The decision to call for an open tender on the rebuilding of Mandalay’s Mingalar market without discussing it with storeowners was one of the reasons behind a protest against Mandalay’s mayor Ye Lwin on June 30.
Almost all storeowners sustained severe losses in last year’s fire with many protesting around the market and the area.
They are now calling for his resignation after alleged “broken” promises such as him saying that he will step down if ever it is the wishes of the citizens of the city. They also demanded that they receive the exact specifications of store spaces that they lost in the fire.
Traders claim that every time a new mayor or a departmental chief visited, things always got worse.
“The government’s 100-day projects apparently do not concern the market. The mayor is responsible for what happens in Mandalay. A mayor who ignores the wishes of storeowners will face strong protests. We have no use for Mayor Ye Lwin who just does what he sees fit. A mayor must be held responsible for what they say. We demand that a mayor who speaks so flippantly against our wishes be sacked,” said Kyaw Kyaw Soe, one of the protest leaders.
Source: Myanmar Eleven
