[ENG] Voices from Taw Kot: A Community’s Fight for Land and Justice

In Taw Kot, a quiet village in Eastern Shan State, generations of Akhar, Lahu, Shan, Kayah, and Kayin families have tilled the same land since 1922. The soil has fed their families, sustained their traditions, and bound their community together.

But in 2017, everything changed when a revered monk declared their village to be religious land and allowed it to be used for mining.

The threat of mining emerged

The mining settlement was situated near a vital water source that villagers relied on for their daily needs. The mining activities have made it increasingly difficult for villagers to cultivate their farmland and sustain their livelihoods. 

There are growing concerns that mining could damage the fields, pollute and deplete the local water sources, and contaminate the environment with toxic substances. These impacts could also threaten livestock grazing areas and reduce access to clean water, affecting both health and food security in the community.

A united community fights back

Because of these threats, the community decided to negotiate and request the return of their land. The monk showed the villages an official-looking document saying it was a legal land title. For years, no one dared question it and the mining operations continued.

In 2019, hope emerged in the form of Rebecca, a paralegal from the Than Lwin Thitsar. When she reviewed the document, Rebecca found out that it was merely a project proposal and not a legal land title. This moment changed everything. The villagers realized they were misled.

The villagers decided to organize and they formed a Land and Environmental Committee, consisting of nine members, including two women and representatives from various ethnic groups. One of the Akha women said “I’ll be an important person in this group and I could share my thoughts.” The committee has defined the village boundaries, approximately 40 acres, excluding farmland.

A victory for the community

The community, with the help of Rebecca, negotiated with the monk and his religious affairs committee. When negotiations with the monk failed, the villagers took the fight to the General Administration Department (GAD).

The GAD intervened, facilitated negotiation between both parties, and eventually, the community successfully got their land back. This reclaimed land is 95 acres of vacant, fallow, and virgin land, located about 10 miles from the village settlement. It lies on a mountainside without a proper road, requiring a walk up a hill to reach it.

A step towards sustainability

Following this victory, the paralegal and community applied for Community Forest status. However, this application remains pending due to delay caused by the military coup. 

Rebecca is now working closely with the village headman, justice seekers, and active women leaders to protect the land through a community land protection approach. The communities themselves protect their land by forming a committee, discussing the law and land rules and regulations, as well as by mapping their village land area.

The power of legal empowerment

With the legal support provided by the paralegal and the community’s unity, justice was achieved and the entire community actively participated in the process. For the people of Taw Kot, justice was not handed down from the courts; it was claimed by their own hands, guided by knowledge, unity, and courage.

About the Than Lwin Thitsar

Than Lwin Thitsar (TLT) trained community-based paralegals in these villages to help them achieve their goals and to empower their communities to know the law, use the law, and shape the law. In addition, the strength of the community and the dedication of justice defenders stand as a remarkable and inspiring achievement. This marks a lasting footprint of legal empowerment.