Jul 25, 2008 (DVB), Families living in more than 600 houses in Rangoon’s Ton Tay township have been ordered to move out so the properties can be demolished and the land used for new homes for cyclone victims.

A Ton Tay resident said families living in their homes on a 75-acre-square are of land near Nyaung Wine monastery were being forced to relocated with compensation by township authorities who said they had plans to build 500 new homes for people who lost their homes in the cyclone.

"People who are living on the land are general labourers , they have been told their houses will be demolished," said the Ton Tay resident.

"The residents cannot afford to lose these lands they have spent their life savings on and they won’t give in to the authorities who are forcing them to do this," he said.

"They are now signing a petition and they will complain to several government ministries."

Reporting by Naw Say Phaw