Koh Kong villagers (L) who came to demonstrate in Phnom Penh about the lands they lost to CPP Tycoon-Senator Ly Yong Phat (R), are settling themselves in front of the National Assembly to have their case heard and resolved. (Photo: Sralanh Khmer Newspaper)Thursday, March 08, 2007
Koh Kong Families are demonstrating
By Kang Kallyan
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
They took the road from Koh Kong since Monday, they are men, women, children, and old people who have walked from their far away southwestern province. They completed their journey by bus to arrive in Phnom Penh on Tuesday evening. Since then, they have been demonstrating in front of the National Assembly, holding pictures of the prime minister and that of his wife. They protest against the expropriation of their lands, and the absence of reaction from the local authorities in spite of negotiations which were held for several months.
Their object of their grievances is a contract concluded last summer between the Ministry of Agriculture and two private companies for a 90-year land concession. The concession was destined for a sugar cane plantation covering an area of 20,000 hectares, 9,700 of which belong to farmers in three villages: Chi Khor, Chhouk, and Trapeang Kondor, all in Sre Ambel district.
41-year-old Lach Hour lost all her farmlands. “We are no longer eating our fill anymore. The company took away the 8-hectare of land I owned, and they finished clearing half of it already,” the mother of 7 explained. She added that no compensation was given to her for her lands. Lean Muy lost her small 35-square-meter plot where she grew cashew nut. “I lost everything,” the old woman said in tears.
It is not because the farmers did not ask for intervention from the authorities, in fact the villagers brought three complaints against the two companies belonging to CPP Tycoon-Senator Ly Yong Phat. Later on the companies proposed to some villagers a compensation of between 150,000 and 200,000 riels ($38 to $50) per hectare. The two parties did not come up to an agreement, the villagers who lost their lands would like to be compensated in land [exchange] rather than money. Faced with the quagmire of the conflict, the villagers are now appealing to the prime minister. “We will not leave as long as our problems are not resolved,” one of the representative of the villagers declared. “Now that we are here, we are not moving.”
Their object of their grievances is a contract concluded last summer between the Ministry of Agriculture and two private companies for a 90-year land concession. The concession was destined for a sugar cane plantation covering an area of 20,000 hectares, 9,700 of which belong to farmers in three villages: Chi Khor, Chhouk, and Trapeang Kondor, all in Sre Ambel district.
41-year-old Lach Hour lost all her farmlands. “We are no longer eating our fill anymore. The company took away the 8-hectare of land I owned, and they finished clearing half of it already,” the mother of 7 explained. She added that no compensation was given to her for her lands. Lean Muy lost her small 35-square-meter plot where she grew cashew nut. “I lost everything,” the old woman said in tears.
It is not because the farmers did not ask for intervention from the authorities, in fact the villagers brought three complaints against the two companies belonging to CPP Tycoon-Senator Ly Yong Phat. Later on the companies proposed to some villagers a compensation of between 150,000 and 200,000 riels ($38 to $50) per hectare. The two parties did not come up to an agreement, the villagers who lost their lands would like to be compensated in land [exchange] rather than money. Faced with the quagmire of the conflict, the villagers are now appealing to the prime minister. “We will not leave as long as our problems are not resolved,” one of the representative of the villagers declared. “Now that we are here, we are not moving.”
8 comments:
This animal is one of the most criminals on earth. He must be the one who have brought all the drugs trafficking into Cambodia with Tea Win (Tea Banh'brother).
Noy Only him (tycoon Ly Yong Phat but more others..who grabbed land from people...Mong Rithy..other high Ranking official, some grabbed legally, because legal system in cambodia can be produced artificially such as deed Title were produced by payment(USD).. Yeay Phu, Yeay Phan, are samples..
Samdach Hun Sen Pls do your Task..
Not just talk Prior to Election Coampaign....
Eh 8:02Am. Hun Sen has tried but he cannot do it. The mafia in Cambodia is becoming too powerful, Hun Sen needs all miracles to stand up agaisnt those most powerful guys. They will kill him and kill all his whole family.
Those powerful guys put him in power, paid for coup d'etat etc.. so Hun Sen cannot go against them. Only the people power can.
"Ly Yong Phat"? The Chinese are on their way....
moi28 Yes those thugs put him in power to serve them. Ah Khvak himself and his relatives benefit from this corrupted power as well. You cannot blame those thugs totally without taking any responsibility. This is rediculous. You are no leader if you cannot lead. Yes he might be killed for trying to get rid of those thugs, but which is better to have one person killed or the hundred innocent victim die of suffering? I believe if he die because he try to protect the peole he is a hero. However if he uses his power for his own ineterest or the interest of his relatives or friends then he is a trator. I do not believe Ah Sen has the gut to serve Khmer but to serve his Boss in Hanoi.
People power? Forget it at the present time. In fake-democratic Cambodia, Khmers need to ask for permission to demonstrate. The thugs won't grant them the permission. Peole will need to ultimately sacrifice their lives at the end. Yes Eventually the people will win. It does not matter who is in power, Cambodia belongs to Khmer. Long Live Khmer.
HUN SEN HERE THE LAND GRABBER IS RIGHT THERE BEFORE YOU. SHOW HOW STRONG YOU ARE FOR YOUR WAR AGAINST LAND GRABBER.IF NOT YOU ARE JUST A BARKING DOG FOR LIFE.
NOT ONLY CPP_ BUT WE TOO if WE HAVE OPPOTUNITY/IF WE ARE POWEFULL- POWER IN HANDS - NRP member- Former FUNCINPEC Member)
Please keep it confidential - do not allow people to hear.. .."grab the land from the poor, NOT only Powerfull CPP high rank members, BUT We Funcinpec/and or NRP members while we gain power as of past experience(1992-97) we were strong too so we grabbed, ...
We try our best to do political Business some of us from abroad inwhich is difficult for us to earn money we came here/Cambodia to earn money from politics business as some of us are royal family we must be richer.. we are impossible to drive taxi and or cyclo like ordinary citizen, we always in politics, to do politics to earn money while becoming high Rank official=being Rich we gain also ladies(whores)in oversea it is more difficult to find lady ..here easier we just spend some USD...
SO THAT IF WE GAIN POWER WE WILL GRAB LAND TOO by peaceful/or violent ways but planned to be more peaceful than CCP does and has done now... and we will get too many ladies... including daughters or wives of our paty members/ subordiates we try to do the same as OUR BOSS PREAH ANG MCHAS RANARITH.. as much as poosible or if possible...
We try our best to return to Cambodia OR some of us (Local Cambodian) try to run from one party to another/ try to pay more money for Post/position from Office Chief to Ministers and higher we sold our property to collect money to spent to our Bosss(Prah Ang Mchas...and others)we sacrifice OUR YOUNG DAUGTER For Preah Ang.. We sacrificed our Beloved Wife for Preah Ang Mchas to enjoy with them..SO WHILE GAINING POWER LIKE PM HUN SEN & HIS PARTY MEMBERS WE will DO THE SAME THING THIS IS OUR MAIN GOAL..
"NOT ONLY CPP BUT WE NRP/Funcinpec TOO- IF OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE "
From ACHA KNOY- Norodom Ranarith Party Member/Former FUNCINPEC MEMBER/OR member of Party from which I can gain money/position/ and or Future CPP member if CPP accept and OR PREVIOUS CPP Member but was ousted / and or I Applied Form to be member of CPP But no acceptance)
Eh chheam khmer,
Not long Live Khmer if Khmers keep being too stupid.
Yuan honored the bambood and now Yuan honored the rubber plantation, whereas Khmers honored the dead women and the myth.
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