Here is Fanling, a very rare and remaining farmland in the northest part of Hong Kong. What has been happening in this town is the government has announed that this rural area will be developed as a new town for building high rise apartments, private properties and public housing estates in order to fulfilling population in the next 10 years.
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| Hundred of supporters helped fight for eviction |
Here, "Ma Shi Po" village, is one of the influenced areas by the town planning. In the past twenty years, a famous property developer (
Henderson land development company limited) has been gradually buying lands from different individual land owners whom most of them have moved out for many years already. Therefore, you can find many abandoned farmlands with the fences surrounded, avoiding villagers or farmers to use those lands for farming.
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| A very rare farmlands in the rural area, bunches high rise apartments behind. |
Mr. and Mrs. Lai, one of the remained farmers in Ma Shi Po village who both work together as a farmer for over 30 years. They have rented out lands from different landholders since then. Some of their tenanted lands have been bought from Henderson developer few years ago. Mr. Lai felt disappointing about his farmland, he lost almost half farmlands to 40,000 square ft.
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| Mr. and Mrs. Lai standing on their valued farmlands, full of melons. |
He said,"I have no idea of what the government is doing. Few years ago, the government helped me to set up a water well, helping me to improve irrigation system. I doubt that I'm the first victim under the New Town Development Scheme. Why the government doesn't support farmers, instead always tend to be doing flavor for developers?
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| Government Lands Department Notice |
In 2012, the government told them they were using government land, which was illegal. Given the government's pledge of eviction, Mr. and Mrs. Lai have to move out. They, however, only have a hope - continue farming, a sole requirement as a vulgar.
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| Small dam with water pumping and irrigating system |
Without bargaining power, they have been trying 3 times to seek for government approval to lease the land from the government. Lands Department is the responsible department for the land. Lands Department hasn't agree the deal. What the Lands Office did was suddenly announced a tender for leasing the land. A secret new company setting up just 3 days before the tender, bided the land tenant successfully by $120,000 (AUD 17,100) one year. This is an amazing amount for farmers, probably over 12 times farmers could afford.
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Banner: "Government and Developers Collusion"
Fences behind with banana trees inside was originally Mr. Lai's farmland, is being restricted by developers now. |
In 27/3 morning, villagers and supporters noticed that Lands Department would send workers to start second operation for the land eviction. some hundreds people gathered together at
Ma Po Po community farm, trying to protect and refuse government operation. Eventually, District Lands Office didn't send workers to Mr. and Mrs. Lai's farm. Villagers and supporters then made a decision, going to Lands Department to find out answers of what they would do next. Some experienced people helped farmer to force officers promising a meeting immediately. Two hours later, they had a conference meeting. Officer claimed that they would stop evicting the land temporily.
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| Heading to the District Lands Office (North) |
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| Conference meeting with Land Officers |
Farmer remains their hope, leasing land from the government. But what the government will do in the future for Mr. and Mrs. Lai's land, no one knows.
