YANGON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's government has returned some 2,580 hectares of land in Yangon confiscated from farmers and other landholders by the previous government, official media reported Tuesday.
The restored land were among the 3,717 hectares taken over from farmers by various government agencies.
After investigation, the Yangon Region Land Confiscation Review Committee decided that the confiscated lands under 1,905 cases should given back to the original owners.
According to the committee, most of the confiscated land was taken by the Ministry of Defense and the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development in the previous government tenure.
Meanwhile, up to mid-last year, the Mandalay regional government had also returned some 12,960 hectares out of 14,175 hectares' confiscated land in the northern region, while some similar land in Ayeyawaddy region and Nay Pyi Taw Council area were also transferred back to the farmers.
More than one month after taking office, the new government voiced commitment to the speedy resolution of farmland confiscation issue and for the prompt return of abandoned land to their lawful owners.
Vice President U Henry Van Thio, who chairs the Central Review Committee on Confiscated Farmland, then described farmland as crucial properties for farmers in an agricultural country, pledging justice in returning the confiscated land.
During the tenure of the former government, private companies and government departments were allowed to confiscate land, including farmland, under the pretext of urbanization and industrialization.
However, land dispute was brought about between the government, landowners and investors over ownership.
