Myanmar’s New Law and Process for Compulsory Land Acquisition: What PPP Project Developers Need to Know

After decades of highly controversial land acquisitions for public purposes, Myanmar turns a new page by passing the Land Acquisition, Resettlement, and Rehabilitation Law 2019 (Law no. 24/2019, referred to herein as the “LARR 2019”).

Highlights of this note

• How does the new process work?
• The proposal required for starting the land acquisition process has much more depth
• There is more room for objections by project-affected people under the LARR 2019
• The new legal framework says nothing about negotiated, voluntary transactions, which are the vast majority of land acquisitions for infrastructure projects
• The problem with farmland conversions
• Who is entitled to compensation for land and buildings or for damages?
• What about the cut-off date?
• Who determines the compensation?
• How much is the compensation for land and structures?
• Can you compensate in kind, by offering other land?
• What happens with objections and refusals?
• Is the new law already in force?