By Kuch Naren
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Angry villagers in Kampot province pulled down a CPP sign Wednesday night, claiming that aid from the Cambodian Red Cross has been unfairly distributed to flood victims by pro-CPP village and commune chiefs, villagers and rights workers claimed Monday.
Local officials, however, denied that villagers were angry with Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party and said that the wooden sign in Kompong Bay district had in fact collapsed due to bad weather and old age.
Chhim Savuth, monitor for the Cambodian Center for Human Rights in Kampot, said the villagers tore down the sign in Troeuy Koh commune's Boeng Trapream village because they were angry with local officials who favored villagers loyal to the CPP when it comes to handing out rice donations.
"Villagers are angry with commune and village chiefs who discriminate in distributing flood aid," he said. "It was not destroyed by storm or floods."
Pao Sim, the CPPs Troeuy Koh commune chief, said the sign has been reinstalled and denied it was toppled. "No one took down the CPP sign...the distribution of Red Cross aid was made with transparency for flood victims. No one is angry with us," he said.
Pao Sun said 200 families in his commune have already received aid, while 200 more are still waiting for help after severe flooding damaged and destroyed homes in the area earlier this month.
Katt Chuon, 45, a Troeuy Koh villager, said she did not condone the sign being pulled down, but claimed commune and village chiefs have prioritized recipients of aid based on party affiliation rather than need.
"Villagers are not angry with the Red Cross. But the majority of us feel unhappy with the CPP’s village and commune chiefs who did not list the [neediest] families to receive aid," she said.
Uk Lay, branch chief at the Cambodian Red Cross in Kampot, said the CPP’s sign was blown over by strong winds. He added that the Red Cross is working hard to obtain more aid to distribute to villagers.
Local officials, however, denied that villagers were angry with Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party and said that the wooden sign in Kompong Bay district had in fact collapsed due to bad weather and old age.
Chhim Savuth, monitor for the Cambodian Center for Human Rights in Kampot, said the villagers tore down the sign in Troeuy Koh commune's Boeng Trapream village because they were angry with local officials who favored villagers loyal to the CPP when it comes to handing out rice donations.
"Villagers are angry with commune and village chiefs who discriminate in distributing flood aid," he said. "It was not destroyed by storm or floods."
Pao Sim, the CPPs Troeuy Koh commune chief, said the sign has been reinstalled and denied it was toppled. "No one took down the CPP sign...the distribution of Red Cross aid was made with transparency for flood victims. No one is angry with us," he said.
Pao Sun said 200 families in his commune have already received aid, while 200 more are still waiting for help after severe flooding damaged and destroyed homes in the area earlier this month.
Katt Chuon, 45, a Troeuy Koh villager, said she did not condone the sign being pulled down, but claimed commune and village chiefs have prioritized recipients of aid based on party affiliation rather than need.
"Villagers are not angry with the Red Cross. But the majority of us feel unhappy with the CPP’s village and commune chiefs who did not list the [neediest] families to receive aid," she said.
Uk Lay, branch chief at the Cambodian Red Cross in Kampot, said the CPP’s sign was blown over by strong winds. He added that the Red Cross is working hard to obtain more aid to distribute to villagers.
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