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Peasants are resisting hunger while the authorities are challenging them.

Two carats of farmland causing the dispute among dozens of peasants and local bodies since 8 years, as the farmers have been cultivating a land owned by the state property authority which is estimated at 25 carats, from which authorities had issued a decision to disarm the possession of an area equals 23 carats to build a local school in EL Rahawy village – Hood EL Sabeen, 6 of October governorate. So currently two carats are remain in the possession of seven families, those families share planting these two carats which equals few meters with vegetables and other agricultural crops to resist hunger, the local councils members issue a decision to evacuate and receive these two carats of the farmers, once they said to build a youth center, another time they said they will build an agricultural service center and a third time they said they will rent it to some contractors to make it a storage area, then usually the farmers resist local authorities and contractors who are trying to execute, then the local councils members issue another decision and so on since 2001 until today.
One of the farmers adding, "We are seven families planting such a small space with vegetables to feed our children and families members, while the local counsel’s members want us to pay them so they leave us the two carats, and unfortunately we do not have the money to pay them, so every few days they arrange arresting us by the police claiming that we are resisting arrest and refuse execution of government agencies decisions. " LCHR wonders who things currently in the rural reach to the point that we have seven joint families living over cultivation of two carats of land to feed their children, while at the same time the government agencies refuses the solutions and attempts of the rural poor ones to prevent hunger of killing them and their children!! Is this the role of agencies and local councils?
LCHR calls upon the government bodies to adopt alternative procedures to ensure delivery of countries lands, which are distributed among investors to protect the farmers’ rights of adequate food for their families and stop their displacement, especially in current economic crisis that led to the deterioration of income and reduction of employment in all agriculture fields or related industries. The Land Center presents those farmers complains to the Ministry of Agriculture, demanding delivery of lands in reclaimed areas to these seven families to cultivate so that they can continue their lives and provide their families with food.
The center of the earth appealed with case no. 53,046 for “63 K” before the Administrative Court in Cairo to reverse the decision No. 131 for 2009, which is issued from the 6th of October governorate on May 10, 2009. In additional to handing over alternative lands to farm in order to protect the livelihood of seven families and ensure their rights of food. LCHR calls upon the members of the People's and local Councils and police agencies to stop the repeated arrests, threats and abuse of farmers to guarantee their rights of safety and decent living.
For more information, please contact the Center