28 July 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The sister of the minister of economy and finance (Keat Chhon) was accused of bribing several dozens of villagers in Ratanakiri province to get their help in acting as her witnesses in a provincial court case involving land disputes.
The Cambodia Daily reported on Saturday that Keat Kolney, the younger sister of Keat Chhon, was subject to such accusation.
Sev Nhang, the chief of Pate commune, located in O’Yadaw district, Ratanakiri province, claimed that 39 villagers received 50,000 riels ($12.50) each from a former village chief by the name of Puch Svanh, a man who used to help Keat Kolney in her land transaction with villagers living in the region.
Sev Nhang, who is also a SRP party member, said that villagers told him that those who received the bribe were asked to write a declaration letter claiming that, in the past, the villagers did indeed accept to sell their lands to Keat Kolney. The villagers also accused Puch Svanh of telling the villagers how to answer during the clarifications they will give to the provincial court.
Sev Nhang added that, not only that, all the bribed villagers received foods from cars which distributed them when they go to court to provide their clarifications.
On 24 July, 42 villagers told the Ratanakiri provincial court that they volunteered to sell their lands without receiving any pressure from anyone.
However, these claims are contrary to the complaint brought up by another 12 villagers who sent in their lawsuit to court in January 2007. The 12 villagers said that villagers were forced to sell their lands located in Kong Yu village, and that they only agreed to sell 50-hectare of lands, because they heard that these lands will be redistributed to invalid soldiers in the name of prime minister Hun Sen.
However, Keat Kolney turned around and took these lands to plant rubber trees instead. Nevertheless, even with such accusation leveled against Keat Kolney, Prak Soeun, the provincial court clerk rejected such accusation of briberies.
An official of the Community Legal Education Center which represents a number of villagers in the land dispute, said that the provincial court should investigate this accusation of briberies because it is an illegal act.
The Cambodia Daily reported on Saturday that Keat Kolney, the younger sister of Keat Chhon, was subject to such accusation.
Sev Nhang, the chief of Pate commune, located in O’Yadaw district, Ratanakiri province, claimed that 39 villagers received 50,000 riels ($12.50) each from a former village chief by the name of Puch Svanh, a man who used to help Keat Kolney in her land transaction with villagers living in the region.
Sev Nhang, who is also a SRP party member, said that villagers told him that those who received the bribe were asked to write a declaration letter claiming that, in the past, the villagers did indeed accept to sell their lands to Keat Kolney. The villagers also accused Puch Svanh of telling the villagers how to answer during the clarifications they will give to the provincial court.
Sev Nhang added that, not only that, all the bribed villagers received foods from cars which distributed them when they go to court to provide their clarifications.
On 24 July, 42 villagers told the Ratanakiri provincial court that they volunteered to sell their lands without receiving any pressure from anyone.
However, these claims are contrary to the complaint brought up by another 12 villagers who sent in their lawsuit to court in January 2007. The 12 villagers said that villagers were forced to sell their lands located in Kong Yu village, and that they only agreed to sell 50-hectare of lands, because they heard that these lands will be redistributed to invalid soldiers in the name of prime minister Hun Sen.
However, Keat Kolney turned around and took these lands to plant rubber trees instead. Nevertheless, even with such accusation leveled against Keat Kolney, Prak Soeun, the provincial court clerk rejected such accusation of briberies.
An official of the Community Legal Education Center which represents a number of villagers in the land dispute, said that the provincial court should investigate this accusation of briberies because it is an illegal act.
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