Weekly Eleven Tuesday, 29 July 2014 22:17
Civic organisations have urged developers of the the Thilawa Special Economic Zone to provide job opportunities to local residents from the area.
Members of the Responsible Business Group met with Thilawa SEZ developers during an environmental assessment on July 25 where they urged them to keep their promises to create employment.
“We are asking for the job opportunities for the locals. Before the project is started, there is a saying that how many number of job opportunities to be created for the locals. But we saw that sometimes these jobs do not transpire after the project is completed,” said Aung Kyaw Soe from the Responsible Business Group.
Many local residents of the 2,400 hectare industrial zone south of the former capital Yangon lost their land to the project but were promised employment opportunities in return. Despite the project moving ahead, many have not been provided jobs yet.
Dr. Than Than Thwe, Associate Secretary of Thilawa SEZ Management Committee says that they are training companies in social corporate responsibility but it is unclear whether this involved prioritising jobs for local residents.
“The authorities should create job opportunities for the locals who have lost their land for the project…They lost their land and haven’t been given the opportunities,” said Aye Htay from Thayet-Thida Myaing.
Eleven Myanmar
