Yangon: lawyers against the privatization of two historic buildings, part of national heritage
Yangon
(AsiaNews) - A
group of 70 Burmese lawyers have protested in a bid to stop the redevelopment
of two British colonial-era buildings in the former capital Yangon, saying they
will file a lawsuit within a month to prevent the structures from being
converted into a hotel and other businesses. Burma Lawyers' Network told Radio Free Asia
(RFA), they
opposed the privatization of the former High Court and Police Commissioner's
Office buildings in downtown Yangon, and wanted to see them remain in service
of the country's justice system.
According to the group of lawyers, private development of two buildings - long listed
as national treasures and excluded from auction sales commissioned two years
ago by Myanmar Investment Commission - violates national heritage and conservation
laws. Soe Tint Yee, Myanmar Lawyers' Network activist, confirms that a lawsuit will
be filed soon in court, to prevent the redevelopment plan being carried out.
Unfortunately, renovation of the interior of the former police headquarters has
already begun, when in 2012, amid general silence, the two historic buildings
of the former capital were sold to private individuals. The sale was made by the
company Burmese Flying Tiger Engineering, which works in collaboration with the
Singapore company Diamond Capital Asia Co; the idea is to transform the two
structures in luxury hotels.
Part of the building of the High Court (pictured), a century-old red brick edifice that housed the country's
top court until the capital was moved in 2005, has been converted into
condominiums. The rest of it is slated to be turned into a museum and
restaurant, according to reports. The Lawyers' Network
has been in a long-running bid against the privatization of both buildings,
which were put on a national heritage list in 1998.
The case further highlights the growing contradiction of the indiscriminate
development of Yangon, destined
to become a "megalopolis" of 10 million people by 2040, while
trying to keep alive memories, symbols and architecture from the past. Lawyer
Thein Than Oo adds that the legal team is fighting so the two historic
buildings remain at the disposal of the judiciary, and are used for purposes
related to the judiciary. "It is a symbol of the rule of law," he
adds, this "protest has stopped the project because of" change. In
the past, historic and protected buildings have been fatally altered during
development projects and renovations. The lawyers in recent weeks have written
to President Thein Sein and other ministers; local authorities, who argue that the two buildings are too
expensive to maintain and require massive renovation work.
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26/02/2022 14:51
08/01/2022 14:46
