HK villager sues govt over backyard poultry ban
HONG KONG - A Hong Kong villager filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging a government ban on backyard fowl, saying it had breached laws protecting private property.Hong Kong banned backyard poultry farming in early February in a bid to stop the deadly strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus from spreading in the densely-populated city.
Officials have since raided more than 130,000 rural homes and confiscated over 300 chickens, ducks, geese, quails and pigeons.
But the action has sparked protests from farmers, who say the government has no right to seize private property and they are now demanding compensation for the seizure of their poultry.
Accompanied by about 50 villagers and two lawyers, Lau Sau-fung lodged her request for a judicial review at the High Court.
"We have to get compensated because it is just not right to take other peoples‘ things," Lau told reporters.
Lau said officers seized her nine chickens and nine geese. Those chickens laid on average 25 eggs a month, which she sold for HK$2 (US$0.26) apiece.
Hong Kong‘s constitution guarantees protection for private property and owners have a right to compensation if they suffer "lawful deprivation of their property."
Source: Jackson News Tribune
28 February 2006
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