【新唐人2013年10月17日訊】廣東省海陵鎮政府，二十年前為完成國家下達的植樹造林任務，而找到「灘塗養殖大王」李宗岑，請他幫忙，把光禿禿的南鵬島綠化、造林，雙方並且簽訂70年承包合同。然而，二十年之後，海陵島經濟開發區管委會聲稱，這份合同無效，並且將李宗岑告上法庭，法院判定官方勝訴。李宗岑不服判決提出上訴。二審已在日前開庭。
備受關注的「陽江官民爭島案」，10月14號在陽江中級法院二審開庭。20年前簽訂的海島承包開發合同，如今是否有效？原告、被告兩造繼續展開辯論。
據《南方都市報》報導，上訴方——「島主」李宗岑，堅持「合同合法有效」。而作為被上訴方——陽江市海陵島經濟開發試驗區管委會、和陽江市海洋與漁業局，則提交七份新證據，指稱﹕李宗岑的行為屬於變相侵佔國家資源，從中牟利，其中，放養牛羊等行為，還破壞了島上生態環境。
經過一天的激烈辯論，審判長提議調解，但李宗岑與他的律師當庭表示：「合同有效無效，關乎黑白是非，關乎正義」，拒絕調解。法院表示，近日將作出判決結果。
被告李宗岑律師——「廣東經綸律師事務所」律師冉茜告訴《新唐人》，原告方認為合同無效，他們援引的是1988年土地管理法第17條，也就是，利用國有荒山荒地灘塗進行農業承包的話，必須要經縣級以上政府的批准。對方一口咬定，這個承包合同沒有經過縣級政府的批准。
廣東經綸律師事務所律師冉茜：「但是我們那份合同有縣級的林業局作為見證人，有蓋章，有簽字的。而且這份合同還到縣級專門管理農村承包合同的管理處，去辦理了一個監證，監證方還收了監證的費用，也有簽字和蓋章。那麼，我們認為，這兩個縣級政府主管部門見證和監證的行為，實際上就代表了縣級政府對這個合同有效性的認可了。」
冉茜說，林業局作為主管林業工作的一個主管部門，是它作為見證方來牽頭、主導，並且起草合同，在法律上，林業局的行為就代表了政府的行為。但是現在，縣政府向法庭出具一紙證明說，沒有同意簽署這份合同。
冉茜表示，合同簽署的時候，部門內部有沒有一個審批手續，那是你政府內部的一個流程。
冉茜：「即使退一步說，你沒有去完善這個手續，那也是你原告方的責任，你有義務去完善這個手續。你不能說，哦，我這個合同已經履行了二十年了，你說我的這個內部手續沒有完善，所以我來宣佈這個合同無效。這在法律上它是違背了最基本的一個原則，就是誠實信用的原則。」
冉茜認為，不誠信的行為在法律上都是禁止的，更何況政府的誠信。
冉茜：「你政府你本來就是應該維護交易的穩定性，維護交易市場的秩序。結果它看到了海島開發的利益，覺得這個島，現在，如果政府收回去，給其他更好的一些投資人來進行開發，當地政府可以獲得更多的利益。它是基於這樣一個考慮，所以想把這個島拿回去。」
冉茜指出，原來的南鵬島是一個荒島，幾乎沒有甚麼植被。1992年，國家有一個綠化綱要，它把綠化造林的工作，層層下達到各級政府。這份合同已經履行了20年了，當事人作出巨大的投入。
冉茜：「當時的海陵鎮政府，這個南鵬島是它管轄的一個島，它沒有這個錢去搞這個島的綠化造林，所以就找到我們當事人，就說把這個島承包給我們當事人，然後由他去實施綠化造林的工作。我們當事人簽了這個合同之後，就去做了很多工作，這個島現在已經很漂亮了。」
這份合同的第四條規定，如果國家要把海島收回去，必須對當事人進行相應的補償和賠償。冉茜猜測，現在海陵鎮政府不想進行民事賠償，所以乾脆說合同無效，這樣他們就不需要給予太多的賠償。
採訪編輯/秦雪 後製/蕭宇
The Government Denies A 70-Year Contract in Order to Repossess Island
20 years ago, in order to carry out state-assigned tasks
for afforestation, the Hailing Township government
in Guangdong Province contracted desolate Nanpeng Island
to businessman Li Zongcen, a marine poultry producer.
The contract period was set for 70 years.
However since 2011, Hailing Development Committee
(HDC) claimed the contract was invalid and brought Li
to court.
The trial’s verdict was in favor of the authority.
Li appealed the verdict.
The appeal trial has begun recently.
On Oct. 14, Yangjiang Intermediate People’s Court opened
the second trial of Li Zongcen versus
the regime regarding the Island dispute.
Will the contract signed 20 years ago be valid?
Both plaintiff and defendant continuously debate in court.
Southern Metropolis Daily reported that prosecutor
Li Zongcen insists the contract is legal and valid.
HDC and Yangjiang Administration of Ocean and Fishery
provided the court with seven new pieces of evidence.
The evidence allegedly shows that Li has used state
resources, has taken personal gains, and has populated
the island with cows and sheep, which damaged
the island environment.
After a day of debate, the judge suggested the use
of mediation in resolving disputes.
Li and his lawyer replied in court, “Whether the contract
is valid or not relates to issue of right or wrong,
and it also relates to the issue of justice or not."
Li did not accept the mediation service.
The court said that final verdict will be issued soon.
Li’s lawyer, Ran Xi from Geenen Foreign Legal Service
Center, spoke to NTD.
She says the authorities believe the contract is invalid.
They cited 1988 Land Management Law Article 17,
which says only county-level regimes or
above have the authority to contract inhabited islands
to individuals.
They said this contract hasn’t been approved
by county-level regimes.
Ran Xi: “Actually, the county-level forestry bureau can serve
as a witness because they sealed and signed the contract.
This contract has been certified by a county-level
management bureau, rural area contract department.
We paid certifying fees and it was signed and sealed.
We certainly believe these two regimes represent
county-level authorities to validate the contract."
Ran Xi says that the forestry bureau is a part of the main
administration, they certify and prepare contracts.
By law, the forestry bureau works on behalf
of the government.
Now the county government submitted a statement saying
they didn’t agree that they have signed a contract.
Ran Xi also says when the regimes signed the contract,
there was no examination and approval procedures,
and they didn’t have a proper internal system.
Ran Xi: “Taking a step back, it is their responsibility
for not having a complete system.
They are obligated to complete internal procedures.
My client has fulfilled the contract for 20 years,
they cannot simply say due to the imperfections of their
internal system the contract is invalid.
It breaches a basic legal principle—honesty."
Ran Xi believes that dishonesty is even prohibited
by law, let alone the government’s action.
Ran Xi: “The government should maintain a trading stability,
and maintain market order.
Now they want to have personal gains
by developing the island.
If they repossess the island and pass it down to better
investors, the local regime can obtain more interests.
This is what they plan to do, thus they hope
to repossess the island."
Ran Xi points out that the original island was desolate,
and there was almost no vegetation.
In 1992, the state issued a green outline plan.
They conveyed the plan to different layers governments
including the local level.
The contract has been fulfilled for 20 years,
Li has invested a lot.
Ran Xi: “At that time, Nanpeng Island belonged
to the Hailing government administration.
They didn’t have funds to plant trees for afforestation.
They found Li Zongcen and contracted the island to him.
Li managed the afforestation.
After Li signed the contract he put in a lot of hard work,
now the island has been transformed into a beautiful scene."
The fourth term in the contract states that if the state
repossesses the island, they need to compensate Li.
Ran Xi speculates that Hailing regime doesn’t want to carry
out civil compensation, so they claim the contract is invalid.
In this way, they won’t need to pay much compensation.
