14 August 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
About 100 villagers from Kauk Run village, Sorsor Sdam commune, Puok district, Siem Reap province, clashed with a group of cops blocking their road on Tuesday 14 August, in order to prevent the villagers from traveling to the provincial city to protest about their land dispute.
A large group of villagers decided to abandon their tractors, and continue their travel by foot. The villagers said that at least 4 villagers were slightly injured during the clash with the cops, but that they are determined to reach the provincial city to meet government officials and Members of Parliament to seek their help in the release of 2 villagers arrested by the court, and also to seek a resolution in a land dispute involving 4.5-hectare of land which they accused the village chief and 8 village group leaders of grabbing and turning it into their private properties.
The group of villagers said: “The cops beat me up and I fell down on my face. We come here to find people to get justice for us in this land problem. This common plot of land belongs to all the villagers in the Kauk Run village, to turn the land into private properties of 7 people is not fair, we do not agree with it.”
On Tuesday morning, the villagers have gathered in front of the liaison office of the National Assembly and the Senate, and they moved on to the Siem Reap provincial court to demand the release of the 2 villagers arrested.
Bun Tharith, the cabinet chief of the the Siem Reap provincial office, said that his office sent an urgent letter, today, to the Siem Reap court, asking it to revisit the release of the 2 villagers. Regarding the land dispute issue, the provincial office will set up a committee to look into this matter.
Bun Tharith said: “We ask that they (2 villagers arrested) are released out of jail today, but this is the court’s prerogative. Regarding this plot of land, we will continue to look into it, and we will find a reasonable resolution because, in the past, the Ministry of Interior issued a directive to that effect.”
Vong Kosal, an investigator for the Licadho human rights organization, who is following this case, said that the jailing of the 2 villagers was done because of the land dispute, and the court decided to jail the pair for criminal destruction of someone else’s properties, but he also said that the court decision was taken in very big rush. Therefore, the case should be revisited again.
On 09 August, two villagers were arrested and accused of destroying other people’s properties, following a violent dispute between about 100 people and the village chief and the village group leaders.
According to documents obtained, the dispute on the 4.5-hectare of land started since 2004. Back then, the villagers have accused the village chief and the village group leaders of appropriating for themselves common land belonging to the village. On 26 March, the Ministry of Interior issued a decision to surrender the land to the village chief and some other 8 village group leaders, the decision was based on the fact that the land-grabbers have occupied this plot of land for several years now.
A large group of villagers decided to abandon their tractors, and continue their travel by foot. The villagers said that at least 4 villagers were slightly injured during the clash with the cops, but that they are determined to reach the provincial city to meet government officials and Members of Parliament to seek their help in the release of 2 villagers arrested by the court, and also to seek a resolution in a land dispute involving 4.5-hectare of land which they accused the village chief and 8 village group leaders of grabbing and turning it into their private properties.
The group of villagers said: “The cops beat me up and I fell down on my face. We come here to find people to get justice for us in this land problem. This common plot of land belongs to all the villagers in the Kauk Run village, to turn the land into private properties of 7 people is not fair, we do not agree with it.”
On Tuesday morning, the villagers have gathered in front of the liaison office of the National Assembly and the Senate, and they moved on to the Siem Reap provincial court to demand the release of the 2 villagers arrested.
Bun Tharith, the cabinet chief of the the Siem Reap provincial office, said that his office sent an urgent letter, today, to the Siem Reap court, asking it to revisit the release of the 2 villagers. Regarding the land dispute issue, the provincial office will set up a committee to look into this matter.
Bun Tharith said: “We ask that they (2 villagers arrested) are released out of jail today, but this is the court’s prerogative. Regarding this plot of land, we will continue to look into it, and we will find a reasonable resolution because, in the past, the Ministry of Interior issued a directive to that effect.”
Vong Kosal, an investigator for the Licadho human rights organization, who is following this case, said that the jailing of the 2 villagers was done because of the land dispute, and the court decided to jail the pair for criminal destruction of someone else’s properties, but he also said that the court decision was taken in very big rush. Therefore, the case should be revisited again.
On 09 August, two villagers were arrested and accused of destroying other people’s properties, following a violent dispute between about 100 people and the village chief and the village group leaders.
According to documents obtained, the dispute on the 4.5-hectare of land started since 2004. Back then, the villagers have accused the village chief and the village group leaders of appropriating for themselves common land belonging to the village. On 26 March, the Ministry of Interior issued a decision to surrender the land to the village chief and some other 8 village group leaders, the decision was based on the fact that the land-grabbers have occupied this plot of land for several years now.
3 comments:
How can the people trust the cops and military when they do stupid shid like this? I mean why would cops do such thing as blocking them from traveling? Isn't our country free? This type of action only make the people mad and not trust the gov't.
Who trusted me, YOU?
Even my wife and chidren do not trust me!
Hun Xen.
Come on 12:37AM,
Imposter! Hun Sen cannot read/write English. Stop your idiosyncracy man.
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