By Khmerization
Source: RFA
Sokimex Group, owned by tycoon Sok Kong who is a close ally of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has been accused by 13 families from Phnom Penh's Prek Pra commune of land-grabbing when his company's employees came to build the fence around their land.
The residents said they have title deeds to the 20 hectares of land in Boeng Chhouk Lake, but Sokimex Group considered the land to belong to it or still in dispute.
53 year-old Yim Sophal, who has a fish farm in the lake since 2005, said the company is building a fence around his fish pond. "If the company make its own new title deeds, I will lose all of my land. I don't have any other means other than ask Prime Minister Hun Sen to help re-examine the cases of these 13 families because in the past we all have received the title deeds (for these lands). I have attempted to inform the prime minister many times about this, but our request did not reach the prime minister", he said.
Local authority did not help resolve the issue and attempts in the past by residents to stage any protests have been forbidden and suppressed.
56 year-old Lim Bak Chou, said she had 3 hectares of land which are facing confiscation by Sokimex Group. "They must find justice for me and compensate me. Why they came and take my land? I have owned it for the last 10 years. If at that time they forbade me from buying, I would not have bought this land and I would not have handed the money to them", she said.
Mr. Choup Sitha, chief of Prek Pra co0mmune, said he has no choice but to accept the decision of the higher authority, even though he supported the residents' claims of ownership in the past.
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