04 June 2006
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Say Sopheap, the CTN reporter, said that villagers armed with knives and wooden sticks decided to open a bridge to allow the passage for a car transporting CTN reporters to escape a mob following an interview with one the villagers’ representative.
Say Sopheap said that the representative name is Sar Kunthea.
Say Sopheap said: “Looking at the situation, it was very dangerous because the knives, the axes, the machetes were surrounding us, and the bridge was cut off. Some of our other people … they saw the situation and they heard that they (the villagers) were told to go find fire wood to pile on the car to burn it down. There, our group thought that we fell into their trap because the military policemen were not armed at all. Then the person who cut off the bridge went to ask Sar Kunthea whether to allow us out of there or not, Sar Kunthea did allow us to go…”
The event which led the reporters to come down to Prey Peay village, Trapeang Phlaing commune, Chhouk district, Kampot province, is related to the clearing of 4,000 hectares of forest land. The ownership of the land was claimed by two companies: the Heng Yong Phak company, and a company under the ownership of Sen Sovandet.
Human rights workers in Kampot said that after 19 April, Khuoy Kim Hour, the deputy governor of the Kampot province denied the ownership of these thousands of hectares of forest land by these two companies.
Chhim Savuth, the representative of the Cambodia Center for Human Rights, said that on 20 April, a large number of villagers occupied the forest land areas. The villagers were led by Mrs. Sar Kunthea as their leader and by at least 6 other leaders.
Chhim Savuth said that the disputed area looks like an anarchic zone which cannot be governed.
Chhim Savuth said: “She claimed this morning to me personally that she is the representative of the CPP party… Since she observed that the popularity of the CPP is declining in the villages and the commune because the commune chief sold out the land, people no longer trust [the party], therefore, she gathered the people to come and occupy this land. There is no authority which dare come to this area.”
RFA could not reach the authority to obtain their comment on Saturday.
For additional information regarding poverty in Prey Peay village, click here to read past article.
Say Sopheap said that the representative name is Sar Kunthea.
Say Sopheap said: “Looking at the situation, it was very dangerous because the knives, the axes, the machetes were surrounding us, and the bridge was cut off. Some of our other people … they saw the situation and they heard that they (the villagers) were told to go find fire wood to pile on the car to burn it down. There, our group thought that we fell into their trap because the military policemen were not armed at all. Then the person who cut off the bridge went to ask Sar Kunthea whether to allow us out of there or not, Sar Kunthea did allow us to go…”
The event which led the reporters to come down to Prey Peay village, Trapeang Phlaing commune, Chhouk district, Kampot province, is related to the clearing of 4,000 hectares of forest land. The ownership of the land was claimed by two companies: the Heng Yong Phak company, and a company under the ownership of Sen Sovandet.
Human rights workers in Kampot said that after 19 April, Khuoy Kim Hour, the deputy governor of the Kampot province denied the ownership of these thousands of hectares of forest land by these two companies.
Chhim Savuth, the representative of the Cambodia Center for Human Rights, said that on 20 April, a large number of villagers occupied the forest land areas. The villagers were led by Mrs. Sar Kunthea as their leader and by at least 6 other leaders.
Chhim Savuth said that the disputed area looks like an anarchic zone which cannot be governed.
Chhim Savuth said: “She claimed this morning to me personally that she is the representative of the CPP party… Since she observed that the popularity of the CPP is declining in the villages and the commune because the commune chief sold out the land, people no longer trust [the party], therefore, she gathered the people to come and occupy this land. There is no authority which dare come to this area.”
RFA could not reach the authority to obtain their comment on Saturday.
For additional information regarding poverty in Prey Peay village, click here to read past article.
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