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Mr. Prime Minister Sohag Airport could be established on desert and fallow land... So why establish it on the lands of the farmers?
The LCHR received complaints from the farmers of Monsha, Sohag governorate, complaining about the decision of the governor to establish the airport of Sohag on their agriculture lands, which they reclaimed during the past twenty years. 7000 acres of land have been chosen for establishing the airport on, and the lands of the complainants are located within this area.
The airport site includes large agricultural areas, which have been reclaimed by the funds of farmers, which are worth millions of pounds. Also, the airport site includes 36 oxidation basins of the sanitary drainage - the work in them has been completely finished. The report of the Department of Agriculture of Monsha has confirmed the validity of what was stated in the complaints of the farmers, and confirmed the damage that has befallen them.
It is worth noting that, despite the existence of many places in the governorate, that are fallow and unfit for agriculture, and which are suitable to establish the airport on, it was decided to built the airport on the agriculture lands of the farmers, which are not suitable to establish the airport onto, due to the presence of mountains and depressions, which reverse the direction of the wind, and waste public money, which was used in the creation of drainage basins and the reclamation of the land in addition to wasting the agriculture area, which has been added to the agricultural lands of this part. The LCHR confirms that the decision is marred by an abuse of power, in addition to being a bad decision because it affects the livelihood of the people who cultivate the land.
The LCHR presents the complaints of the farmers to the Prime Minister and to the administrative judiciary to appeal against the decision, as it is invalid and not right because it deprives the farmers from practicing their agricultural activates, which is there sole source of income.
The LCHR demands in it’s complaint and appeal to stop and reverse the decision of the governer of Sohag to establish the airport land located west of the villages of Awlad Salama and Aldnakulah, and transfer the airport to the fallow land west of this area.
The LCHR asks for the solidarity of the CSOs with the farmers of Sohag to stop the decision to establish the airport on their land, and to move it inside the desert to stop wasting our agricultural wealth and to protect their rights to a decent life and the safety of their land and their cultivations .
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