The military authorities of the CLMV countries have
been significant actors in land grabbing. In some cases,
notably Myanmar and Cambodia, military figures are
implicated in abuse of authority for private acquisition of
land. Military involvement in land grabbing also extends
to the seizure of land for military purposes and military
protection of influential persons in their seizure of
land and other resources from local communities
(LICADHO 2009; Woods 2011). In Myanmar, there has
been extensive documentation of military confiscation
of villagers’ plantations, farmland and grazing land,
both to make room for new military bases and encampments,
and to grow food for soldiers based at these
military centres. The problem is especially acute in
ethnic minority areas (AASYC et al. 2009). Elsewhere,
the military and police provide protection to land
concessionaires when force is applied in evicting
smallholders to make way for land concessions. In
Cambodia, a number of incidents of violence against
protesters in defence of their land have resulted in
death or injury. More generally throughout the region,
military ownership of forestry and other natural resource
companies dates back to the post-revolutionary
era when militaries had to assist in finding their own
operational budgets. The military in all four countries
has also had a close involvement with logging.