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Who Will Protect the Farmers of El Bothour Village?

In 21-22/3/2006, the LCHR has held a training workshop for the farmers of El Bothour village in Behiral governorate. 50 farmers have attended this meeting from this village and the villages surrounding it, in addition to a number of local leaderships. The meeting has discussed two issues:
· The first was about farmers problems with the receiver company that used to own their lands and sold it to other who are trying to evict them out of it.
· The second was discussed with LCHR's lawyers and the required papers and documents to support their rights n their lands and the developments of judicial conflicts in different courts.
The meeting has also discussed the solutions provided by the farmers and local leaderships other than filing lawsuits and putting preasure on the company and the governor.
In the second day, the farmers have discussed with the LCHR lawyers the planning of solutions to their problems and how could they make use of international mechanisms and campaigns to support their issues. The farmers have formed a team that works on the media level that approach local newspapers to circulate their demands. They left the responsibility of following up their cases in the different courts to the LCHR. And they have formed another team to negotiate with the administration of the company and the new owner. These three groups should meet on a weekly basis. The participants have also agreed to establish a new development association that could work better than the old one. And the LCHR has demanded all CSOs in Behira to unite in solidarity with farmers demands.