Monday, 10 May 2010
May Titthara and Will Baxter
The Phnom Penh Post
RIGHTS groups and villagers from Kampong Speu province’s Thpong district have warned that violence could erupt again if action is not taken to resolve an ongoing dispute between local residents and a sugar company in Omlaing commune.
On Saturday, about 50 additional soldiers, most of whom are from Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Battalion 313, arrived at a disputed area in the commune to provide security for employees of the Phnom Penh Sugar Company, who on Sunday continued to clear land despite protests by about 600 residents. Roughly 100 soldiers were already stationed there.
On Saturday “soldiers came in strongly to defend the equipment of the company”, said Mathieu Pellerin, a consultant for local rights group Licadho.
“We are extremely worried about the potential for violence. When you bring the military into the equation, there is just that much more of a chance for violence,” he added.
“The employees did not listen to us because they have police and soldiers standing next to the excavators to ensure they can clear the land,” he said.
“We did not want to allow them to clear our land because in some places village land was cleared by the company, and then the authorities did not include that area in their official measurements,” he said, referring to a mutually agreed-upon system established to help set boundaries between village and company land.
Eleven villages in Omlaing – which are home to more than 2,000 families – have allegedly been affected by the 9,000-hectare concession granted to the company, which is owned by Cambodian People’s Party Senator Ly Yong Phat. On March 18, villagers torched the company’s makeshift office, leading to the arrest of two representatives who were later released.
Hab Dam, chief of Omlaing commune, confirmed on Sunday that more soldiers had been employed to protect company property. He added that authorities had already measured the land of about 100 families.
Em Sophal, deputy police chief of Thpong district, said the extra soldiers were from outside the district. “The company brought those soldiers in from outside, but I do not know where they are from,” he said.
Chan Soveth, a senior investigator for the rights group Adhoc, condemned the increased military presence. “When they threaten to take over villagers’ land, it is anarchy,” he said.
On Saturday, about 50 additional soldiers, most of whom are from Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Battalion 313, arrived at a disputed area in the commune to provide security for employees of the Phnom Penh Sugar Company, who on Sunday continued to clear land despite protests by about 600 residents. Roughly 100 soldiers were already stationed there.
On Saturday “soldiers came in strongly to defend the equipment of the company”, said Mathieu Pellerin, a consultant for local rights group Licadho.
“We are extremely worried about the potential for violence. When you bring the military into the equation, there is just that much more of a chance for violence,” he added.
"WE ARE EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE."Villager San Tho said Sunday that residents of Omlaing commune had tried to prevent company employees from clearing their land but failed because of the overwhelming presence of the soldiers.
“The employees did not listen to us because they have police and soldiers standing next to the excavators to ensure they can clear the land,” he said.
“We did not want to allow them to clear our land because in some places village land was cleared by the company, and then the authorities did not include that area in their official measurements,” he said, referring to a mutually agreed-upon system established to help set boundaries between village and company land.
Eleven villages in Omlaing – which are home to more than 2,000 families – have allegedly been affected by the 9,000-hectare concession granted to the company, which is owned by Cambodian People’s Party Senator Ly Yong Phat. On March 18, villagers torched the company’s makeshift office, leading to the arrest of two representatives who were later released.
Hab Dam, chief of Omlaing commune, confirmed on Sunday that more soldiers had been employed to protect company property. He added that authorities had already measured the land of about 100 families.
Em Sophal, deputy police chief of Thpong district, said the extra soldiers were from outside the district. “The company brought those soldiers in from outside, but I do not know where they are from,” he said.
Chan Soveth, a senior investigator for the rights group Adhoc, condemned the increased military presence. “When they threaten to take over villagers’ land, it is anarchy,” he said.
5 comments:
Khmers should learn from Red Shirt Thailand, People's Power. Protect your future, protect your land, and protect your rights.
Think about this,
Are you Cambodian/Khmer?
Yes, I'm Cambodian/Khmer.
Do you like Cambodian/Khmer?
Yes, I do like Cambodian/Khmer.
So, what do you do for Cambodian/Khmer?
Yes, I sell Cambodian/Khmer land, forest, whoever protest me, I put them in Jail, and bail them out.
This is Real Khmer love Khmer.
Thanks
Red-Ant.
If you're not strong enough to sale lands you must be arrested, in the contrary it would be OK..
I really don't understand the real reasons behind Mr. Phat and the people of KomPong Speu. I know is that these people are told years ago the land that they are currently occupied are not theirs. They belonged to so and so. 1. They can continue to stay for now until they are told to leave. Second option, is to take money and build themselves houses. ALL of the Kampong Speu agreed to take money and promised to use the money to build their houses. They were told specifically what to do with the money and knew exactly that the land are not theirs. So, did they use the money to build houses? Or did they spend them all? You guessed, it! Now the owner, Mr. Phat told the people, he wanted the people to leave his property. These people are so attached to the land and claimed the land belong to them.
It's said to see if violence should occurs. If it does, these villagers are to blame.
Show me the land title of Mr. Li Yong Phat. When did he purchased the land, from whom did he bought the land?
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