A Change of Guard

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Thursday 1 April 2010

SRP asks government to review land concessions in Kampong Speu

Three SRP MPs, including Cheam Channy (middle) and Ho Vann (right), lead a group of Omlaing villagers to demand for the release of two jailed villagers (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post).

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

A number of MPs from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) have asked the government to review the land concessions given to Phnom Penh Sugar Co., Ltd owned by tycoon Senator Ly Yong Phat, from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), reports Radio Free Asia.

The land concessions had allegedly encroached on villagers' lands in Ormlaing village and in the middle of last month the villagers rioted, resisted evictions and burned down the company's makeshift office in the areas. A number of villagers and police were wounded in the riots and two villagers were arrested.

In a letter dated 26th March to Prime Minister Hun Sen, a group of MPs from the SRP have asked the government to review the land concessions given to Phnom Penh Sugar Co., Ltd because they said the concessions had encroached on villagers' lands living in the areas.

The letter added that past concessions have led to the destruction of forests and serious violation of citizens' rights because often these kinds of land concessions have always encroached on their lands.

In another development, 20 NGOs are meeting in Kampong Speu today, 1st April, to find a solution to the land disputes between villagers and private companies involving 10,000 hectares of lands in the province's Tkorng and Oudong districts.

Mr. Suon Sareth, Secretary of Action Committee, said all NGOs want to help find justice for the villagers and diffuse the tensions. "Because the villagers have lost the lands because their lands have been taken by the companies.........We intervene to help push for a resolution for the villagers in order to avoid violence", he said.

A lady from Tkorng district said the company took all her lands and that she has no land to farm and feed the family. "I and all the villagers (have lost our lands)...Now the farming season is approaching, the autumn season is approaching. The company are still bulldozing our lands and the district authority did not try to find a solution for the people. Now we don't know what to think? Now we want them to divide the lands clearly and people won't be concerned and won't protest any more", she said.

Mr. Chheang Kim Sun, representative of Phnom Penh Sugar Co., Ltd, said the company is busy bulldozing for the developments of the lands because it said it received permits/licences from the Ministry of Agriculture to develop the areas.

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