By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read Cambodge Soir’s original article in French
One SRP MP and one Funcinpec MP are fighting along with the villagers of Kandal against a Chinese company accused of grabbing the villagers’ lands. The villagers are rejoicing to see 2 MPs helping them while setting aside their political difference.
The Funcinpec and SRP MPs found themselves on the same side in the case of a land dispute. Following Khieu San of the Funcinpec party, it is now the turn of opposition MP Yim Sovann to come to the help of more than 500 families who are fighting against the Chinese company Sing Dai, in two districts of Kandal (Lvea Em and Khsach). The villagers accuse this company of clearing their rice fields on over 2,000-hectare of land which the villagers claim they inherited from their ancestors.
“If the company does not stop its activities, and they don’t allow us to plant the next crop, we will have nothing!” Nov Chhoun, a representative of the villagers, said with alarm. A few days earlier, the Chinese company dug a canal to surround the disputed land, and, according to villagers, the company also threatens to destroy the irrigation system of the villagers’ lands. The intervention by the MPs was welcomed by the protesters who so far avoided holding a demonstration, as they prefer an amicable resolution. “We hope that our MPs, regardless of their political affiliations, will be able to help us because they all are our representatives,” Nov Chhoun pleaded.
Khieu San could not be reached yesterday, as for Yim Sovann, he said that he was working with his assistants in the writing of a letter to the government requesting a stop on the Chinese company’s activities in order to allow the villagers to continue their farming as soon as possible. According to the villagers, Sing Dai assured them that it obtained the green light from the authorities to develop this zone. “They (Chinese company) claim that these lands were free but in fact, these villagers were farming them since 1979,” Yim Sovann said. The governors of the 2 districts involved said that they were following the order issued by the Council of ministers, and they decline to talk further on this issue.
The Funcinpec and SRP MPs found themselves on the same side in the case of a land dispute. Following Khieu San of the Funcinpec party, it is now the turn of opposition MP Yim Sovann to come to the help of more than 500 families who are fighting against the Chinese company Sing Dai, in two districts of Kandal (Lvea Em and Khsach). The villagers accuse this company of clearing their rice fields on over 2,000-hectare of land which the villagers claim they inherited from their ancestors.
“If the company does not stop its activities, and they don’t allow us to plant the next crop, we will have nothing!” Nov Chhoun, a representative of the villagers, said with alarm. A few days earlier, the Chinese company dug a canal to surround the disputed land, and, according to villagers, the company also threatens to destroy the irrigation system of the villagers’ lands. The intervention by the MPs was welcomed by the protesters who so far avoided holding a demonstration, as they prefer an amicable resolution. “We hope that our MPs, regardless of their political affiliations, will be able to help us because they all are our representatives,” Nov Chhoun pleaded.
Khieu San could not be reached yesterday, as for Yim Sovann, he said that he was working with his assistants in the writing of a letter to the government requesting a stop on the Chinese company’s activities in order to allow the villagers to continue their farming as soon as possible. According to the villagers, Sing Dai assured them that it obtained the green light from the authorities to develop this zone. “They (Chinese company) claim that these lands were free but in fact, these villagers were farming them since 1979,” Yim Sovann said. The governors of the 2 districts involved said that they were following the order issued by the Council of ministers, and they decline to talk further on this issue.
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