Villagers forced from forest land

NATIONAL PARKS

The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has evicted a group of villagers from 10,000 rai next to Buri Ram's Dongyai Wildlife Sanctuary.

The department yesterday reclaimed the land and plans to annex it and make it part of the sanctuary.

About 1,000 villagers seized the land in a forest reserve in Non Dindaeng district on Monday after learning a concession for the eucalyptus plantation had expired.

The villagers said they were landless farmers and occupied the plot in order to make a living.

The seizure of the land resulted in a two-day stand off between some 600 forestry officials and the villagers before the authorities forced the villagers from the site yesterday.

The area has been declared off-limits and put under tight security.

Kasemsun Chinnavaso, the department director-general, said: "We have a clear policy to include the area in Dongyai Wildlife Sanctuary to increase the protected forest area in this northeastern province."

The annexation was expected to be completed around April of next year, he said.

Mr Kasemsun said the villagers were "outsiders" and not Buri Ram farmers.

Landless farmers and land rights advocates have recently occupied unused state land or land that was seized when the owners could not repay their debts. They plan to make use of the land for farming.

The evicted villagers yesterday said they had a right to the land under government policy.

Pramote Ponpinyo, a community leader and key member of Buri Ram's land reform network, called on the department to set aside 1,900 rai of the disputed land for the villagers.

"Our community is one of 35 communities listed under the government's community land ownership scheme," Mr Pramote said. "We have the right to stay and use this land."