By Kuch Naren
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Ten villagers in Kampot province confronted a small force of police officers trying to enforce a Supreme Court ruling Thursday that gives land claimed by the villagers to a Phnom Penh judge.
Police attempted to clear the villagers' huts from the disputed land in Chhuk district based on the court ruling, which states the land belongs to municipal court judge Kong Set, villager representative Moeung Vanna said. "There was a short standoff but it did not turn violent because we showed police our legal land titles and then they did nothing," she said.
Kong Set said he started purchasing the 38-meter-by-55-meter plot of land in Sathphoang commune in 2001 for $250,000 from Kampot resident Nuon Sovan. He claimed that he made the last $27,500 payment Thursday and that the land now belonged to him.
The villagers claimed the land in Sathphoang village became their property after its owner, Nuon Sovan, failed to repay them a debt for which he had given the property as collateral.
Neither Moeung Vanna nor villager Hap Pros, 38, would say how much money Nuon Sovan had borrowed from them.
Moeung Vanna said the provincial land management department granted the families' titles to several 4-meter-by-19-meter plots within the larger plot in April at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Pang Bunroth, director of the department could not be contacted to confirm the claims.
"Samdech Hun Sen has already issued another intervention letter not to recognize those land titles," Kong Set said.
As for the standoff, he said: "We’ll implement the Supreme Court's ruling some other day."
Keo Chamroeun, a lawyer for Nuon Sovan, confirmed that his client sold the land to Kong Set but said he is now trying to get it back. He declined further comment.
District governor Ngan Seth said police and court officials were unable to carry out the order because the case was so confusing.
Chhim Savuth, a monitor for the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said police had been armed but had not intimidated villagers.
Police attempted to clear the villagers' huts from the disputed land in Chhuk district based on the court ruling, which states the land belongs to municipal court judge Kong Set, villager representative Moeung Vanna said. "There was a short standoff but it did not turn violent because we showed police our legal land titles and then they did nothing," she said.
Kong Set said he started purchasing the 38-meter-by-55-meter plot of land in Sathphoang commune in 2001 for $250,000 from Kampot resident Nuon Sovan. He claimed that he made the last $27,500 payment Thursday and that the land now belonged to him.
The villagers claimed the land in Sathphoang village became their property after its owner, Nuon Sovan, failed to repay them a debt for which he had given the property as collateral.
Neither Moeung Vanna nor villager Hap Pros, 38, would say how much money Nuon Sovan had borrowed from them.
Moeung Vanna said the provincial land management department granted the families' titles to several 4-meter-by-19-meter plots within the larger plot in April at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Pang Bunroth, director of the department could not be contacted to confirm the claims.
"Samdech Hun Sen has already issued another intervention letter not to recognize those land titles," Kong Set said.
As for the standoff, he said: "We’ll implement the Supreme Court's ruling some other day."
Keo Chamroeun, a lawyer for Nuon Sovan, confirmed that his client sold the land to Kong Set but said he is now trying to get it back. He declined further comment.
District governor Ngan Seth said police and court officials were unable to carry out the order because the case was so confusing.
Chhim Savuth, a monitor for the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said police had been armed but had not intimidated villagers.
1 comment:
Oh!Hun Sen law by mouth is a mess up laws!
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