SRP MPs stand in line to defend Dey Kraham villagers from being evicted (Photo: SRP)In Land Grabs, Political Opportunity
By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
09 April 2008
"Wealthy people and high-ranking officers dare not grab anyone's land for fear of losing their reputation and government jobs" -sic!- - Chum Bun Rong, spokesman for the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes and advisor to the Council of Ministers[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the second in a two-part series examining land grabs in Cambodia.]
Anyone who has lost land knows what kind of sorrow high land prices can bring. With land thefts continuing, political parties are hoping they can convince people that they understand.
The issue is complex, though, and not every party has a solution, even if they do plan to make land thefts a top issue in this year's general election.
"We must raise [measures to solve the land dispute] because many people are also of the Cambodian People's Party," said Chiem Yeap, a CPP lawmaker. "We want them to know about the activities and measures of the government, especially Samdech Prime Minister and the National Land Dispute Authority."
The issue was complicated and aroused a lot of emotion, he said, claiming that the CPP would continue to seek measures to help at the local level as a way to earn votes in July.
The land issue is in main principle for Funcinpec, said lawmaker Monh Saphan.
"First we should let [people] know that [land disputes] is an important issue," he said. "We will check: how much land concession remains, and how much land is kept for investment, and if no activity remains. We will review all."
Monh Saphan said he himself would work the issue because it affected voters in his area of Kampong Cham province.
Opposition lawmaker Ho Vann said he had visited some provinces, such as Kampong Chhnang and Batteay Meanchey and Phnom Penh, and the cases of land grabbing were serious.
"Regarding our policy for the electoral campaign, we will resolve land disputes for the people fairly," he said. "If the land of the people is given to the people, and the land of company is given to the company, and if a company wants to buy land from the people, it must offer the people the fair and acceptable price."
Muth Chantha, spokesman for the Norodom Ranariddh Party, which took the third-highest number of seats in the 2007 commune elections, said land disputes were the top priority for the party.
The party hoped to initiate a system of ownership certificates it would distribute in hopes of preventing land grabs, he said.
"We would also take measures to confiscate state lands that have been illegally occupied by businessmen, 'Okhnas' or high-ranking officers," he added.
Chum Bun Rong, spokesman for the Land Dispute Authority and advisor to the Council of Ministers, said wealthy people and high-ranking officers dare not grab anyone's land for fear of losing their reputation and government jobs.
Many people have grabbed the land of the investors, he added.
"We must help [the investors] because they possess the lands legally and develop our country," he said.
The government is working to take care of the landless, he said, and is prepared to give up state land to some, though he did not elaborate.
Land thefts are not the only issue to gain votes, said Kim Chhorn, Comfrel's senior program coordinator.
Comfrel reported recently that SRP lawmakers stepped in to resolve constituent issues 38 times between October 2006 and September 2007. CPP lawmakers stepped in 15 times, and Funcinpec parliamentarians twice.
12 comments:
Yes, and SRP had cost thousands of jobs losses, and CPP gaining hundreds of thousands of jobs for Khmers people and relieve hundreds thousands of them from hardship. Thus, the winner of the coming election is clearly CPP.
4:23 AM bullshit CPP.....
CPP = Cunt and Pussy Party
yeah whatever you guys said ... demonstration and protestation are going to hurting the country economic. One day when all the garment companies will be angry and leave the country what will happen to the worker ?? We are already lucky that they came to our country to make moire jobs for our people, what more do we want ? ... Just think what will be the consequences of this ....
they can't not leave the country..otherwise they will be poor.
And how to you plan to beat cunt and pussy in the election, 5:52? Just give it up, buddy, and we'll make it quick and painless for you, alright?
WHAT WE CAN DO TO YOUR COUNTRY .EVERY THING PRICE UP AND 45 % POOR KHMER PEOPLE IN NEXT 5 MONTHS WILL BE SUFFER NO FOOD TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN .AND THAT TIME COMING IT WILL BE THE KILLING FIELD .HUN SEN WILL BE USE YUON POLICE OR USE PHNALOR OR THE SAME ANGKAR /FROM AH HO CHIN MIC 'S HIS TEACHER.
oh cuz they can leave the country ... they can go to china, Vietnam or Laos where it is more practical for them to do business...
If CPP win the next election, it will be the damn Youns who vote for their dog because Hun Xen is the only dog that never bites the hand that feeds him. A despicable ruler like that does not deserve honor and respect. And whoever advocates such a vulgar, ill-bred man is worse than a dog. He can be Hun Xen's dog barking to defend its doggy master.
Here are a band of the incapable and the profiteers of the people misfortune's .
i'm waiting and hoping for the day all cambodian citizens (leaders from all political parties alike) to stand side-by-side just like the above picture. must we forget that we are all khmer people?
That picture certainly looks like a good shooting target practice.
I see your mother in the picture too!
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