The military council has forcibly demolished more than 80 houses along the Mandalay-Mattaya road in Kwa Ni Kan village, Patheingyi Township, Mandalay Region, using excavators and bulldozers under the pretext of road expansion. According to local sources, over 50 military personnel systematically destroyed houses on both the eastern and western sides of the main road during a three-day operation from March 4 to March 6.
The military personnel carried out the demolitions without any prior notice to the residents, giving them no opportunity to salvage their belongings. According to a representative from MDY Revolution, the sudden destruction resulted in significant property losses as homeowners were not allowed to remove their household items before the demolition began. Additionally, some locals who attempted to document the destruction through photographs were threatened with arrest, and military-affiliated militia members warned against any documentation of the demolition process.
The displaced families are now facing severe difficulties in finding new accommodation, with most temporarily staying with relatives. Human rights observers note that these actions by the military council violate international human rights standards and infringe upon citizens’ rights to property ownership and secure housing. The destruction has caused not only immediate material losses but also significant disruption to the community’s social fabric, as many families have lived in the area for generations. The military council’s claim of road expansion requirements has been questioned by local residents, who point out the lack of transparent communication or proper compensation procedures that would typically accompany legitimate infrastructure development projects.
