By Pin Sisovann
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The collection of 146 families in Phnom Penh's Tonle Bassac commune known as Group 78 and representatives from the Community Legal Education Center announced Thursday that the villagers meet all the qualifications needed to legally own their land and cannot be evicted. At a news conference Thursday, CLEC attorney Seng Sokhim said that the villagers, who face possible eviction by the municipality, have all lived on the site for over 5 years and have documents to prove it. Seng Sokhim maintained that if the government does need the land then villagers must be paid the correct price, which he claimed had been independently determined to be $550 per square meter. Group 78 representative Say Sophal said the villagers would vacate only if offered the correct financial compensation to do so. Say Sophal also said that he would prefer to go to jail rather than to the proposed relocation site because at least the prison was closer. Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Kep Chuktema declined to comment.
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