VO A resident of Khammuan province in central Laos accuses Phoukhiew project of unfair compensation INTRO: A resident of Khammuan province in central Laos has accused Phoukhiew Specific Economic Zone Project of providing unfair compensation to villagers who lost houses and land to make way for the project. However a senior government official has confirmed that the compensation was given in accordance with accepted principles. STORY: Deputy Director General of the Land Administration Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Anothai Chanthalasy told a press conference on Tuesday the 5th of August that compensation was made in accordance with principles approved by the Khammuan provincial governor. The resident raised the issue through the hotline of the National Assembly (NA)s ordinary session that ended recently, calling for the NA to inspect the issue. The resident stated that the private investment project has provided only residential lands but lands for cultivation activities were not provided as part of the compensation package. According to the principles implemented by a task force committee, unused lands (lands left without any cultivation or production activities) are compensated at the rate of 10 million kip per hectare. Anothai Chanthalasy explained that, Rice fields resumed received compensation totalling 34 million kip per hectare, while residential buildings such as houses are compensated based on the assessment of the committee concerned. Five villages were affected by the project. In addition, affected residents in some villages were also compensated with land along with the compensation in cash. His assurance came in response to the Khammuan province resident who claimed that villagers who were affected by the Phoukhiew Specific Economic Zone Project do not dare to submit petitions against the project, saying they fear the consequences. He stated that villagers should not be scared to present or submit petitions to relevant bodies against an element that commits actions which are contrary to the law, including actions that take advantage of local people.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 05:30:11 +0000
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