land rights

India: Over 100,000 people in 16 villages fear eviction for Guwahati Aero City and Satellite Township

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , , , , , , ,

Moves to acquire land, including fertile farmland, in six villages to the south of Guwahati Airport for a proposed Aero City and Satellite Township have raised fears of eviction in a larger area encompassing about 16 villages.

Villages south of Guwahati Airport concerned about possible land acquisition and eviction for Guwahati Aero City and Satellite Township
Map showing fifteen of the villages south of Guwahati Airport where it has been reported that residents have concerns about possible land acquisition and eviction for the proposed Guwahati Aero City and Satellite Township projects. Satellite imagery: 03/06/2026

On 26th June 2026 The Assam Tribune reported that residents of 16 villages in the Azara and Palasbari sub-districts, to the south of Guwahati Airport, feared eviction due to land acquisition for a proposed Aero City and a Satellite Township. No official eviction orders had been issued but residents of 16 villages – Andherijuli, Batibari, Deur Ali, Jobe, Jangalipara, Kachari Allibari, Kamargaon, Lochana, Matifuturi, Maliyata, Pachaniyapara, Patgaon, Rajapanichanda, Rangapara, Sajjanpara and Sathikarpa – were worried that land acquisition might be impending as revenue department activities had increased. There were reports that notifications for valuation and acquisition of agricultural land had been issued in six of these villages – Deur Ali, Jangalipara, Jobe, Kamargaon, Matifuturi and Pachaniyapara – where officials were collecting land-related documents. Farming is the only source of livelihood for many affected people and they were uncertain about provision of rehabilitation if their land was acquired. Tribal organisations voiced concerns that placing tribal areas under Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) control might erode indigenous communities’ land rights, administrative autonomy, constitutional safeguards and the powers of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. A number of tribal organisations including Rani Regional Tribal Sangha, Rani Regional All Bodo Students’ Union and Rani Regional Rabha Students’ Union submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma calling on the government to protect the rights and interests of indigenous communities in the proposed project area. A total of approximately 6,662 bighas of land had been earmarked for the two projects, about 2,662 bighas for the Aero City and the reminder for a Satellite Township.

More than 100,000 people fear displacement

Northeast Now reported that more than 1 lakh (100,000) people feared displacement for the proposed Aero City and Satellite Township. Land acquisition raised concerns in six villages inhabited mainly by Bodos, Rabhas, and Koch Rajbongshis people. Official GMDA Chief Executive Officer communication with the Special Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Affairs Department explained that the proposed acquisition encompassed 712 bighas in Kamargaon, 676 bighas in Deorali, 553 bighas in Pachaniara, 280 bighas in Jonglipara, 238 bighas in Matikotuni and 203 bighas in Jobe. Residents established Ucched Virodhi Bhumi Adhikar Sangram Samity (UVBASS) to oppose the proposed land acquisition and memorandums were submitted to The Chief Minister, local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and other senior officials. UVBASS president Dharmeswar Boro said, “If they go ahead with this proposal, more than one lakh people across 16 villages will be displaced” and that by planning the projects the government was “rolling out the red carpet for corporates”.

Opposition to large-scale acquisition of agricultural land

Two farmers’ organisations, Sangrami Krishak Shramik Sangha and Anti-Eviction Land Rights Struggle, held a press conference on 26th June demanding withdrawal of land acquisition processes that they claimed threatened displacement of thousands of families and destruction of fertile farmland. They said the government sought to acquire large areas of agricultural land for an Aero City, Satellite Township, Guwahati Airport expansion and other urban development projects, without providing adequate compensation or rehabilitation. The groups said about 500 families had already been evicted without fair compensation or rehabilitation and that if land acquisition plans move forward about 150,000 families might eventually be affected. They stated that nearly 2,662 bighas of agricultural land in several villages including Jobe, Jangalipara, Kamargaon, Matiya and Pachim Garal had been earmarked for acquisition. Sangrami Krishak Shramik Sangha spokesperson Dinesh Das said the government prioritised corporate interest over farmers, saying, “The government has stopped issuing treasury tax receipts and has deprived people of land rights. Instead of securing the future of farmers, it is preparing to hand over fertile agricultural land to companies for projects like Aerocity and Satellite Township. Farmers are being neglected while corporations are being favoured.” The organisations had made many appeals to the Chief Minister, Governor, Kamrup district administrations and MLA but the land acquisition process continued. The groups also raised concerns about potential impacts of the projects on wetlands and continuing conversion of agricultural land for commercial purposes adversely impacting on food production.

Protest and warning of ‘mass agitation’

On 2nd July 2026, hundreds of residents protested outside the Palasbari revenue circle office, opposing the Aero City and Satellite Township project and possible eviction. Together with families concerned they might be evicted from areas surrounding Guwahati Airport they marched along the National-Highway 17 in Mirza. Many protesters were from the Rani area mainly inhabited by Bodos and Rabhas people, where land surveys identifying non-tribal residents were underway. UVBASS sent a memorandum outlining their concerns over reports of GMDA preparing development of new townships in 17 villages to the Chief Minister. The memoranrum stated, “The primary livelihood of lakhs of people in this vast region is agricultural and animal husbandry. The construction of a ‘township’ will bring a severe crisis to the life and livelihood of this huge number of poor people.” Sangrami Krishak Shramik Sangha spokesperson Dinesh Das alleged that evictions were planned in Khena Alibari village where many residents do not have the official documentation required to live in legally protected tribal areas. He demanded protection and provision of land ownership certificates for the approximately 300 Hindu and Muslim families living in the village. The memorandum also raised concerns about land surveys underway in Parli and Majirgaon, north of Guwahati Airport and close to the newly inaugurated second terminal.

At a Nikhi Rabha Jatha Parishad (NRJP) press conference in Guwahati president Babul Chandra Rabha and general secretary Gobinda Rabha said the Assam government was pursuing major land acquisition without consulting the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Gram Sabhas or local residents. The organisation said the Aerocity and Township projects entailed acquisition of agricultural and forest areas along with ancestral settlements, violating constitutional, legal and land rights of indigenous communities, placing the livelihoods and culture of thousands of families relying on agricultural, fishing, husbandry and forest resources at risk. NRJP demanded immediate cancellation of the Aerocity and Satellite Township projects, publication of the environmental and social impact assessment reports for the Ukiam River Dam project which would significantly impact agriculture and fisheries and withdrawal of another proposed Satellite Township, Barduar Bagan, south of the area earmarked for the Aerocity. NRJP warned that, should the government fail to hold discussions with local communities and the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, it would initiate mass agitation against the projects, in collaboration with other organisations such as Sangrami Krishak-Shramik Sangha and the Anti-Eviction Land Rights Struggle Committee.

Regulation and financing for the Aero City

Development of regulation and financing to support Guwahati Aerocity and other urban development proceeded quickly.  Formation of the Guwahati Satellite Cities Development Authority (GSCDA) a government-owned Special Purpose Vehicle tasked with planning, financing and developing various types of satellite townships within the jurisdiction of the GMDA was approved by the Assam Cabinet on 13th June 2026. Times of India reported that the Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority Bill, 2026 was tabled on 9th July in the face of opposition from many groups in the outskirts of Guwahati. The Bill seeks to grant the authority ‘powers to develop integrated townships, knowledge cities, aviation cities, logistics hubs, tourism zones, economic corridors, commercial centres and other planned urban projects within notified Satellite City Development Areas or areas under its jurisdiction’. Presenting the Budget on 10th July 2026 Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah unveiled plans for what is presumably another name for the Aero City project, an ‘Aerotropolis’ with industrial and commercial districts around Guwahati Airport, to be implemented by the GSCDA. The Budget allocated ₹2,100 crore (USD220 million) for land acquisition for the projects.

Adani prioritises airport city development

The operator of Guwahati Airport, Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) – India’s largest private airport operator and a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd. (AEL), one of India’s largest multinational conglomerates – has adjusted its strategy and corporate structures to prioritise airport city development. In December 2025 Adani announced a shift in focus to prioritisation of urban development at its airports, integrating aviation with real estate and diversification of revenue streams. A key element of this strategy is development of airports, in cities including Guwahati, into urban destinations with retail, hospitality, entertainment venues and office space plus a new emphasis on development of in-house hotels. A key driver of Adani’s focus on city-side development is the higher yields, often exceeding 20%, from non-aeronautical revenue streams – such as retail food and beverages – than the typical yield of about 12% from aeronautical sources including landing and passenger service fees. On 6th April 2026, AEL established three wholly owned subsidiaries for real estate activities on land parcels surrounding its hub airports: Adani Navi Mumbai Airport City Limited (ANMACL), Adani Guwahati Airport City Limited (AGACL), and Adani Ahmedabad Airport City Limited (AAACL). These subsidiaries will focus on development and leasing of buildings and management of hotels, restaurants and business centres. On 25th June 2026 AAHL subsidiary Adani Airport City Limted (AACL) announced plans for the first phase of an ‘ambitious programme to develop integrated airport cities across its airport network’. A Rs 20,000 crore (USD2.07 billion) investment aims to transform six airports – Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur and Guwahati – into ‘mixed-use urban destinations’ with hotels, offices, shopping and dining outlets, entertainment venues and convention centres.

Aerotropolis land acquisition notice in 2025

Opposition to a proposed Aerotropolis near Guwahati Airport dates back to 25th July 2025 when a land acquisition notice encompassing 400 bighas of land in Azara, Garal and Mirzapur, north and northeast of the airport, met with anxiety, anger and opposition from many affected residents. More than a thousand families feared loss of their homes and livelihoods. In Garal village critics of the project claimed the land acquisition process lacked transparency, consultation or a clear plan to rehabilitate affected people and that the main beneficiary would be a private company. Affected families began to protest the land acquisition process, demanding transparency, thorough impact assessment and rehabilitation guarantees. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia described the move to acquire land for the Aerocity as anti-indigenous and serving corporate interests, saying that more than 1,116 families had received eviction notices, some of whom had held land titles for nearly 200 years. Villagers attending a public meeting in Mirzapur unanimously resolved not to give their land to the government under any circumstances, declaring, “Our land is our identity and livelihood.  We will not give it away at any cost.” At this stage of the Aerotropolis residents were already concerned that development of the project might eventually require an area as large as 6,000 bighas, triggering further land acquisition.

For more information including references for all source material and photos see the case report on EJAtlas, the world’s largest, most comprehensive online database of social conflict around environmental issues – Guwahati Airport expansion and Aerotropolis, Assam, India

Ethiopia: Displacement and loss of farming livelihoods for Bishoftu International Airport

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , , , , , ,

More than 15,000 people are being displaced and losing agricultural and livestock livelihoods for Bishoftu International Airport, ‘Africa’s largest airport’ with an adjoining Airport City. Affected people have concerns about inadequate compensation and resettlement and there are reports of forced eviction, harassment and intimidation.

Bishoftu Airport site, 11th June 2025Bishoftu Airport, 3rd July 2026
Timelapse aerial imagery of Bishoftu International Airport construction site. The 3rd July image shows construction site preparatory works.

On 24th March 2025 Ethiopian Airlines Group (EAG) and African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a Letter of Intent for development of Abusera International Airport Project, USD7.8 billion project on a site about 40 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, near the town of Bishoftu. EAG allocated funds for preparation of a 35 square kilometre plot of land for the new airport, with budgets earmarked for land clearance, resettlement and preparing the site for construction. Demolishing structures and relocating residents was anticipated to be completed by September. Previously, in August 2024, EAG CEO Mesfin Tassew said that construction of what was described as a ‘Mega Airport City’ could only proceed with resettlement of up to 2,500 farmers residing on the site. In January 2025 concerns of affected farmers over inadequate compensation, resettlement and support for finding new livelihoods were reported.

Dispossession in the name of development

Oromia Today responded to the agreement between EAG and AfDB with an article titled ‘Development Draped in Dispossession: The Tragedy Behind the Abuu Seeraa Airport Deal’, focussing on more than 15,000 Tuulama Oromo people, indigenous to the regional state of Oromia, facing displacement for the airport. The article reported ‘families being harassed, homes being marked for removal and livelihoods being uprooted’ with no relocation process and eviction orders ‘delivered by undisciplined militias’. The article called for the AfDB to be held accountable and made three demands:

  1. A thorough re-evaluation of the airport project considering impacts on local people, heritage and the environment
  2. For development in Abuu Seeraa to ‘embody a thoughtful integration’ preserving, not erasing, the area’s history and environment with no forced eviction
  3. Fair compensation for displaced people not just with single payments but via a long-term scheme recognising them as stakeholders in the airport with a share in the project reflecting the value of the land acquired

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report for the airport, now called Bishoftu International Airport Project, was completed on 10th August 2025, several months after reports of resistance to the project had emerged. Major impacts detailed in the ESIA included acquisition of approximately 3,979 hectares of land displacing 2,731 households comprising 15,320 people. The local economy is predominantly rain-fed agriculture and livestock rearing. Common crops include teff, wheat, barley, maize and various legumes including chickpeas, beans, soya beans and peas. Livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, mules and horses are integral to local livelihoods providing milk, meat and hides. About 2,518 hectares of agricultural land, where staple crops including teff, wheat, and barley are cultivated, will be lost. In addition, 163.1 hectares of grazing land will be affected and the livelihoods of pastoralists disrupted by loss of seasonal grazing lands. Schools, roads, health and water facilities will be lost and cultural and religious sites including several churches will be impacted.

Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)

A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for Bishoftu International Airport, completed on 2nd October 2025, outlines a ‘comprehensive’ framework for engaging relevant stakeholders during pre-construction, construction and operation. The report states a ‘commitment to effective stakeholder engagement to ensure that community voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes’ with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as women, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities. Several serious risks and concerns were identified during consultations undertaken for the SEP. Project Affected Persons (PAPs) highlighted problems including disputes arising from inaccurate land demarcation, concerns over the fairness of compensation, loss of farmland and impacts on and restoration of livelihoods. Young people are identified as a vulnerable group due to worries about unemployment, loss of land inheritance and exclusion from benefit-sharing mechanisms.

Project implications for communities

In November 2025 Global Oda Nabe Association (GLONA), a USA based non-profit, civil society organisation published The New Mega Airport Project in Aabbuu, Oromia, Ethiopia: The Project Implications on Aabuu Communities. Sources from the affected community said neither the government nor EAG had engaged with them to discuss detailed resettlement plans, ‘They do not know when, where, what their rights are, the process involved for relocation, and what their fate will be following the eviction from their ancestral land. So, the affected communities are now in limbo.’ The community sources also said people raising questions and voicing concerns relating to the airport, demanding full disclosure of the project and how it would affect them, in particular regarding compensation for land, were being intimidated. Many concerning environmental consequences were identified such as deteriorating air quality and waste and sewage from the site which might pollute rivers and groundwater.

Reports of forced eviction

In December 2025 The Economist reported that the airport was expected to displace approximately 15,000 people. Reports indicated that some affected residents had received promises of housing but others were in fear of their land being taken without receiving compensation. There were also reports that activists voicing concerns about the project had been harassed and arrested. A January 2026 statement by the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) condemned the planned ‘mega airport’ and adjoining ‘airport city’ as the most recent and serious chapter of displacement spanning many decades, warning of the eviction of 15,000 people from six villages. Despite allocation of ETB17 billion (USD110 million) for resettlement and rehabilitation of farmers, the situation on the ground was reported to be ‘brutal’ with OLF reporting, ‘farmers…have been forcibly ordered, in the manner of war, to leave without harvesting their crops, moving their property, or even selling their cattle’. OLF rejected rehabilitation limited to cash compensation and demanded equity instead of eviction with displaced communities granted equity shares as co-owners of the airport and intergenerational rights extending benefits to landowners’ descendants.

Displacement in the absence of Free, Prior and Informed Consent

The Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) issued a statement, ‘Development Without Dignity is Dispossession’, to ‘address the grave and escalating situation’ regarding the airport project. The OFC acknowledged an appeal from the Aabbuu Seeraa community and expressed solidarity with 3,000 households ‘facing imminent eviction from their ancestral lands’. OFC described the displacement, in the absence of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), as a legal crisis, violating Article 40 of the Constitution protecting farmers’ rights to land. A call to action included demands for a moratorium on evictions, institutional dialogue, equity not eviction, cultural protection and due diligence from AfDB to ensure compliance with international human rights provisions pertaining to Development-Induced Displacement (DID). The statement concludes, ‘The Oromo Federalist Congress reiterated that we are not anti-development, we are anti-theft. We are anti-erasure. A project of this magnitude, intended to be the “Pride of Africa”, cannot begin with the shame of destroying the very people who host it.‘

Construction of ‘Africa’s largest airport’ begins

Construction of Bishoftu International Airport began on 10th January 2026. The total cost for phase 1 was stated at USD12.5 billion, accommodating 60 million passengers per year, rising to become Africa’s largest airport with a total capacity of 110 million passengers per year. Reuters reported that some young residents being displaced for the airport were worried because their parents had been given houses but they had not and renting a house is expensive. On 30th January 2026 Oromia Today published an in-depth report, ‘Aabbuu Seeraa: Building Progress on Indigenous Erasure’, decrying the displacement of approximately 15,000 people for the airport, the ‘overwhelming majority’ of whom had not received replacement housing or new livelihoods. People protesting their post-eviction situation had been incarcerated. Communities using social media to document discrepancies between the official account of their displacement and their lived reality were punished. A few new houses had been constructed but about 95 per cent of displaced people had been left without land, shelter or an alternative income. The report called for replacement housing and livelihood restoration before displacement, transparent management of compensation with auditable records, protection of the environment and heritage, sensitivity regarding demographic impacts, permanent stakeholder status for affected people and an independent international assessment to evaluate compliance with human rights standards.

Displaced residents suffer hardship

On 9th February 2026 Addis Standard reported that Abusera residents displaced for construction of Bishoftu Airport were suffering from hardship having received neither the compensation nor replacement housing they had been assured of. An affected resident said she had documentation for three inherited plots, but, since the land was acquired for the airport had not received compensation or housing. She said, “It is not only compensation, even the houses given to others were not provided to us. I am raising my grievance with government officials and I have proof of ownership.” Another resident said he had been displaced from three inherited plots of land, for which he had a court order confirming his ownership, and was living in rented accommodation having difficulties providing for his two children. On 10th February EAG stated it had built housing in Bishoftu for residents displaced by airport construction and livelihood support for had been prepared. Yet some affected residents continued to claim they had not received compensation or adequate support for resettlement. Later that month the Director General of the Petroleum and Energy Authority, Destaw Mekwanant, announced provision of a specific fuel allocation of 16.5 million litres per month for construction of Bishoftu Airport.

For more information including references for all source material, photos and graphics see the case study on EJAtlas, the world’s largest, most comprehensive online database of social conflict around environmental issues – Bishoftu International Airport and Mega Airport City, Ethiopia

Niger: Eviction of 26,000 people from settlements surrounding Niamey airport

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , ,

Following an armed attack on Diori Hamani International Airport and an adjacent military base a massive operation to evict about 26,000 people from four surrounding neighbourhoods began.

Diori Hamani International Airport
Diori Hamani International Airport, Niger’s main airport, is located in the southeastern suburbs of Niamey, the capital city

On 31st May 2026 authorities in Niamey, the capital city of Niger, began a massive operation to evict about 26,000 people living in four neighbourhoods – Mutram, Alpha Djadi, Extension Alpha Djadi and Extension Kobontafa – surrounding Diori Hamani International Airport. Residents in the path of demolition machinery dismantled their homes, salvaging iron roofing and other materials. The eviction began without informing them about financial compensation. Nigerien authorities claimed the demolition exercise was necessary, to remove obstacles posing risks for aviation safety and because the settlements are a threat to national security. The airport and Base Aérienne 101, part of the same complex and just 10 kilometres from the presidential palace, are of strategic importance to Niger’s security architecture, hosting important military installations and the headquarters of the Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali Joint Force. Security concerns were heightened in the aftermath of the militant attack on the airport and airbase that occurred on the night of 28-29th January 2026. Nigerien forces killed 20 assailants, four soldiers were wounded and damage to three aircraft was reported. Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack; President General Abdourahamane Tchiani said the attack was an infiltration attempt by ‘mercenaries’ and alleged that the assailants had been directed by external influences.

Residents had only received three and a half weeks’ notice of the impending eviction, several property owners had requested an extension of the notice period before demolitions began, but authorities refused. At a 7th May press briefing the governor of the Niamey region, Major General Assoumane Abdou Harouna, said, “The presence of illegal homes near the airport is not only a factor of congestion but also a serious threat to national security.” Many residents disputed claims by authorities that their settlements are illegal, saying that their acquisition of the land from developers was legitimate, that they have documentation and have invested significant funds to build their homes. The four affected areas occupy 19 per cent of land title No. 784 which was assigned to the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) in 1953. Moves to evict people from the area date back many years, a deadline for eviction of occupants on the land had been set for 5th May 2013 but the plan was not executed. Authorities executing the current mass eviction have acknowledged that there are ‘legitimate victims’ who purchased plots of land in good faith,

On 4th June African Insider reported that thousands of homes were being razed, predominantly to the east of the airport, with evicted people loading furniture and other possessions onto cars and tricycles. Transport and Aviation Minister, colonel Amados Abdramane said this was the area where attacker came from and that it was “occupied in an anarchic way”. Interior Minister, general Mohamed Toumba, said he feared “a new terrorist infiltration through those neighbourhoods” and that lack of security might cause international authorities to downgrade the airport. A civil society figure said, “Forcing 26,000 people to leave is the equivalent of a small town”, adding, “Even if the operations is considered ‘necessary’, whatever the reason, Nigerien law and international standards require strict support measures. Without that, it becomes a forced and inhuman eviction.” A political analyst said, “The government should have taken the social aspect into account and made appropriate arrangements to rehouse those concerned before demolishing the homes they had acquired over many years. Social justice is a demand of the sovereign people.”

Authorities had promised to compensate affected people but on 10th June it was reported that residents had been neither rehoused nor compensated. Justice Minister Alio Daouda said, “The State cannot leave people in the streets” but claimed that the sudden demolitions were necessitated by “security imperatives that cannot wait”. On 16th June 2026 the affected residents’ legal representative, Maître Idrissa Tchernaka, held a press conference in response to the Justice Minister’s announcement that all displaced households would be allocated a new plot of land and receive compensation according to the size and value of the properties they had lost. He said his clients welcomed the authorities’ willingness to provide redress for their abrupt displacement but that their acceptance depended on fair and transparent valuation of their property. Residents welcomed the promise of resettlement but expressed concerns over possible bureaucratic delays and called for the land allocation process to be expedited.

Following the 28th-29th January attack the airport perimeter fence was extended and more than 350 security cameras installed inside and outside of the perimeter. On the morning of 18th June 2026 a second armed attack on Diori Hamani International Airport and the military base took place. Gunshots and explosions were first heard at 5am and continued for several hours. In the afternoon a lock down was imposed with security forces searching vehicles entering and leaving the airport vicinity. The Ministry of Defence stated that 35 people were killed in the attack: 22 assailants, eleven soldiers and two civilians. Al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for the attack and the defence ministry placed the blame on ‘armed mercenaries’ sponsored by France.

Iraq: Radwaniyah residents protest displacement for Baghdad Financial and Economic City

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , , , ,

Residents of Radwaniyah, an agricultural area south of Baghdad International Airport, protested allocation of a large land area for Baghdad Financial and Economic City, also referred to a Al-Rafeel City, demanding a halt to planning and construction activities and a comprehensive audit of the investment contract.

Radwaniyah is south of Baghdad International Airport
Radwaniyah is an agricultural area south of Baghdad International Airport. Aerial imagery: 22/11/2025 and 07/04/2026

On 30th May 2026 a major protest erupted in the Radwaniyah district, an agricultural area south of Baghdad International Airport, over government plans to hand over large areas of land surrounding the airport to foreign firms. Local residents and community leaders gathered to issue an urgent call for protection of their property rights and ancestral territories from corporate appropriation. The area allocated for development encompasses land belonging to families who have lived on it for many generations. Ayad al-Jubouri, a Member of Parliament, called on Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi to suspend the investment licence and stop an administrative decree that could lead to forcible displacement of more than 120,000 residents. He said local residents would “prefer death over surrendering their lands”. Protesters demanded a halt to planning and construction activities until verification of the investment contract by a comprehensive legal and administrative audit. The protest followed several critical statements by al-Jubouri, most recently alleging serious corruption orchestrated by the National Investment Commission (NIC) which, he said, had granted an investment licence to an Egyptian firm, giving the developer more than 580 hectares of valuable Radwaniyah real estate for construction of Al-Rafeel, a large residential project.

TMG investment contract and land bank

The day after the protest, 1st June, one of Egypt’s largest real estate development companies, Talaat Moustafa Group Holding (TMG), announced receipt of an investment licence from the NIC for its subsidiary Talaat Moustafa Company Baghdad for development of an ‘integrated urban community’ southwest of Baghdad. TMG also secured a large land bank of 1,280 hectares for the project, ‘strategically located within Baghdad Financial and Economic city’ with direct connectivity to key administrative and financial districts. Infrastructure costs are to be met by investors who are expected to reap significant returns. The project is anticipated to generate about $18.8 billion in sales and annual revenues of approximately $108 million from leasing and hospitality upon completion of the 16-year development period. In addition to approximately 43,000 residential units to accommodate 250,000 residents the project master plan includes about 230 hectares of retail and commercial assets including a ‘regional mall’, offices, administrative space, religious and civic facilities, sports and social club, entertainment venues, parks and green space. Company headquarters, offices and large warehouses will be relocated from central Baghdad, one of the most heavily congested cities in the Middle East, to the new city.

Land ownership and MoU

In the days preceding the protest the NIC emphasised the legitimacy of the new financial and economic city, stating that the project is part of the urban planning framework and consistent with the Baghdad 2030 Comprehensive Development Plan. The NIC stated that the land is government-owned, by the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Finance and that occupation of the Ministry of Transport land ‘constitutes an unlawful encroachment’ while the Ministry of Finance Land had been transferred to the NIC. Agricultural contracts on the land were declared legally void on the basis that plots had been converted to commercial purposes, The NIC also stated that the Ministry of Resources had confirmed that continued zoning as agricultural land would be unworkable as there is no existing or planned allocation of water for the land designated for the new city. Six months previously, in November 2025 a TMG delegation led by Chairman Hisham Talaat Moustafa had met with then Prime Minster Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani for discussions focused on Al-Rafeel Economic City. Moustafa reviewed progress on the project and affirmed TMG’s commitment to advancing it in accordance with the implementation framework. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Al-Rafeel Economic City between TMG and the NIC was signed in May 2025 and the agreement includes participation from Saudi Arabia-based Al Muhaidib Group, one of the largest investment groups in the Middle East. The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Mohammed Al Sudani, Hisham Talaat Moustafa and NIC Chairman Haider Makiya and Al-Muhaidib Group.Chairman Suleiman bin Abdul Qader. At this juncture the project was described as spanning 1,400 hectares with about 46,000 residential and mixed-use units.

Land allocation in 2021, forced evictions in 2019

The Council of Ministers approved allocation of 106,000 acres (42,897 hectares) of land in the area surrounding Baghdad Intl. Airport to the NIC to oversee construction of the ‘Al-Rafael’ city project on 15th June 2021, envisaging a new administrative capital similar to counterparts in some neighbouring countries. NIC Chairwoman Suha Daoud Najjar outlined four phases of development, the first providing housing for 300,000 people along with commercial, educational, medical and recreational complexes on 16,000 acres (6,475 hectares). Plans for the second phase included industrial and logistics projects adjacent to the airport and third phase plans were described as ‘environmentally friendly agricultural and food projects’. A fourth phase would be located northwest of the airport in the Abu Ghraib district. Evictions from land surrounding Baghdad Intl. Airport pre-date the 2021 announcement of Al Rafeel city. In July 2019 Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor condemned the seizure of thousands of acres of land near the airport for UAE-based commercial and real estate investment firm Daico International Holdings and other investment firms, following orders issued by the NIC. The report stated that the eviction and forced displacement without compensation violated Article One of the Iraqi Constitution, which safeguards private property and of Article Two which affirms that expropriation is only permitted if it is in the public interest and people are fairly compensated. People affected by the land seizure included a man from eastern Radwaniyah who was told to vacate his 20 acres of land for a businessman said to be close to NIC. Fear of retaliation, in the form of forced displacement or imprisonment, deterred him from taking his grievance to court.

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USA: Farmland seized for new corporate/private jet airport in Spalding County, Georgia

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Farmland has been seized for a new airport in Spalding County, Georgia. Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport will serve corporate/private jets, has received federal, state and local government funding and is intended to spur real estate development in a large ‘Airport Impact Area’.

Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport site boundary
Boundary of the new Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport site, New Airport Location Map, Lamar County Commissioners, 13/01/2025, overlaid on aerial imagery dated 30/12/2025

Construction of a new airport for corporate/private jets, northeast of the City of Griffin in Spalding County, Georgia, USA has commenced. A Farm Journal article by Chris Bennett describes the seizure of a large area of Jeff Melin’s farm by eminent domain (government power to take land, with compensation, for public use such as infrastructure projects) for the new airport. The 225-acre middle section of his 450-acre farm, containing pasture, cattle, woodland, deer, dove field and a pecan tree grove, has been appropriated, which will leave his farmland on either side of the airport site landlocked. Trees, many more than a century old, at the edge of the pecan grove have already been felled to make way for airport construction and concrete poles for power lines are being erected. Melin first learned of the airport project in 2012, from a newspaper article showing his farm as one of four or five possible sites for a new airport with 124 hangars for corporate jets. He says authorities never communicated with him face to face and would not listen to him, just sending letters, making announcements and conducting ever more studies. Now Melin has been issued with an order to vacate within 90 days; he has to remove equipment and at least 65 cows and 30 calves. Melin say he is being forced to accept payment for the land which is far lower than what comparable property has been sold for. But he does not want to part with the land at any price. Melin said, “They force me to sell against my will and then pay a fraction of the value. And I’m not allowed to turn them down. My story will make you question what kind of country you’re living in” The farm has been in the family since they arrived in Griffin in 1951. Year after year Melin has worked to improve the farmland but none of this was factored into the evaluation.

Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport will be far larger than the existing Griffin-Spalding County Airport located south of the central business district of the City of Griffin, only 3 miles southwest of the new airport site, . The 5,500-6,000 foot runway will be nearly twice the length of the established airport’s 3,100-foot runway. The Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport site is significantly larger as well, encompassing 730 acres, over three and a half times the size of the existing airport’s 198-acre site. The airport site was among seven potential sites identified in the Griffin-Spalding County Airport; Airport Site Selection Study prepared for the City of Griffin and Spalding County by LPA Group Incorporated in 2008. The introduction to the study states that an ‘aeronautical industrial park adjacent to a new airport’ could help achieve industrial growth plans and that in ‘the process to find suitable land area for a new airport, this study considered an additional area for industrial development’. A map of Site 6, subsequently selected for the airport, shows a 320-acre Airport Area with a 5,500-foot runway. A second map of Site 6 shows a larger 392-acre Airport Area including a 500-foot runway extension plus an adjoining 351-acre Industrial Area, extending south of the runway with a smaller area on the other side. The combined area of the Airport Area and the Industrial Area is 743 acres.

In March 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Finding of No Significant Impact, (FONSI) Record of Decision (ROD) determining that ‘the project as proposed would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment’ and deeming an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) unnecessary. The FONSI decision was based on information contained in a December 2011 Environmental Assessment (EA) for a replacement airport, prepared by LPA Group, and other applicable documents. Two potential alternative sites to replace the existing Griffin-Spalding County Airport, where expansion is constrained by a large amount of residential and commercial development surrounding it, were considered. A runway at least 5,500 feet in length and 100 feet wide with a parallel taxiway would enable the new airport to accommodate 75 per cent of large general aviation aircraft including Learjets, Cessna Citation 500s, Raytheon Hawkers, Dassault Falcons and the Bombardier Challenger 300.

The EA identified the site where the airport is now being constructed as the Preferred Build Alternative, requiring acquisition of 320 acres of land comprising 51 land parcels, many of which were uninhabited so relocation of residents would not be necessary. The EA notes that land acquisition would result in conversion of the land from agricultural and residential use to aviation use and clearance of approximately 260 acres of forest. Forest types identified within the site boundary and runway protection zones included bluff, slope and ravine forest along with pine and oak-hickory successional forests. The site includes approximately 37.1 acres of prime farmland and 55.6 acres of farmland categorised as of ‘statewide importance’. About 33.5 acres of floodplain and 7,368 feet of streams would be lost to airport construction. Maps of existing land use and future land use in and around the airport site show large areas of Agriculture/Forest converted to Medium and Low-Density Residential with narrow corridors of ‘Open Space Network’. A large commercial area is shown south of the airport site, with smaller industrial areas and a large industrial area to the south of AKB Parkway. An expanded ‘ultimate build-out of the Airport’ with a 6,500-foot runway is ‘reasonably foreseeable’. This would require conversion of 239 acres of federally protected farmland and relocation of 49 acres of residences.

Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport, Airport Impact Area
Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport site and Airport Impact Area, as shown in Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport Strategic Development Plan, KB Advisory Group, page 5, overlaid on aerial imagery dated 30/12/2025

Georgia based Croy Engineering was selected as the prime consultant for development of the new airport in 2018, assisting with development of a financial plan and procurement of a USD8.5 million grant for the final design. The Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport Strategic Development Plan, prepared for Spalding County and the City of Griffin by KB Advisory Group based on data up to 2025, summarises the purpose of the project, ‘The new airport can serve as the driver for increased personal & business/corporate aviation traffic, expedite the corridor as a manufacturing and distribution hub, support technical training and research for the aerospace industry, and become a local destination for the community.’ Commercial and industrial corridor development is envisaged along the AKB Parkway which runs south of the airport site. The plan identifies an ‘Airport Impact Area‘ representing ‘potential real estate development capture’, forecasting future real estate demand for four key land use types: 29 million square feet of new industrial/flex (versatile property that can be utilised for a combination of warehouse, distribution, office and retail) space, 79,800-97,000 square feet of new retail space and 1,796 housing units by 2045, plus 180 additional hotel rooms by 2035. The Airport Impact Area, including the airport site, encompasses more than 18,500 acres of land. The report recommends infrastructure development to signal site readiness and reduce risks to developers, initially prioritising shovel ready sites to market the corridor. The Immediate Priority: Target Area 1 extends along both sides of the AKB. The Medium-Term: Impact Area is the entire Airport Impact Area.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport took place on 7th May 2026 with over 50 people in attendance, including Department of Transportation (DOT) Under Secretary Ryan McCormack who echoed President Donald Trump’s lauding of the One BIg Beautiful Bill Act with his description of the airport as “big and beautiful“, Congressman Brian Jack, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry and local leaders. Construction of the airport is scheduled to be completed by 2030. Griffin-Spalding Regional Airport, the first new airport to be constructed in Georgia since 2008, is supported by federal, state and local funding. Congressman Brian Jack stated that to date the project has secured a total of USD83.4 million including USD8.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program, USD8.8 million from a Congressional Community Project Funding appropriation, USD47.2 million from the Georgia General Assembly, USD11.9 million from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Airport Aid Development program and USD7 million from a local bond.

Colombia: About 250 families face displacement for construction of Aerocafé Airport

Rose Bridger Colombia, Colomiba , , , , , , ,
Aerocafe Airport
Rendering of Aerocafé Airport, now under construction in Palestina, Caldas. Image source: CPG Click Oil and Gas

Construction of Aerocafé Airport, in the municipality of Palestina in the south central region of the state of Caldas, part of Colombia’s coffee cultivating region known as the Coffee Triangle or Coffee Axis, is underway, The showcase infrastructure project is promoted as an engine for regional growth, anticipated to enable a 12 per cent increase in nature, adventure, cultural and gastronomic tourism. Exports including coffee, textiles and household appliances are envisaged. Yet Palestina residents in the affected area complain of uncertainty, displacement and disputes over compensation. In addition to economic concerns over resettlement the airport project has begun to impact on people’s local networks and sense of belonging. Authorities claim that the project complies with compensation and resettlement procedures. Construction of Aerocafé Airport, among the most complex and expensive in the history of the Caldas Department, is having major impacts on people occupying the area designated for the project. Land is being prepared for construction works and machinery moved in, directly affecting approximately 250 families living near the area earmarked for the runway and other structures. Entire communities will have to vacate their homes, rural property and small businesses. The Department of Caldas, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aeronautics of Colombia stated that affected residents should relocate to a planned neighbourhood providing equivalent or superior housing, with temporary compensation during the resettlement process. But this process necessitates environmental licenses, technical requirements and public hearings that are not yet completed.

These negative impacts on communities directly affected by construction are not what was promoted by the UK Government Prosperity Fund. In 2020 this scheme (a £25.5 million programme running from 2017 to 2022) provided USD1,265,000 for design studies for ‘Aerocafé, An Airport That Champions Economic Inclusion and Gender Equity’, claiming it would incorporate best practices exemplifying the principles of gender equity and social inclusion along with adherence to environmental standards. British Ambassador to Colombia, Colin Martin-Reynolds said, “This project will have a considerable impact on the economic development and livelihoods of communities in Caldas and the entire coffee producing region.” Manager of the Aeropuerto del Café Association, Amparo Sánchez Londoño, emphasised the strategic significance of the airport and foreign investment, saying, “thanks to this international cooperation, we have consultants with extensive experience in the airport sector, adding value to the design of the most important infrastructure project for the economic revival of the region.” Recent news on construction works raises serious concerns that Aerocafé Airport is failing to foster inclusive economic development for directly affected communities, or to support their livelihoods.

Plans for the Aerocafé Airport, originally named ‘Coffee Airport’, first emerged in 1977 but the project met with lengthy delays due to funding and administrative issues combined with engineering difficulties of constructing an airport on steeply sloping, unstable terrain. The site is on a plateau 1,600 metres above sea level which, following cut and grading works, could accommodate a runway more than 3 kilometres in length. In August 2021, during preparation of the site including grading (levelling the site), confirmation of sites for disposal of surplus materials and drainage works, the Civil Aeronautics of Colombia estimated that 5.8 million cubic metres of earth would need to be moved. In October 2024, 47 years after it was first mooted, the megaproject was revived when Aerocafé received a finance guarantee from the Colombian government, which meant that contracting for a further stage of construction works could commence. The investment for first phase of the project, with a 1,460 metre runway, taxiway, hangars, apron and a 6,000 square metre terminal with capacity for 1 million passengers per annum, is 828,423 million Colombian pesos (approximately USD197 million). The finance guarantee from the Ministry of Finance complemented funding from the Federal Government and Caldas State.

Mega Airport City in Bishoftu, Ethiopia

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , , , ,

Construction of Africa’s biggest airport, a Mega Airport City, in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, is set to take up a vast 35 square kilometre site and a budget of USD6 billion just for the first phase and has met with resistance from farmers impacted by the resettlement process.

Mega Airport City, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
Artist rendering of planned Mega Airport City in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. Photo: Ethiopian Airlines, September 2024

Ethiopian Airlines announced plans for an airport city in Abusera (in Bishoftu, part of central Ethiopia’s Oromia region, about 40 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa) in September 2018. CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said the location was selected because of its elevation; at about 1,900 metres above sea level it is considerably lower than Addis Ababa at 2,400 metres. This would bring the advantage of improved fuel efficiency for flights in comparison with Ethiopia’s existing main airport, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. French engineering firm ADP Ingénierie (ADPI) conducted a site selection study and in February 2019 the Council of Ministers was set to endorse the proposed site in Abusera. Gebremariam said the mega-hub would not just be an airport, costing USD4 billion with four runways and capacity to handle 80 million passengers per year; it would include other infrastructures making it an airport city with a large duty-free shopping area, entertainment centres, hotels, business centre, logistics centres and real estate development. By January 2020 the airport city plans had become even more ambitious; passenger capacity had increased to 100 million per year. The anticipated cost had also risen significantly. Gebremariam said “We have identified 35sqkm land to be developed as an airport and it is about a $5bn project – larger than the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). It is going to accommodate 100m passengers; larger than Dubai and more or less equal to the new Istanbul airport.”

In February 2024 Ethiopian Airlines announced that the designated land for the airport city had been secured and that the project would encompass an area of 38 to 40 square kilometres. A spokesperson said the Oromia Regional Government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, was evacuating residents from the site to make way for construction to begin. The estimated cost of the megaproject had escalated again. In August 2024 Ethiopian Airlines was searching for USD6 billion in financing just for the first phase of what was now called a ‘Mega Airport City’. Projected passenger capacity increased again, to 110 million per annum, and the Dar Al-Handasah consultancy was awarded the contract for design and supervision of the Mega Airport City. At the signing ceremony Ethiopian Airlines stated, ‘The architectural team will incorporate elements of Ethiopian heritage to establish a people-centric, intuitive airport characterised by sustainability, resilience, and future-readiness.’

The claim to be ‘intuitive airport’, ascribing sentience to infrastructure, is just meaningless corporate guff. And the claims to be ‘people-centric’ boasting the qualities of ‘sustainability’, ‘resilience’ and ‘future-readiness’ disregard the airport city’s impacts on the people most directly affected, those who are being displaced to make way for it. Simultaneous with the search for USD6 billion to finance the airport city it was announced that construction could only go ahead if up to 2,500 farmers currently residing on and surrounding the site were resettled. Mesfin Tassev, CEO of Dar Al-Handasah, said a 740-hectare plot had been allocated by the Oromia Regional Government for this purpose, along with 17 billion Birr (USD172.5 million) for resettlement and development works. Design work was anticipated to be complete by December 2025 followed by construction of housing and other basic facilities along with development of employment opportunities for relocated residents by the end of 2026. Mesfin told The Reporter, “The construction of the airport city depends on the resettlement of the farmers. It will commence as soon as they move.”

The resettlement process is not proceeding smoothly. By January 2025 it was reported that Africa’s biggest airport was under construction but ‘faced significant challenges’ regarding coordination of finances, geopolitical dynamics, environmental concerns and the complex task of relocating affected communities. The airport city has triggered local resistance. Affected farmers, many of whom depend upon their land for subsistence and farming livelihoods, are concerned about compensation and resettlement. Many of them feel inadequately compensated and there are reports that the compensation offer was far less than the land’s market value. Resettlement has also caused discontent. Some farmers claim that clear plans for relocation and support for finding new livelihoods have not been provided. During a local meeting held to discuss the project one farmer said, “I’ve cultivated this land for decades. It’s not just my home. It’s my history and my family’s future.”

New book – Contested Airport Land in Asia and Africa

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , ,

A new book draws attention to accelerating airport development in Asia and Africa, elucidating many factors underlying the political sensitivities frequently surrounding greenfield development, airport expansion and airport cities. Contested Airport Land: Social-Spatial Transformation and Environmental Injustice in Asia and Africa, edited by Irit Ittner, Sneha Sharma, Isaac Khambule and Hanna Geschewski, is published by Routledge.

Following a conceptual introduction and overview chapter in-depth case studies give nuanced insights into the complex socio-economic, political and administrative dynamics of seven airport projects: the suspended Nijgadh Airport (Nepal); Mattala Airport (Sri Lanka); Yogyakarta Airport (Indonesia); a critical review of airport land contestations in India focussing on Jewar and Dehradun airports; the airport reserve in Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire); Durban Aerotropolis (South Africa) and Isiolo Airport (Kenya).

You can listen to a conversation with three of the co-editors on an episode of The Channel podcast from the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) at Leiden University, hosted by Benjamin Linder.

Contested Airport Land: Social-Spatial Transformation and Environmental Injustice in Asia and Africa

Mohali Aero City expansion impacts on rural livelihoods

Rose Bridger land rights , , , , , , , ,

A study focussing on three villages affected by land acquisition for expansion Mohali Aero City, southwest of Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, raised concerns over threats to rural livelihoods.

Proposed acquisition of 5,438 acres (2,200 hectares) of land from 14 villages – Bakarpur, Naraingarh, Kishanpura, Safipur, Rurka, Matran, Bari, Chatt, Saini Majra, Seon, Kurari, Chau Majra, Manauli and Paton – for AeroCity expansion, called ‘Aerotropolis’, was confirmed by Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) in 2017. A 2021 article in the Journal of Land and Rural Studies by Thomas Reuter, Sarbjeet Singh, A.K. Sinha and Shalina Mehta, Land Grab Practices and a Threat to Livelihood and Food Security in India? A Case Study from Aerocity Expansion Project from S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab, analyses the project as an example of large-scale acquisition of highly fertile agricultural land. The authors describe ‘blatant land grab practices by the state authority in the name of development, which act as barriers to the food security and threaten the livelihoods of those whose land will be acquired’. The study focussed on three affected villages – Patton, Kurari and Seon. Fieldwork conducted in April 2019 included in-depth interviews with 50 displaced farmers.

Mohali Aerotropolis
GMADA location map of proposed sites for Aerocity expansion. Graphic: Aerotropolis Mohali, 23/11/2020 https://www.facebook.com/451195685303715/photos/pb.100064020934387.-2207520000/1041176552972289/

Impacts on marginal rural people

A consolidated demographic profile of Patton, Kurari and Seon from the 2011 census showed that the total number of affected people was 3,031. A significant number, 955, belonged to the scheduled caste population, the most marginal rural people, many of them landless labourers, some of whom farm on leased land and other providing menial services. Land acquisition renders them homeless and they receive no compensation. The scheduled caste community of Patton village were marginal farmers owning only 1-2 acres of land. Scheduled caste people of Kurari and Seon did not own any land and depended entirely on agricultural activities. The working population was divided into two categories. ‘Main workers’ included marginalised individuals regularly hired by affluent farmers to work in their fields and people engaged in pastoral activities in a more favourable economic situation. ‘Marginal workers’ comprised migrant workers primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar along with seasonal workers from other states coming to the area for work harvesting paddy and wheat. Agriculture was the primary economic activity in the three villages. Several farmers had modern equipment such as tractors, tillers and adequate irrigation with tube wells for which free electricity was provided by the state. Farmers getting cash compensation for surrendered land tend to lose these subsidies, along with minimum price support for cereal crops.

Narratives from three affected farmers

The article includes narratives from three farmers affected by land acquisition for the Aero City Expansion. A 59-year old man from Kurari village grieved that the pace of urbanisation would convert lush green fields into a concrete jungle. He worried that wheat, rice, maize and other cereal crops would disappear. GMADA and private builders offered different compensation packages, causing friction among those surrendering prime agricultural land and also between farmers and the state, resulting in litigations and delays in land acquisition and launch of construction activities. A respondent from Patton said that a decade ago the land was unsuitable for farming and nobody wanted to settle in the village. Residents worked hard and within two years had made all the available land suitable for agriculture. Most farmers grew vegetables and cereals which they sold at nearby farmers’ markets. When GMADA notified the village for land acquisition for the Aero City Expansion project farmers feared compulsory acquisition and sold their land to private builders. He said that when the government acquires land compensation is inadequate and the payment process often gets trapped in legislation. He had worked hard on the land he was forced to sell and was unsure of the productive capacity of new land he had purchased. A Seon villager whose land was acquired by GMADA for the Aero City Expansion had not been paid adequate compensation. He retained six acres but there was a possibility this would also fall under the proposed land acquisition, leaving him without any means of livelihood.

Loss of pastoral activities and social stability

Livestock provided an important subsidiary source of income in the three villages. Cows and buffalo were reared mainly for milk and cows also for manure. Pastoral activities in the three villages were mainly pursued by women waking up early to milk cows and buffalo. Land acquisition can deprive women of this primary economic activity making them far more vulnerable, especially when they run single-parent households. The case studies suggested that animal rearing as a livelihood became unviable because land used for pasture was no longer in villagers’ possession. Loss of agricultural land can cause cessation of pastoral activities, as most displaced households are not compensated with sufficient land to accommodate dairy animals.

Residents of the villages were content with acquisition of small portions of land along roads as it brought them improved connectivity. But acquisition of their fertile land for development of housing for wealthy urbanites and creation of infrastructure in which they were not equal stakeholders left locals feeling cheated. Their lives were marked with upheavals and displacement threatened close-knit social networks. The authors conclude that the Aero City Expansion project was ‘an ambitious ideas but executed without due diligence and groundwork’. Land acquisition brought revenue to the state but measures to support the interests of local residents were inadequate. Urban planners failed to foresee the risks of social tensions and the Aero City epxansion led to social and political instability. The article warned of agricultural decline and the prospect of food insecurity.

VVIP airport for Indonesia’s new capital city triggers land tensions

Rose Bridger Indonesia, land rights , , , , , , ,

In East Kalimantan on the east coast of Borneo a new VVIP (Very Very Important Person) airport is being constructed to support development of Nusantara (IKN), the future capital city of Indonesia. With a VVIP and VIP terminal covering an area of 7,350 square metres and three helipads IKN VVIP Airport will support the mobility of the President, high-ranking officials, state guests and investors. The international airport will have a 3,000 metre runway to accommodate Airbus A400 military aircraft and will be used in coordination with the Indonesian Air Force (IAF). Development of IKN VVIP Airport was accelerated by Presidential Regulation No. 31 on 6th June 2023.

Satellite imagery shows land clearance and earthworks. The image on the left is from 18th March 2023 before works began. On the right is an image from 16th February 2024 where development of the IKN VVIP Airport terminal, runway and access road are clearly visible.

Demarcation of a 360-hectare site began within a few days and triggered reaction from some affected residents. On 30th June Muslimah News reported that hundreds of residents from five sub-districts – Gersik, Jenebora, Pantai Lango, Kelurahan Riko and the Maridan village area in Sepaku – were protesting take-over of land they occupied by the Land Bank Agency for construction of the VVIP airport. They refused to hand over their land to the Land Bank Agency because stakes were installed without prior notice and the government’s promise, made the previous year, to provide land for agrarian reform had not yet been fulfilled. There was a lot of evidence that construction was consuming residents’ land and authorities were ignoring their protests. Protest was not just in response to construction of the airport; there was also some controversy over whether the land bank serves public interest or corporate projects. The Land Bank Agency made reassurances that residents’ rights to replacement land would be accelerated and that agrarian reform land was being prepared for this purpose.

On 3rd August 2023 many palm farmers gathered at their former plantation area where they unfurled banners and made speeches demanding compensation for land affected by the VVIP airport construction project. A lawyer representing some of the residents said that oil palm land previously managed by them was suddenly cleared with heavy equipment. Palm oil trees had been damaged and razed to the ground but the farmers said they had not received compensation and there had been no discussions or meetings with authorities.

Land clearance and installation of boundary markers continued and on 10th January 2024, during socialisation for communities impacted by construction of the VVIP airport and access toll road, it was announced that 400 hectares of replacement land had been prepared for them. Yet complaints about the land acquisition process continued. On 14th January 2024 TribunKaltim reported that some farmers whose land was used for construction of the VVIP airport were unable to farm the land and had no clarity regarding replacement land. The land declared for the airport was the only land they owned and they relied upon it for their livelihoods. Many affected farmers owned one or two hectares of land. Many residents who lost their land had still not received compensation.

On 9th February 2024 Acting Regent of North Penajam Paser, Makmur Marbun, said the number of people whose land was allocated for the VVIP airport but had not yet been acquired had reduced from 80 to 22, explaining that the land of these 22 people is in the area that will be the runway and vital for the airport project. The residents had brought a lawyer to the airport site where they met with officials but Makmur Marbun said he would continue to attempt to resolve the issue through discussions. Completion of IKN VVIP Airport and commencement of operations is targeted for early August 2024.