Authorities confiscate SRP MP Son Chhay’s land

SRP MP Son Chhay

Military police cordoned off the area to protect the officials who came to confiscate SRP MP Son Chay’s land in Siem Reap city on 01 April 2010 (Photo: Hang Savyouth, RFA)

01 April 2010
By Hang Savyouth Radio Free Asia Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy Click here to read the article in Khmer

The joint authority forces came to confiscate the 3-hectare land belonging to SRP MP Son Chhay in Siem Reap province, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

On Thursday morning, a joint authority force, including military cops, regular cops and more than 100 demolition workers, came to put into application the order issued by the Supreme Court. They dismantled 3 huts belonging to people guarding the land and they also confiscated a 3-hectare plot located inside the Apsara authority zone, located in Slor Kram commune, Siem Reap city. The land belongs to SRP MP Son Chhay.

Mr. Son Chhay, who was not present at the incident location, said on Thursday afternoon that he opposes the court decision to confiscate his land. He claimed that this confiscation is not done to serve the public interest, but to lease the land to a private company to build a hotel instead. He also indicated that there is no law that allows the authority to confiscate people’s land to lease to private business interests.

Son Chhay said: “This is a robbery through the use of the court system. They confiscate the land in violation of the land law, they used armed forces [for the confiscation]. This is a savage act that is contrary to the stipulations of the law. This is not affecting just me, but even people who own small plots of land fall victim to so many of such cases.”

Sok Keo Bandit, the deputy prosecutor of the Siem Reap provincial court, said that the 3-hectare plot of land belonging to Son Chhay was confiscated and considered as public property owned by the state and it will be handed over the Apsara authority to manage.

Sok Keo Bandit claimed: “The application of the sentence this morning is based on the Supreme Court’s order. The latter decided to [revoke] H.E. Son Chhay’s occupation rights and turn it into a state public property, i.e., it will be placed under the management of the Apsara authority.”

Pal Chandara, the government lawyer involved in this case, refused to comment on the court decision, however, he claimed that he found out the Mr. Son Chhay does not have sufficient documents to claim the ownership of this land.

Pal Chandara said: “Whether it’s right or wrong, it all depends on the Supreme Court’s decisions. However, to me, H.E. Son Chhay does not have any document. In the past, H.E. Son Chhay told a number of radio stations and news media, that he has the private right or an ownership title, or that his [ownership] was recognized by the ministry of Finance, the Apsara authority, of the commune or district chiefs. This, he is lying, he does not have them, he only has a letter asking to occupy the land.”

Son Chhay said that he purchased the 3-hectare land in 1995, but that now there is a dispute with the Apsara authority. In the past, government officials used to offer to pay him $0.50 per square-meter, including the price of trees, i.e., he could have received $19,000, but he refused to accept the offer.

Son Chhay said that he does not accept the Supreme Court’s decision, and that he is consulting with national and international lawyers to find a way to continue his protest.