Vientiane compensates Dongphosy land occupiers February 18, 2010
People who face relocation or loss of income from the US$1 billion golf course and five star resort development project in Dongphosy, Vientiane, have received fair compensation, according to the Vientiane vice mayor.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Mr Anouphab Tounalom said the local authority had set up the compensation scheme.
“The aim of the development project is to benefit the government, state and people,” he told the press conference.
In 2008 the government accepted a proposal by a Vietnamese company, Long Thanh Golf, for an investment of US$1 billion to build a golf course, five-star hotel and luxury villas on 557 hectares of the 1,800 hectare Dongphosy protected area.
The company has provided 12 billion kip in financial support for Vientiane authorities to compensate the people who are affected by the development.
A ground-breaking ceremony for the project took place last month.
According to officials, there are two groups of people who will receive compensation.
Those who hold land titles, in particular those who live along the planned road from the Culture Park near the Vientiane-Nong Khai Friendship Bridge to the golf course, will get full compensation for the loss of land, real estate, plants and farm production for a three year period, the officials said.
Those who do not hold land titles but live and farm in the project area will not get full compensation. They will get compensation for only their real estate, plants and farm production for three years.
The Vientiane authorities will provide residential land only for people who are displaced from the project site and do not have alternative land. The resettlement area is close to the project site, so they will have the opportunity to work at the golf course and resort. The project will provide financial support to build roads, water supply and other infrastructure in the resettlement area.
Mr Anouphab said Dongphosy was a protected area so the authorities did not issue land titles to those who lived and farmed there, adding that people had occupied the land without permission from the authorities.
Dongphosy is about 25km south of the city centre and is one of six major protected areas in Vientiane . People began farming here in 1999 when urban development expanded.
In 2005, many people bought land from previous land occupiers although they knew the land was a protected area. The purchasers believed the government would issue land titles after many people lived and farmed there.
At present, about 70 families live in the Dongphosy area.
Mr Anouphab said most of them supported the development project, adding that the people who opposed it were those who had bought their land from others.
By Ekaphone Phouthonesy (Latest Update February 18, 2010)
