Qudsaya residents halt “Sham View” project over expropriation file

ANHA correspondents in the capital, Damascus, reported that residents of Qudsaya suburb halted machinery working on the “Sham View” project today. The project is located in the area between Qudsaya suburb and Dummar Project. The residents were protesting the expropriation process and demanding that the owners of land included in the project be treated fairly and that the status of their properties be addressed.

The move comes days after similar protests by residents of the Dummar area, who called on the relevant authorities to disclose ownership of the land on which the project is being built, halt construction work on expropriated properties, and reconsider expropriation decisions issued in previous years.

The residents called for allowing owners of non-expropriated land to access their properties and for halting the distribution of expropriated land to housing associations. They also called for reconsidering expropriation decisions and restoring the rights of the owners, stressing that they would continue their peaceful actions until the property ownership issue is resolved.

The residents base their objections on Article 16 of the Constitutional Declaration, which stipulates the protection of private property rights and that property may only be expropriated for the public good and in return for fair compensation. They called for the legal status of the properties to be settled before work on the project continues.

The General Housing Establishment and Saudi real estate development and investment company Tharaa launched the “Sham View” project on August 24 under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. The project covers approximately 178 hectares and includes more than 10,000 real estate units, including around 7,500 residential units, as well as commercial and hotel units and service, educational and cultural facilities.

No official response has yet been publicly issued by the relevant government authorities regarding the demands of residents of Qudsaya and Dummar concerning land ownership and expropriation decisions.

A-H 

ANHA