20 August 2007By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
On Sunday, 14 Cambodian families living in Ream commune, Prey Nob district, Sihanoukville, have accused a group of armed military police officers (PM) of destroying their homes and their fences. The PM accused the villagers of living on lands belonging to the Thai Bun Rong company [owned by Hun Sen’s crony Theng Bun Ma].
The disputed lands extent over an area of about 5-hectare and it is currently occupied by 14 families in Ream commune.
The villagers accused the group of 10 armed men of coming over to destroy their homes and fences on Sunday morning, and that they are currently stationing armed guards on the disputed lands.
45-year-old San Ngy who lives one the disputed lands located in Teuk Sap village among a total of 14 families, told RFA on Sunday that the 14 families lived there since 1990, they do not have any documents or land ownership titles. However, in 2004, they were told that the lands the villagers live on belong to the Thai Bun Rong company instead.
The armed PM who came to destroy the homes and fences did not produce any legal documents to show to the villagers.
41-year-old Pech Sareth, a representative of the villagers of Smach Dek village, which is part of the disputed lands, said: “Until now, when we installed fences to delimit our properties, they would come and destroy them.”
Sihanoukville PM officials could not be reached to provide their reactions about these accusations raised against them.
Ban Sarom, the deputy-governor of Prey Nob district, said: “Because today is Sunday, and we did not receive any local report yet, we did not receive the information yet.”
Chan Chamroeun, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization in Sihanoukville, indicated that he just received the information about this case. He said that the disputed lands used to be a wooded area, and that fences destruction did take place, but he said that home destructions claim is not true.
Chan Chamroeun said that both the villagers and investigators for human rights organizations were not shown any document indicating whom the lands belong to.
On 13 August 2007, another group of about 103 families from Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville, came to protest in front of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh, to demand that the prime minister and the authority involved help them in a land dispute involving 14-hectare of land confiscated by the Sihanoukville authority. These families are concerned that they will face landlessness and lack of housing.
The accusation in the destructions of fences and housings last Sunday is a new case of land dispute in Sihanoukville.
The disputed lands extent over an area of about 5-hectare and it is currently occupied by 14 families in Ream commune.
The villagers accused the group of 10 armed men of coming over to destroy their homes and fences on Sunday morning, and that they are currently stationing armed guards on the disputed lands.
45-year-old San Ngy who lives one the disputed lands located in Teuk Sap village among a total of 14 families, told RFA on Sunday that the 14 families lived there since 1990, they do not have any documents or land ownership titles. However, in 2004, they were told that the lands the villagers live on belong to the Thai Bun Rong company instead.
The armed PM who came to destroy the homes and fences did not produce any legal documents to show to the villagers.
41-year-old Pech Sareth, a representative of the villagers of Smach Dek village, which is part of the disputed lands, said: “Until now, when we installed fences to delimit our properties, they would come and destroy them.”
Sihanoukville PM officials could not be reached to provide their reactions about these accusations raised against them.
Ban Sarom, the deputy-governor of Prey Nob district, said: “Because today is Sunday, and we did not receive any local report yet, we did not receive the information yet.”
Chan Chamroeun, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization in Sihanoukville, indicated that he just received the information about this case. He said that the disputed lands used to be a wooded area, and that fences destruction did take place, but he said that home destructions claim is not true.
Chan Chamroeun said that both the villagers and investigators for human rights organizations were not shown any document indicating whom the lands belong to.
On 13 August 2007, another group of about 103 families from Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville, came to protest in front of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh, to demand that the prime minister and the authority involved help them in a land dispute involving 14-hectare of land confiscated by the Sihanoukville authority. These families are concerned that they will face landlessness and lack of housing.
The accusation in the destructions of fences and housings last Sunday is a new case of land dispute in Sihanoukville.
1 comment:
HEy Theng BunMa was Tay Houng (DEATH), Should we mention Ah TONY boss of Holiday casino! as Thaibonrong new boss?
Post a Comment