Abdallah K

GUIDELINES

for the Khoury family regarding the land owned in and around Hammana

April 2017

Version 0.0

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Table of Content

1. Introduction

2. Family exercise

3. Plots with external partners

4. Reasons to develop projects

5. Ongoing projects

6. Owning and managing plots in common

7. Bad Division

8. New projects

9. Principles for dividing the land

10. Estimation of certain areas

11. Conclusion

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1. INTRODUCTION

This document is about how to better optimize the land the family owns in the Hammana area.

To sell, to buy, to divide, to develop, to manage.

It follows other documents I have issued recently. The first one should be read first. It is called Looking at land in Hammana. It locates the plots and describes the present situation.

All the documents are available in their latest version on this web page:http://www.zwyx.org/box/gang/hammana

Until now Ramsay has been the only one investing time and money in the village. He did a lot. He gathered information about our past. He participated in the renovation of a church related to our ancestors. He helped build to a monument (globe) near the school. He planted many trees - and he continues to do so.

Today some of us among the new generation – in particular Team F (Abdallah) and Team N (Michael) - would like to add a new layer to what Team R (Ramsay) has been doing.

Also, it would be interesting to find out who in the group (5 + 12) is interested in investing time and/or money in projects in this area.

This is a proposal in progress. It is full of questions. I will continue to update it according to the feedback I receive from the group.

Note: I had long conversations with almost everyone. This document alreadyincludes the feedback from most of us.

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2. FAMILY EXERCISE

Whether we like it or not we own many things in common - beyond the plots in Hammana - and therefore we must learn to communicate and think positively as a one entity when managing our business. Even through the process of dividing things.

Unfortunately communication has not been very easy with the Five. I have told my experience in the document untitled Meeting the Family.

I have given my point of view. I have said how I think the Five is not behaving like team, why this is not good and how things could be changed.

I wrote about people who suffered a trauma. I have said how these individuals have created each other - their character - in a spirit of mistrust and competition... under the shadow of mythical founding fathers.

Taking care of this Hammana topic in common could be a good exercise for the family. It could be a form of therapy... involving elements from the New Generation.

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3. PLOTS WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS

We own plots in common with external partners. I think we should deal with these sooner than later. Our own family is big enough already.

I was told Ramsay tried something in the past about these plots... but I understood the others did not agree with his proposition. Is this correct? When was it? What did Ramsay suggest exactly? Why did the others refuse to move?

If someone knows about it, please send me the details by email. With Ramsay not communicating... and the others on the Moon... it is not easy to gather information.

How shall we move from here?

(a) Buy?

(b) Sell?

(c) Put everything under the name of one company?

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If some of you do not think this job should be done now please say so and explain why.

If everyone agrees this job must be done, then who among us (5 + 12) would like to deal with it? Possibly in exchange of some sort of fee like a % on the deals?

I might be available for this... If no one is available for this job do you think we should hire someone to do it?

The plots in question are not many. They are clearly marked in the document called Looking at Land in Hammana. 2 large areas of about 30,000 m2 eachon the hill above village... one areas of about 7000 m2... and a few (very) small plots here and there.

Note: One example. Plot number 2390 in the middle of the village measured 145 m2 but it seems most of it has been expropriated for a roundabout. What is left is as big as 3 cars... I think our family has 33% with the rest owned by external partners. What shall we do with it?... (a) Shall we do nothing? Why?With the succession of generations these shares will be shared and shared again and disappear like dust. (b) Shall we try to buy the others? Why? (c) Shall we try to sell our shares to the municipality? (d) Shall we build a monument on it? Or use it for something like a kiosk?

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4. REASONS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS

I do not know if Hammana is the best place to develop projects today. But here are some arguments:

• The political situation will get better on the long term.• Improving the village indirectly improves the value of our land.• Other people are starting projects in the area. Starting different projects

simultaneously can create a little wave.• The projects can be simple. They can start like experiments and grow

progressively according to the situation and the people available.• The best way to protect land is to develop something on it. I think the

least we can do is give a minimum of life and positivity on the land we own.

• The Municipality can facilitate administrative procedures.• The Municipality can give us trees and plants for free.• One reason for not selling: it stops people from petrol countries from

buying and building ugly things...

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5. ONGOING PROJECTS

Some projects are already ongoing on the plots.

Chaghour High

Miled Bou Farah has been planting fruits on the Chaghour for many years. There are about 100 trees behind the ruin of the hotel.

Ain Al HossaAin Al Maïtri

Ramsay has been planting and watering trees on many plots. He visits the village almost every week. Apart from planting randomly on other plots, he has developed significative projects: 2 cherry orchards at Ain Al Hossa and Ain Al Maïtri. For these projects he bought special trees from Europe. Probably close to 1000 trees in total.

Ramsay is on his own. He does everything alone. He pays for everything from his pocket. The Five have not been very much concerned until now. Some of the Five agreed to let him use their land but they did not want to payor participate more than that.

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I think this is not healthy. Ramsay is acting good but the others are wrong notto go along. I think this should be corrected right now. Everyone should at least pay his share - or else clearly refuse to participate in Ramsay's project atall like Nabil is doing. I think this is what should be done. Either one participates and pays his share in a collective project... or else nothing.

If everyone contributes the project stays truly collective... and Ramsay (or someone else in the group) becomes the manager of the collective project... and he is expected to send reports regularly and so on.

Leaving Ramsay develop his things alone makes him grow negative emotions. It makes him feel that no one cares about him and about what he is doing up there.

I think this situation is not acceptable.

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Ramsay - Italy, September 2016

6. OWNING AND MANAGING PLOTS IN COMMON

My first document (Looking at Land in Hammana) has shown how incoherent and how bad the divisions have been made in the past and how important it is to reorganize the ownership of the plots - sooner than later.

It is not because the value of those plots is not very big that we have to treat them like shit... Even old attics and storage rooms shall be cleaned once in a while.

I was a little bit shocked of the poor return I received from the Group in general during the past 3 months. Apart from Ramsay and Nabil everyone was very nice... but only Michael seamed to care and send positive feedback.

Most of the Group (Teams R, C, M) is not in a hurry to divide the ownership of the plots. They seem happy doing nothing under the management of Ramsay.

Some of us (Teams F, N) would like to divide/exchange some of the plots right now. We are also into interested in developing things in common as long as the ownership and the management are clear and well organized.

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Shall we set up a company to manage our assets in common in a more flexible manner? It is a solution. It could help a lot. It is a good idea for all the plots we want to keep in common because:

• In total there are a lot of m2.

• The family is growing!

• Some isolated plots are too small or too awkward to be worth much. They become forgotten and subject to abuse from the municipality.

• Many plots are not desirable enough as they are now. No one wants to own them alone (buy or exchange).

• Plots are better kept together under a single owner (a person or a company). If we set up a company plots will be more flexible to pass orto sell... or to take decisions related to projects.

• The present situation is messy and not very logical. Many plots have NOT been well divided in the past. The group must reorganize the ownership.

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7. BAD DIVISIONS

These are examples of bad division:

• Team N owns the cemetery alone! Does it mean that from now on we shall be buried somewhere else? It might be more logical to keep the cemetery collective!

• Team N owns 40% of almost every plot in common in Hammana... but Team N is not interested in owning all these plots alone... Since this advantage is useless it might be more comfortable for Team N to own as much as the others...

• Team C owns 40% of the big land at Ain Dara... and same as above, Team C is not interested in owning it alone... Since this advantage is useless it might be more comfortable for Team C to own as much as theothers...

• Most of the plots that are already divided (the ones with a single owner)are clearly NOT well divided... I think this was done after the death of Abdallah in 1964... Ownership is scattered: nobody has plots in his name that are continuous (apart from Fady who has 3 plots touching each other at Ain Al Maïtri). Nice areas are broken in a ridiculous way.

• Strangers own plots between our plots in particular at Dahr Al Chir and at “Flat Land”. Buying a few plots would solve this and greatly improvethe value of our plots. It would also protect from new constructions. (We could consider selling instead. It might be better to sell than to ownsomething awkward.)

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8. NEW PROJECTS

This is a list of projects based on the feedback I have received from the Group. I will continue to updated it according to what you send me.

Chaghour High / Hotel and Restaurant?

I think the Chaghour must open as soon as possible... whether owned in common or alone.

For this to happen it should be sold to an entity that is ready to develop something on it. I think the ruin of the hotel is not repairable. It has to be rebuilt from scratch.

Team N (Michael) wants to develop something - maybe next year – but this team wants no partners. Team N owns 80% for the moment. Team F and Team M own 10% each. Team N would like to own 100% in order to develop its project.

There are a limited number of solution:

A) Team N buys/exchanges with the others and develops its project alone. Team N prefers to exchange with others plots - in or out of Hammana - and avoid spending cash.

B) Another team or a group of other teams buys the Chaghour from Team N. (Team N is ready to consider selling the Chaghour in exchange of a serious proposal such as exchanging with shares in Rabieh or Faraya for example.) Ifthe Chaghour is owned by more than one owner, I think it is healthier if shares are spread equally among the partners. If teams are interested in this solution they need to be proactive and make a proposal to Team N... otherwise they shall move on with the solution (A) above.

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C) Team N would accept to divide the Chaghour High, which is one single plot of 50,000 m2, into smaller plots. But I am not sure I like this idea very much. It contradicts the principle of keeping each location united under one owner... Also it would be very difficult to decide how and where to cut! Evenif Team N said it is ready to consider this option, I prefer to rule it out.

Chaghour Low / What is it exactly?

What is this place? I haven't been there yet. If anyone knows about this place please say so. It is a piece of land under the Chaghour with nothing on it.

Is it nice? It would be a good idea to look at it from closer and try to describe it, evaluate it and think about what it could become.

It is now owned in common.

(A) Shall it be owned by the owner of the Chaghour High?

(B) Shall it stay in common?

(C) Shall it be owned by someone else who wants it?

Ain Al Hossa / Orchard

Ramsay's orchard project is already in place over this area. His workers have been relocated there a few months ago.

The land is owned in common although Team N has 40% of almost every plot - and the others own 15% each... Shall we keep it like this? I think this isnot heathy to have Team R manage an area where Team N has 40% and does not agree with Team R's project... I think we need to choose one of the following solutions:

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A) One Team declares it wants to buy/exchange this area alone and the other Teams agree. If Team N owns 40% it should be allowed to decide. Ideally Team N would give up its priority over this area as part of the global deal (the remaining shares of the Chaghour or something else outside of Hammana). I think Team R should be given priority over this land if it wants to own it alone. Ramsay has put a lot of efforts in Hammana in general and inhis 2 orchard projects.

B) In case no one wants to buy or exchange this area... or if some partners do not want to sell their shares... then I think the ownership must be reorganized so that the remaining partners own equal shares. This would be automatic if we use a company to merge the plots we own in common.

Ain Al Mitri / Orchard + Guest House

Team R's orchard project is already in place over this area.

Team F owns 4 plots in the middle of this area. These plots together represent40% of the area.

If Team F is allowed to buy/exchange this area and own it alone this team (Abdallah) would develop a project. This project would total blend with the present cherry orchard.

It would be a small guest house inside the orchard. This project would grow slowly. It could start with 2 or 3 extra mini stone houses without any floors (hidden in the slope).

Ain Dara / Organic Agriculture

The land at Ain Dara is owned in common, but Team C has 40%. This Team should be given priority if it wants to buy/exchange it. But I do not think Team C is interested. For the moment it has no particular project for this area.

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The land is big (100,000 m2). It is abandoned. It used to be a house (Nagib's house) and a beautiful apple orchard in the past... Some of the infrastructures are still present. The ruin of the old house, water basins, stones and so on.

Many of us among the New Generation have suggested a collective project for this area. All Teams - except Team R - agreed on an experimental organicplantation (without genetically modified seeds and without pesticides).

If this model is successful and ends up (step by step) using the 100,000 m2, the model could be spread over to other plots (the plots owned in common and that nobody wants).

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The ruin of the old house at Ain Dara.

There are many possibilities involving bees, organic fruits and even a seed bank of local seeds... The project(s) could be developed and managed by members of the family directly or by third parties (employees, activists...)

The Municipality can help us with making contacts with the right people. They might also be able to give us trees and plants for free.

If some of us are interested in investing time and/or money in such a project they need to come forward. A meeting could be organized for this topic alone. If we develop anything in common, I think it is much healthier if we (1) use acompany to make ownership easy and more flexible (2) or spread the shares of every plot equally among the partners.

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The land at Ain Dara.

9. PRINCIPLES FOR DIVIDING THE LAND

It is important to agree on the fact that we must reorganize the ownership of the plots at some point. Sooner or later it is an obligation. Not doing it might have serious consequences later.

We should put everything in a one company or/and we should divide what we want to divide. If some of you do not agree, please explain why you think it is preferable to keep things as they are. And do not hesitate to suggest othersolutions.

It is important to speak our minds. Certain teams might have ideas. It would be interesting to hear the opinion of everyone. If teams are interested in anything they shall say so and make a suggestion or a sincere proposal.

These are a few “ethical” principles that can help divide the plots:

9.1. The areas that are continuous are better if not divided. Common sense dictates that it is better if continuous areas are treated like babies... kepttogether in one piece and owned by one entity only.

9.2. Certain teams have advantages over certain areas. These advantages should be interpreted as a priority to buy, exchange or decide the fate of a particular area.

• Team N owns 80% of the shares of the Chaghour High.• Team N owns 40% of the shares of most of the plots owned in

common.• Team F owns 40% of the Ain Al Maïtri area... not in common... the

plots are already separated.• Team C owns 40% of the shares of the big land at Ain Dara...

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Team R and Team M have no “advantage” over a particular area. Is this bad? Do they feel it is unfair? Do they feel like owning something alone in Hammana? If they wish to own an area alone, they might be interested in AinAl Hossa. The Chaghour Low might be an area of interest. Some very big plots on the hill above Hammana are also interesting.

9.4. The point of view of the village. If hesitating over certain decisions it is interesting to take a step back and look at things from the point of view of themayor of the village. What is best for the development and the image of this village? I think owning an area should come with the responsibility of maintaining or developing something. (At least plant some trees which can beoffered for free by the Municipality.)

9.5. To “buy” does not mean spending cash. Cash is always an option if teams agree... but in this document “buy” usually implies “exchange” with other plots in Hammana or elsewhere in Lebanon.

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10. ESTIMATION OF CERTAIN AREAS

When negotiating each party shall present an estimation for each plot and discuss until they agree on the value...

These are a few approximations that might help us:

• The Chaghour is one big plot of 50,000 m2... The part around the hotel is expensive. Maybe USD 350 or more... But the parts that are higher up the hill are much cheaper... maybe around USD 50... So we must find a symbolic average for all this plot... Maybe something between USD 100 and 200.

• At Ain Al Hossa we bought something for USD 125 almost 10 years ago. This area could be worth USD 125 to 200 or more.

• Ain Al Maïtri can be estimated between USD 150 and 250.

• Other small plots that are isolated could be between USD 50 to 100.

• The big land at Ain Dara could be from USD 30 to 100 or more. There are many plots. It is hard to tell.

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11. CONCLUSION

This document is not final. It will evolve depending on the group's input.

• Meetings are an option for whoever is interested but many things can bedone online if the group is proactive and communicates well.

• Shall we create a company to put our plots together?

• Shall we start collective projects? How serious are we? Shall we use activists and free stuff? or shall we invest?

• Shall we divide some areas? Which ones and how?

• I think refusing to participate in the fees with Team R was a mistake. I would like to correct it. This would transform Ramsay's projects into collective projects. Of course the more we are the cheaper it is... Who isin?

• If Ramsay does not want to continue to manage the orchards with the conditions decided by the Group (a new written agreement) what shall the Group do? For the moment Ramsay refuses to make a new agreement. It seems he wants to work alone without interference from the Group... or else cancel everything!... Is his decision final? And is the group ready to pay what it owes to Ramsay and continue to manage his projects without him?

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