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Widespread Anger in Hama Countryside over Delays in Returning Farmland to Its Owners
Residents of villages and towns in northern and eastern Hama countryside are expressing frustration following remarks by Munther Zahour, director of the “Iktifa” company in Hama, about returning tens of thousands of dunams of farmland to their owners. Those affected say the remarks do not reflect the situation on the ground, noting that many landowners are still unable to access or reclaim their property.
In accounts cited by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, residents of Maan village, al-Tulayseya town, and nearby areas questioned the accuracy of the announcement. They said large areas of farmland remain under others’ control despite repeated demands for their return to their rightful owners.
Residents estimate that Maan has around 5,000 dunams of farmland, more than 2,500 of which remain outside the control of their original owners. They said they are sometimes prevented from accessing their property on security grounds or because some owners are accused of being affiliated with the “remnants” of the former regime.
Those affected said their efforts to reclaim their land have been met with complicated administrative procedures and delays, as well as requirements they described as unreasonable. They added that some owners, including lawyers, had approached the relevant authorities and submitted the required documents—including cadastral sketches, planning maps, and land registry records—but were later asked to provide a handwritten “security clearance report.”
These accounts raise questions about whether the announced return of land to its owners is being implemented, as landowners continue to report that they cannot recover their property despite presenting documents proving their ownership.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights renewed its call for the relevant authorities to end the control of citizens’ land and property without legal grounds and return it to its rightful owners. It also called for clear and transparent standards for reviewing claims, guarantees that those affected can access and use their property, and accountability for anyone obstructing its return.
