The government’s serious land rights abuses, mismanagement, and corruption have created a new class of rural poor. As long as laws are not properly implemented, Lao citizens will remain vulnerable against land rights violations,” said FIDH President Karim Lahidji. “A coherent legal framework for the approval and management of land concessions is urgently needed. The Lao government must reform land governance to ensure total transparency, accountability, and people’s participation in decision-making,” he urged.
The ongoing award of long-term land leases and concessions to domestic and foreign investors has resulted in widespread land confiscation without adequate compensation. Whole communities have been forced from their land, which has negatively affected the livelihoods of its residents. Out of the 107 recommendations the Lao government accepted at its last UPR in May 2010, 11 called on the government to continue efforts to eradicate poverty, ensure sustainable development, and to improve the standards of living, particularly in rural and remote areas. However, the human rights implications of large-scale land leases and concessions granted by the Lao government are serious, far-reaching, and inconsistent with Laos’ commitments at its last UPR.