Opposition party asks for an end to a plan to replace commune chief

22 November 2007
By Pov Ponlok
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On Wednesday, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) issued a declaration calling on the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to stop the plan to replace Om Sun Yin, the SRP Pate commune chief, located in O’Yadaw commune, Ratanakiri province. The SRP insists that the MoI intervenes with the provincial tribunal to put to an end the charge leveled against Om Sun Yin, and his arrest.

In its declaration, the SRP indicated that since his victory at the 2nd mandate commune election, Om Sun Yin could not fulfill his duty as commune chief because the authority charged him and wanted to arrest him for political reasons.

The SRP declaration did not indicate the political reason for which the authority wants to arrest Om Sun Yin, however he was arrested since 04 October 2007.

Land dispute in Pate commune, Ratanakiri province

29 July 2007
By Ratha Visal
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On Friday 27 July 2007, Kong Yu villagers, in Pate commune, Ratanakiri province, rejected the report claiming that about 30 villagers recognized they indeed sold their lands and agreed to stop suing Keat Kolney – wife of Chhan Sophan, the secretary of state at the ministry of land management, urban planning and construction (and also the sister of Keat Chhon) – regarding a 500-hectare land dispute.

48-year-old Romas Tin confirmed that this was not the real intention of the villagers: “They don’t want to accept it (helping lie for Keat Kolney), but they were scared of the former village chief who threatened them.”

35-year-old Romam Mum, confirmed also that villagers lack understanding and they feared for their personal safety, that was why they forced themselves to provide their thumbprints on the declaration (helping Keat Kolney exculpate herself) presented to them by the former village chief.

Romam Mum said: “The former village chief summoned us to the hotel, they paid for the food and drink, they paid for the transportation, they paid us when we came back home 50,000 riels ($12.50). During the court session, the former village chief said to fight it.”

Puy Svanh, the former village chief, rejected the accusation made by the villagers against him: “Who forced them? Saying that I forced them? They just say whatever they want.”

Last week, Mey Sokhorn, the prosecutor of the provincial court, summoned about 30 villagers to come and clarify the 500-hectare land dispute between the villagers and Keat Kolney.

Nevertheless, Chhay Vibol, Keat Kolney’s lawyer said: “Whatever they said, it depends on the court clerk, I don’t know anything. We help them some for their trip to come here.”

Miss Ith Mathura, a lawyer for the Community Legal Education Center who is defending the ethnic minority villagers, said that she was looking for additional proofs to confirm the rejection of the report on the villagers.

Ith Mathura said: “Puy Svanh, the former village chief, forced them (villagers) to repeat what he told them, if they refused to repeat they were not allowed to come back home, and they would be sent to jail, they were threatened to repeat after him.”

Miss Sev Khem, a representative of the Kong Yu villagers, said that the villagers continue to make their claims and their lawsuit against Keat Kolney to reclaim back the community lands which were used by the villagers for ethnic traditions.

In January 2007, 12 representatives of the Kong Yu and Kong Thom villages provided thumbprints on two lawsuits rejecting the transfer of ownership on 500-hectare of lands between villagers and Keat Kolney which was concluded by the commune and village authorities. The 12 accused Keat Kolney of colluding to falsify documents tricking the villagers in a corruption scheme to occupy community lands and turning them into a rubber plantation.