A Change of Guard

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Friday 26 March 2010

villagers in Rattanakiri protested against a Vietnamese company for grabbing their lands

A video of villagers rioting and burning offices of Senator Ly Yong Phat's sugar firm.

By Khmerization

Source: RFA

Hundreds of villagers from Lumchor commune in O'Yadao district of Rattanakiri province claimed a Vietnamese company is continuing to bulldoze their lands and intransigently refusing to pay any compensation to them, reports Radio Free Asia.

villagers said as of 25th March, the Vietnamese mining company named Hang An Rattanakiri, has used heavy machinery to bulldoze their rice fields and vegetable gardens without paying any compensation for the damges to their lands and crops.

the villagers claimed that Hang An Rattanakiri had used 4 bulldozers and 10 Vietnamese workers to bulldoze their lands since the beginning of january. On 14th January, 50 villagers had chased them out from the village and confiscated the company's machinery, but it returned later.

Villagers said the company's machinery had been actively digging and bulldozing their vegetable gardens and rice fields up until today. "They digg in the vegetable farms and in the forests. They dig illegally even in the forests and they have dug 6 metres deep inside the ground and all the lands have been destroyed", said a villager.

Mr. Sev Thven, chief of Lumchor commune, said Hang An Rattanakiri, had received a mining licence from the Ministry of Mining and Energy to explore for minierals in O'Yadoa from 2010 t0 2011.

Hem Vanthorn, director of Office of Mining in Rattanakiri, said any companies that receive permits from the Ministry of Mining and Energy have every right to conduct their explorations on the concessions granted to them. However, he said the companies must consult the villagers if their lands have been impacted.

a week ago, hundreds of villagers in Kampong Speu rose up, rioted and burned down offices of a Sugar Firm owned by Senator Ly Yong Phat, a senator from the ruling Cambodian People's Party, they accused of grabbing their lands.

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