Quang Phu Commune faces deadlock over uncompensated land seizure

Authorities in Quang Phu Commune, Lam Dong Province, are facing a legal impasse regarding a land dispute spanning nearly 30 years. Local resident Phan Van Cau has petitioned for compensation after his family land was used to construct the Duc Xuyen market without proper land recovery decisions or financial support.

Ngân Thanh Hải, Vice Chairman of the Quang Phu Commune People's Committee, acknowledged that the previous land recovery by the former Duc Xuyen Commune People's Committee did not follow legal procedures. A 2024 administrative court ruling confirmed that the land seizure was unlawful and lacked the necessary compensation and support.

Despite the court ruling, local officials claim there is currently no legal basis to return the land or issue land use certificates, as the judgment did not explicitly mandate the return of the property now occupied by the market. The commune has reported these regulatory difficulties to the provincial authorities, while the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has instructed the commune to resolve the matter in accordance with the law.