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LCHR demands the Prime Minister to protect farmers lands and crops in Qena
The LCHR has received tens of complaints from the farmers in Qena governorate, stating the constructional societies corporation neglects it duties by not allowing them to own their agrarian lands. This land is located in Qena-Safaga desert road; it has an area of about 200 feddans. The farmers have reclaimed this land, dug wells in it and grew wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables in it.
According to law no. 143 for the year1981, law no. 7 for the year 1991 and law no. 89 for the year1998, the constructional societies corporation has allowed the farmers to farm this land. The farmers have extracted certificates from the Ministries of Defense, Petroleum and Ancient Monuments stating their approval to reclaim this land. The farmers have continued the procedures with the constructional societies corporation in Qena, order to own the land. The corporation has tentatively approved their ownership for fulfilling all the legal procedure, but the farmers were surprised with a decision issued by the Qena governor in last April to remove their crops and evict them out of their lands, claiming that the governorate will establish a residential establishment on this land.
The LCHR sees that the governor's decision violates the previously mentioned laws, which have driven the farmers to challenge this decision before the administrative judiciary court, in order to cancel it, but a decision wasn't determined yet in this case. The LCHR has presented the complaints of these farmers to the constructional societies corporation, in order to continue the ownership procedures for the farmers, but the corporation didn't respond to these complaints.
The LCHR sends the complaints of these farmers to the Minister of Agriculture and the head of the constructional societies corporation, demanding them to quicken the ownership procedures for these farmers. It also demands the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior and Qena governor to take the necessary procedures to protect these farmers against the threats that they face and be committed to the rule of law, in order to guarantee their right to decent living.
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