................
For further information please contact to imna_news@xxxxxxxxx ,
www.monnews.com, www.monnews-imna.com
Editor: Tel: 66 (0) 9 2072825,
Please visit Burma News International Web-site: www.bnionline.net, in
which IMNA is a member.
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