Dr Kek Galabru, Licadho Human Rights NGO President (Photo: RFA)Monday, November 20, 2006
Police Block Land Demonstration in B'bang
By Thet Sambath and Erika Kinetz
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
"This is another case of restriction of freedom of expression,
freedom of movement and freedom of assembly"
—Kek Galabru, President of Licadho
Police blocked more than 200 human rights workers and villagers from holding a demonstration Sunday in front of Battambang provincial prison, where three Bavel district men are being held for their involvement in a simmering land dispute.
This is the latest incident in a complex dispute over 10,000 hectares of land around Bavel's Ampil Pram Doeum commune, which has pitted local villagers who have worked the land for years against RCAF soldiers— and possibly their unidentified business interests—and a few thousand new arrivals who are also claiming land.
About 40 policemen blockaded the road from the Battambang office of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights to the prison, CCHR Executive Director Pa Nguon Teang said.
"This is another case of restriction of freedom of expression, freedom of movement and freedom of assembly," said Kek Galabru, president of Licadho, one of 16 rights NGOs that participated in the demonstration.
"The government violated the Constitution," she said.
Battambang Governor Prach Chan said the protest was blocked for security reasons.
"We are worried about damaging security at the prison," he said. At least eight prisoners and a guard were killed at the prison in June during a bungled jail-break, which ended when police chose to use lethal force against inmates who had taken a guard hostage.
On Friday, Licadho and Adhoc representatives met with Battambang authorities to try to hammer out a solution and get the three Bavel district detainees released. Both sides said they intended to work together and further investigate the situation in the district.
The three men were arrested earlier this year for allegedly encroaching on private property in Bavel.
Sieng Suthang, a Battambang deputy governor, said truly poor and landless people in the district would be granted land, but that it is up to the court to decide the fate of the three detainees.
"They will be on trial in the near future," he said.
Prach Chan, who was at Friday's meeting, said that many newcomers have moved in to the area and settled on the land illegally.
Adhoc President Thun Saray said the issue is very complicated but that newcomers who have moved onto the land should have rights too.
"The government should provide social concessions for them," he said. "You shouldn't just throw them away."
He also said it is unclear whether the RCAF soldiers who have burned down homes and frightened villagers in the district are acting on their own behalf or for another large landowner.
This is the latest incident in a complex dispute over 10,000 hectares of land around Bavel's Ampil Pram Doeum commune, which has pitted local villagers who have worked the land for years against RCAF soldiers— and possibly their unidentified business interests—and a few thousand new arrivals who are also claiming land.
About 40 policemen blockaded the road from the Battambang office of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights to the prison, CCHR Executive Director Pa Nguon Teang said.
"This is another case of restriction of freedom of expression, freedom of movement and freedom of assembly," said Kek Galabru, president of Licadho, one of 16 rights NGOs that participated in the demonstration.
"The government violated the Constitution," she said.
Battambang Governor Prach Chan said the protest was blocked for security reasons.
"We are worried about damaging security at the prison," he said. At least eight prisoners and a guard were killed at the prison in June during a bungled jail-break, which ended when police chose to use lethal force against inmates who had taken a guard hostage.
On Friday, Licadho and Adhoc representatives met with Battambang authorities to try to hammer out a solution and get the three Bavel district detainees released. Both sides said they intended to work together and further investigate the situation in the district.
The three men were arrested earlier this year for allegedly encroaching on private property in Bavel.
Sieng Suthang, a Battambang deputy governor, said truly poor and landless people in the district would be granted land, but that it is up to the court to decide the fate of the three detainees.
"They will be on trial in the near future," he said.
Prach Chan, who was at Friday's meeting, said that many newcomers have moved in to the area and settled on the land illegally.
Adhoc President Thun Saray said the issue is very complicated but that newcomers who have moved onto the land should have rights too.
"The government should provide social concessions for them," he said. "You shouldn't just throw them away."
He also said it is unclear whether the RCAF soldiers who have burned down homes and frightened villagers in the district are acting on their own behalf or for another large landowner.
2 comments:
When did this government comply to the constitution?
Not even Sihanouk, example like go on retire and force the government to change the constitution to fit his disire, and this stupid government changed with any referendom.
The are acts of treason !!!!!!!!!
The court have decided after receiving considerable amount of $$$$$$$ donation from the land grabber....guess who will win here guys and gals!
You truely poor people of Cambodia if you remain scare AND DONT FIGHT BACK you will get NOTHING!
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