This study by Ba Nyar Oo examines the impact of Myanmar’s 2011 political transition on rural land governance, focusing on a 2019 stone mining project in Magyi village of southern Ye Township of Mon State. The research explores how the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, legal reforms, and increased investment have transformed land from a communal asset to a commodity. The study utilizes Polanyi’s concept of commodification to analyze how the mining project disrupted community livelihoods, leading to forced relocations and increased tensions. Despite these challenges, villagers resisted land appropriation by asserting customary rights and mobilizing for collective action. The research underscores the complex interplay between political change, economic development, and community resilience in rural Myanmar.
- THEME
- Ethnic Politics | Resource Governance