Forced Displacement

A security official told Semella villagers in Matrouh last week that their homes would be demolished anyway to make way for a Qatari investment project signed by the government in early November. Residents are resisting eviction, demanding fair compensation including alternative land suitable for their agricultural lifestyle. This follows the government's policy of leasing state land to foreign developers, as in the Ras al-Hekma deal with the UAE.