Villagers Who Participated in CCHR Public Forum Summonsed by Bursra Commune Chief

Cambodian Center for Human Rights

MEDIA ALERT – PHNOM PENH, 3 MARCH 2010

VILLAGERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN CCHR PUBLIC FORUM SUMMONSED BY BURSRA COMMUNE CHIEF

Nine villagers from Pichsreada District, Bursra Commune, Mondulkiri Province who recently participated in a Public Forum conducted by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) have been summonsed by the Bursra Commune Chief to discuss the ongoing land conflict in the area between the indigenous Pnong Community and two private companies - Sofin KCD and Dak Lak - at 8:30 am, 4 March 2010. The CCHR would like to express our support for this meeting to the extent to that it has been scheduled to reach a fair resolution to the ongoing conflict.

The land conflict concerns an area of land which was the subject of separate economic land concessions from the Royal Government of Cambodia to two companies - Sofin KCD and Dak Lak. The two companies have since started developing the respective areas of land which are to be converted into rubber plantations. In total, six Pnong villages in Pichsreada District will be affected by these planned developments.

On 25 February 2010, the CCHR conducted a Public Forum to provide the individuals affected by the dispute the opportunity to raise their concerns to their elected representatives and to representatives of the companies involved in the dispute. The Forum was conducted pursuant to Articles 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia which provide for the right of Khmer citizens to participate actively in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the nation and the right to freedom of expression respectively. 300 people participated in the Forum, eight of whom raised concerns and asked questions relating to the ongoing dispute. The nine individuals who have been summonsed by the Commune Chief include the eight villagers who raised concerns and the villager who acted as Pnong-Khmer translator at the Forum.

The CCHR would like to remind the Commune Authorities of Bursra of the constitutional right of Khmer citizens to participate actively in political, economic, social and cultural life of the nation and their constitutional right to freedom of expression. The CCHR supports efforts on the part of the national, provincial and local authorities to secure a fair resolution to this conflict which respects the human rights of the affected villagers and hopes that the discussions between the villagers and the Commune Chief have been arranged to this end.

For information contact:

Chhim Savuth
Project Coordinator, CCHR
Tel: +588 89 98 58
email: savuth@cchrcambodia.org

Suon Bunthoeun
Legal Officer, CCHR
Tel: +588 48 35 46
email: bunthoeun@cchrcambodia.org