‘I had planned to stay for life’: last villagers prepare to leave Cha Kwo Ling
Nestled within thick, verdant foliage in Cha Kwo Ling is one of Hong Kong’s last squatter settlements, where a handful of remaining residents are staying until a government deadline to move out for redevelopment of the area for public housing. Mrs Lam, one of the last villagers living among the juxtaposition of makeshift metal dwellings and stone houses complete with wooden window frames, said…
In Hong Kong's Cha Kwo Ling, residents of one of the city's last squatter settlements are preparing to leave as part of a government redevelopment plan. Mrs Lam, a resident in her sixties, has until August 25 to clear her belongings and move. She expressed sadness over leaving behind her medicinal herbs, which she inherited and relied on for income.
Despite receiving a modest HK$80,000 from the government for her relocation, she has yet to receive adequate compensation for her lost business. The government's acquisition efforts began in 2023, with officials from various departments entering the village for the final round of operations.
Ng Po-wo, another long-time resident, has lived in the village since 1953 and has not yet received any information about his own evacuation. He reminisced about the teahouse he owns, which served as a community hub in the village's past. Rita Law, a retiree, visited the village to bid farewell to a piece of Hong Kong's history. She praised the village's unique character and historical significance but advocated for preserving some elements of it despite the upcoming redevelopment.
Cha Kwo Ling, one of only two remaining old villages in Kowloon, will soon be replaced by new public housing estates.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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