3<strong>Myanmar</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> <strong>Crossroads</strong>BOX 1:Wh<strong>at</strong> Are <strong>HLP</strong> Rights? (continued)and programmes required - to <strong>the</strong>maximum of <strong>the</strong>ir available resources- to continually and progressivelyexpand <strong>the</strong> enjoyment of <strong>the</strong>se rightsand simultaneously ensure in policy,legal or o<strong>the</strong>r terms, th<strong>at</strong> no deliber<strong>at</strong>elyretrogressive measures aretaken th<strong>at</strong> lead to <strong>the</strong> decline in <strong>the</strong>enjoyment of <strong>the</strong>se basic rights.Of all <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> rights, <strong>the</strong> right toadequ<strong>at</strong>e housing has advanced <strong>the</strong>far<strong>the</strong>st. In 1991, <strong>the</strong> UN Committeeon Economic, Social and CulturalRights adopted ‘General CommentNo. 4 on <strong>the</strong> Right to Adequ<strong>at</strong>eHousing’ which indic<strong>at</strong>es th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong>following seven components form <strong>the</strong>core contents of <strong>the</strong> human right toadequ<strong>at</strong>e housing: (a) legal securityof tenure; (b) availability of services,m<strong>at</strong>erials, facilities and infrastructure;(c) loc<strong>at</strong>ion; (d) habitability; (e)affordability; (f) accessibility; and (g)cultural adequacy. General CommentNo. 4 also reiter<strong>at</strong>es th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> rightto adequ<strong>at</strong>e housing should not beinterpreted in a narrow or restrictivesense which equ<strong>at</strong>es it with <strong>the</strong>shelter provided by merely having aroof over one’s head or views shelterexclusively as a commodity, but th<strong>at</strong>housing rights should be seen asrights to live somewhere in security,peace and dignity. To achieve <strong>the</strong>serights, St<strong>at</strong>es need to respect <strong>the</strong>serights by ensuring th<strong>at</strong> no measuresare taken which intentionallyerode <strong>the</strong>ir legal or practical st<strong>at</strong>us.Governments need to comprehensivelyreview relevant legisl<strong>at</strong>ion,refrain from actively viol<strong>at</strong>ing <strong>the</strong>serights by strictly regul<strong>at</strong>ing forcedevictions and ensure th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> housing,land and property sectors are freefrom all forms of discrimin<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>at</strong>any time. St<strong>at</strong>es must also assessn<strong>at</strong>ional <strong>HLP</strong> conditions, and accur<strong>at</strong>elycalcul<strong>at</strong>e, using st<strong>at</strong>istical ando<strong>the</strong>r d<strong>at</strong>a and indic<strong>at</strong>ors, <strong>the</strong> truescale of non-enjoyment of <strong>the</strong>serights, and <strong>the</strong> precise measuresrequired for <strong>the</strong>ir remedy. Governmentsneed to protect <strong>the</strong> rights ofpeople by effectively preventing <strong>the</strong>denial of <strong>the</strong>ir rights by third partiessuch as landlords, property developers,social service providers ando<strong>the</strong>rs capable of restricting <strong>the</strong>serights. To promote <strong>HLP</strong> rights,Governments should adopt targetedmeasures such as n<strong>at</strong>ional <strong>HLP</strong> str<strong>at</strong>egiesth<strong>at</strong> explicitly define <strong>the</strong> objectivesfor <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong>sector, identify <strong>the</strong> resources availableto meet <strong>the</strong>se goals, <strong>the</strong> mostcost-effective way of using <strong>the</strong>m andhow <strong>the</strong> responsibilities and timeframefor <strong>the</strong>ir implement<strong>at</strong>ion willbe applied. Such str<strong>at</strong>egies shouldreflect extensive genuine consult<strong>at</strong>ionwith, and particip<strong>at</strong>ion by, all thoseaffected, including groups traditionallyexcluded from <strong>the</strong> enjoyment of <strong>HLP</strong>rights. Finally, <strong>the</strong> oblig<strong>at</strong>ion to fulfil<strong>the</strong>se rights involves issues of publicexpenditure, <strong>the</strong> regul<strong>at</strong>ion of n<strong>at</strong>ionaleconomies and land markets, housingsubsidy programmes, monitoring rentlevels and o<strong>the</strong>r housing costs, <strong>the</strong>construction, financing and maintenanceof public housing, <strong>the</strong> provisionof basic social services, tax<strong>at</strong>ion,redistributive economic measuresand any o<strong>the</strong>r positive initi<strong>at</strong>ives th<strong>at</strong>are likely to result in <strong>the</strong> continuallyexpanding enjoyment of <strong>HLP</strong> rights.Photo by Andrew Scherer /<strong>Displacement</strong> <strong>Solutions</strong>
<strong>Myanmar</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> <strong>Crossroads</strong> 4Many within <strong>the</strong> country may believe th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> new political openness, <strong>the</strong> Government’s avowed aim of significantlyboosting GDP growth, much anticip<strong>at</strong>ed foreign investment, promulg<strong>at</strong>ion of new pro-business land laws(as occurred in March 2012) and gradual priv<strong>at</strong>is<strong>at</strong>ion in <strong>Myanmar</strong> will resolve <strong>the</strong> country’s multifarious <strong>HLP</strong>challenges in a fair and equitable manner consistent with <strong>the</strong> rights of <strong>the</strong> people concerned. However, history in arange of o<strong>the</strong>r countries th<strong>at</strong> have undergone major political reforms shows unequivocally th<strong>at</strong> such assumptionsare misguided. Indeed, r<strong>at</strong>her than improve <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> prospects of ordinary citizens, deep political reforms th<strong>at</strong> arepremised exclusively on market-gener<strong>at</strong>ed, largely non-transparent decision-making processes on <strong>HLP</strong> questions,without public particip<strong>at</strong>ion or consult<strong>at</strong>ion, tend to result in even gre<strong>at</strong>er land inequality, larger-scale landgrabbing, more frequent and often violent forced evictions, increased housing poverty, worsening access to basicservices linked to housing, reduced tenure security and a vast array of additional <strong>HLP</strong> concerns th<strong>at</strong> undermineboth <strong>the</strong> enjoyment of human rights as well as <strong>the</strong> broader economic prospects of <strong>the</strong> countries concerned. (2)It is clear, based on extensive research, interviews and field visits in <strong>Myanmar</strong>, th<strong>at</strong> after eighteen months ofreform, many positive steps forward and a fundamental change in approaches to governance, <strong>the</strong> country isfacing major <strong>HLP</strong> challenges today. Without prompt and appropri<strong>at</strong>e action, <strong>the</strong>se challenges will inevitablyspark future crises within <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> sector, which will thre<strong>at</strong>en both <strong>the</strong> reform process and overall economic andsocial vitality. Growing foreign investment and a number of o<strong>the</strong>r changes have already begun to cre<strong>at</strong>e conditionswithin <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> sector th<strong>at</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>r thre<strong>at</strong>en <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> rights of ordinary citizens and <strong>HLP</strong> rights holders. Given<strong>the</strong> experience gained globally in addressing <strong>HLP</strong> issues within <strong>the</strong> context of political transition during <strong>the</strong> pasttwo decades, it is clear th<strong>at</strong> even if political reforms in <strong>Myanmar</strong> continue apace, gre<strong>at</strong> care will need to be takenin <strong>at</strong>tempting to deal with <strong>HLP</strong> <strong>the</strong>mes. Given <strong>the</strong> unique history of <strong>the</strong> country, its massive economic and developmentpotential, <strong>the</strong> still largely unresolved peace processes in many ethnic areas, and <strong>the</strong> country’s widespreadpoverty and growing landlessness, many of <strong>Myanmar</strong>’s 60 million ordinary citizens stand a very considerablechance of suffering an even worse crisis within <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> sector if measures are not taken in <strong>the</strong> short- tomedium-terms to build capacity within civil society and Government to address <strong>HLP</strong> challenges in <strong>the</strong> mostequitable manner possible.This report builds on a series of earlier efforts, including a 1245-page book prepared by <strong>Displacement</strong> <strong>Solutions</strong>in 2009 th<strong>at</strong> for <strong>the</strong> first-time compiled all of <strong>the</strong> 94 laws in place <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> time in <strong>Myanmar</strong> which have a bearing on<strong>the</strong> realis<strong>at</strong>ion of <strong>HLP</strong> rights. (3) The analysis th<strong>at</strong> follows provides a brief overview of <strong>the</strong> most pressing <strong>HLP</strong> challengesfacing <strong>Myanmar</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> moment, and examines <strong>the</strong> legisl<strong>at</strong>ive framework for addressing <strong>the</strong>se concernscombined with more thorough analysis of recent <strong>HLP</strong> legisl<strong>at</strong>ive developments. The report concludes with aseries of concrete recommend<strong>at</strong>ions designed to assist <strong>the</strong> Government to improve <strong>the</strong> overall <strong>HLP</strong> legisl<strong>at</strong>iveand policy framework in a manner th<strong>at</strong> provides protection and respect for <strong>the</strong> <strong>HLP</strong> rights of <strong>the</strong> entire popul<strong>at</strong>ionof <strong>the</strong> country, while simultaneously providing a solid basis for economic development, as well as n<strong>at</strong>ional andintern<strong>at</strong>ional investment.(2) See, for instance: Scott Leckie (ed) Conflict and Housing, Land and Property Rights – A Handbook on Issues, Frameworks and <strong>Solutions</strong>,(Cambridge University Press, 2011) and Scott Leckie (ed) Housing, Land and Property Rights and UN Peace Oper<strong>at</strong>ions – A Compar<strong>at</strong>iveSurvey and Proposals for Reform (Cambridge University Press, 2008).(3) Scott Leckie and Ezekiel Simperingham, Housing, Land and Property Rights in Burma: The Current Legal Framework (<strong>Displacement</strong> <strong>Solutions</strong>& <strong>HLP</strong> Institute, 2009). The prepar<strong>at</strong>ion of this book was made possible thanks to a generous grant from <strong>the</strong> Swiss Federal Department ofForeign Affairs (FDFA).