R'kiri Villagers' Fears Rise as China Firm Moves in
By Thet Sambath
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Fears are escalating among ethnic minority villagers in Ratanakkiri province that a Chinese firm is trying to take over thousands of hectares of land where they live in Kon Mom district.
Some 30 villagers visited the Trapaing Kraham commune office Tuesday after a Chinese businessman told them he has acquired 12,000 hectares in Phoum Mouy, Phoum Pee and Phoum Bey villages, villager Hoeurng Kraham said.
The businessman visited Phoum Bey last week, he said, adding that the villagers asked their commune chief to explain what was going on.
"The Chinese man told villagers that his company owns 12,000 hectares of land in this commune. He painted trees red to mark his land and said his company will plant acacia trees," Hoeurng Kraham said by telephone.
"We are surprised because this affects 5,000 to 6,000 hectares of villagers' farmland. Villagers have farmed here for decades," he said.
Commune officials asked villagers to thumbprint a complaint about the case, he said. Villagers refused, however, for fear that the complaint would be passed off as an agreement to forfeit their land.
You Kanvimean, provincial director of the Forestry Administration, identified the Chinese company as Phelen Group Co Ltd.
You Kanvimean said villagers do net need to worry about losing their land as the company has only been given 8,000 hectares and it does not overlap on villagers' land.
He added that the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Agriculture have given permission for exploration on the state-owned territory.
Some 30 villagers visited the Trapaing Kraham commune office Tuesday after a Chinese businessman told them he has acquired 12,000 hectares in Phoum Mouy, Phoum Pee and Phoum Bey villages, villager Hoeurng Kraham said.
The businessman visited Phoum Bey last week, he said, adding that the villagers asked their commune chief to explain what was going on.
"The Chinese man told villagers that his company owns 12,000 hectares of land in this commune. He painted trees red to mark his land and said his company will plant acacia trees," Hoeurng Kraham said by telephone.
"We are surprised because this affects 5,000 to 6,000 hectares of villagers' farmland. Villagers have farmed here for decades," he said.
Commune officials asked villagers to thumbprint a complaint about the case, he said. Villagers refused, however, for fear that the complaint would be passed off as an agreement to forfeit their land.
You Kanvimean, provincial director of the Forestry Administration, identified the Chinese company as Phelen Group Co Ltd.
You Kanvimean said villagers do net need to worry about losing their land as the company has only been given 8,000 hectares and it does not overlap on villagers' land.
He added that the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Agriculture have given permission for exploration on the state-owned territory.
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