Residents of Shan Lay Kyun Village staged a protest against the Amarapura Urban Development Project on January 11.
The demonstration took place during a water blessing ceremony at a monastery donated by U Maung Weik, the project chairman, on his 52nd birthday. Protesters called for compensation for crop damage caused by the project, replacement of village-owned cemetery land, and the reopening of the village's western access road.
The Amarapura Urban Development Project spans 2,500 acres in Shan Lay Kyun Village, Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region, with an initial investment of 500 billion kyats. U Maung Weik serves as the chairman of the project, which is operated by the Mandalay Business Capital City Development (MBCCD) company. According to a committee statement, cultivation is currently prohibited within the project area.
The project, initiated in June 2016 through an agreement with the regional government, comprises seven phases, including commercial zones, ports, hotels, residential areas, restaurants, international schools, and hospitals. Over 80% of the land has reportedly been purchased at a rate of 150 million kyats per acre.
“The project has been ongoing for about 10 years, and we remain open to discussions. Are the protesters the actual landowners? How many of them own the land? We are open to dialogue regarding the land—whether they wish to sell it, exchange it for city land, or raise concerns. We have already acquired 80% of the land for the project. In countries like Singapore, if 80% of residents agree, old condos can be demolished and rebuilt. It is unfair to halt work due to disagreement from just one or two people, which is not the norm internationally. The committee overseeing the project has been in place since its inception, although officials have changed. We adhere to developer ethics,” said U Zaw Ye Win, the project spokesperson.
The Amarapura Urban Development Project, which is set to span a decade, includes seven zones and will not feature factories. Instead, the project focuses on creating residential, commercial, and infrastructure facilities. “The entire project area was acquired through purchases, not land confiscation,” U Zaw Ye Win added.
The pilot phase of the project, covering approximately 40 acres, was announced to include sand and gravel preparation and initial construction.
U Maung Weik, the owner of the Sa Paing Construction Company, reappeared in public on June 29, 2023, after being detained following the political changes in February 2021. He attended an event where the State Administration Council (SAC) chairman invited businessmen to review the completion of the Marawijaya Buddha statue construction. At the event, U Maung Weik also made a donation for the construction of the pagoda.
U Maung Weik had previously testified as a plaintiff witness in court that he gave Aung San Suu Kyi $550,000 and provided financial assistance to former Mandalay Region Chief Minister Dr. Zaw Myint Maung for medical treatment in Thailand.
A former convict, U Maung Weik was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking in 2008 but was released in 2014. Since his release, he has continued working on projects under both the Thein Sein government and the National League for Democracy government.
Reports suggest that U Maung Weik may also have involvement in investments related to the New Yangon Project, though his exact role remains unclear.
In 2017, he donated the Shwe Gae Wastewater Treatment Plant, worth 500 million kyats, to the Mandalay Region Government. The treatment plant is part of the Amarapura New Town Project, which has faced significant criticism from Mandalay residents.
U Maung Weik has also made notable donations in collaboration with the Mandalay Region Government. In 2019, he donated a parasol for the Maha Vijayanthi Buddha image in Amarapura Township for the seventh time.
