Urban Development

Description: 

"RIP: Rest In Pieces"... On Nov 14th 1996, the Slorc posted a notice at the gate of Kyandaw Cemetery giving relatives one month?s notice to move the remains to a new site at Shwe Nyaung-bin, two hours drive from Rangoon. Kyandaw cemetery is located on 50-70 acres of what has become prime real estate in downtown Rangoon, near Hantha-waddy intersection. Both Burmese and foreigners are buried there of Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist faiths. Rumours abound in Rangoon as to what the military government wants the land for; a casino to be built by Khun Sa, a hotel to be built with foreign investment, or, a Japanese shopping center. Whatever is planned for this land remains unknown as the Slorc refuse to specify at this stage. A Slorc spokesman, Major Hla Min stated on a recent Asian Business News television interview: "Yangon has changed, and the location of the cemetery, once it was probably on the outskirts of Yangon, but today its almost in the center of the city, so naturally it has to be relocated." ..."

Source/publisher: 

"The Irrawaddy" Vol. 5, No. 1

Date of Publication: 

1997-01-01

Date of entry: 

2007-01-24

Grouping: 

  • Individual Documents

Category: 

Language: 

English

Format: 

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