Telecom Minister So Khun involved in land dispute which villagers claim they have occupied since the early 1980s

So Khun, Minister of Post and Telecommunications. He is also part of the Social Morality, Women's Values and Khmer Families Committee presided by Hun Sen's wife Bun Rany.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
14 On the Run After Land Dispute Violence Conviction

By Pin Sisovann THE CAMBODIA DAILY

Fourteen men living in Phnom Penh's Meanchey district are on the run from the police after being convicted in absentia of violent attacks related to a longstanding land dispute, villagers said Monday. Representatives of the residents of Preah Ponlea village in Prek Pra commune said that police arrested three men from the village Nov 20 without producing a warrant. The three detained men and the 14 on the run were recently convicted and sentenced to prison terms of between 18 months to two and a half years, villagers said. "They framed us with charges of violence and destruction of property," said Ou Chan Theary, whose husband was among the three arrested. She claimed that the charges of violence related to the land dispute were fabricated to get around Prime Minister Hun Sen's prohibition on jailing land dispute protestors. In September, the Supreme Court ruled that the villagers' land rightfully belonged to five government officials, including Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun, Chiv Keng, director of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, declined to comment because it was a holiday Monday. So Khun could not be reached for comment Prek Pra commune chief Chuop Sitha said that the villagers had illegally occupied the land in 2001 and 2002. He said that during an attempt by police to clear the land in 2002, the villagers responded violently and injured three policemen. Villagers claim they have occupied the land since the early 1980s and deny any acts of violence.