Showing posts with label Sre Ambel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sre Ambel. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Srae Ambel (Chikhor) Action - By CLEC
I just to tell you that from this morning till now the villagers at Chikhor are giving their petition on requesting for land dispute resolution to the people by the road.
They are around 150 people, and also with the police there. More details contact Mr. Kong Song by 088 78 50 051
Em Sarom
A.C.C
Community Legal Education Center
Mobile : +855 12 71 63 44, 16 71 43 44
E-mail : sarom@clec.org.kh
#237,Plov Lom, Phum Thmey
S/k:Dangkor Khann: Dangkor
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Military Police Assault Protestors in Land Dispute [-Back to the same old ruthless pattern by Hun Sen's regime authority]
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
29 April 2008
Phnom Penh
29 April 2008
Dozens of military policemen in Koh Kong province beat and arrested protesters seeking a redress in land-grab case, a rights worker and protesters said Tuesday.
At least 75 families have accused two businessmen of taking land, destroying crops and building houses in Chhuk village of Sre Ambel district, and villagers have torn down the two men’s houses in the dispute, a rights worker said.
Military police “came to arrest us and then violence ensued, resulting in injuries to some protesters, the loss of jewelry and the arrest of one protester,” one witness told VOA Khmer by phone Tuesday.
The villagers were on their way to Phnom Penh to appeal to Prime Minister Hun Sen for help, the witness said.
“The violence is a serious violation of human rights,” said In Kong Chet, an investigator with the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.
Sam Samean, the military police commander for nearby Kompong Sila district, denied the assault accusations.
“We followed the law without opposition, and we did not beat or torture anyone, but there was a confrontation,” he said.
Villagers have said 159 hectares are at stake in the land dispute, which has been ongoing since 2006, despite complaints to the prime minister, the Ministry of Interior and the National Assembly.
At least 75 families have accused two businessmen of taking land, destroying crops and building houses in Chhuk village of Sre Ambel district, and villagers have torn down the two men’s houses in the dispute, a rights worker said.
Military police “came to arrest us and then violence ensued, resulting in injuries to some protesters, the loss of jewelry and the arrest of one protester,” one witness told VOA Khmer by phone Tuesday.
The villagers were on their way to Phnom Penh to appeal to Prime Minister Hun Sen for help, the witness said.
“The violence is a serious violation of human rights,” said In Kong Chet, an investigator with the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.
Sam Samean, the military police commander for nearby Kompong Sila district, denied the assault accusations.
“We followed the law without opposition, and we did not beat or torture anyone, but there was a confrontation,” he said.
Villagers have said 159 hectares are at stake in the land dispute, which has been ongoing since 2006, despite complaints to the prime minister, the Ministry of Interior and the National Assembly.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Koh Kong villagers protest in Phnom Penh
18 March 2008
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Out of desperation, on Monday 17 March, 49 families from the Sre Ambil district, Koh Kong province, gathered in front of the Ministry of Land Management, Urbanization and Construction in Phnom Penh, in order to obtain a resolution for their land disputes. During the demonstration, several villagers held banners denouncing what they call a “false plan” set up by their adversaries to take over their lands.
The dispute stems from some “350-hectare grabbed by the leader of a brewery in 2004,” Chin Theavy, one of the affected villagers, said. The 49 families claim that they occupy these lands since 1994, the date when they started to cut down the forest trees to plant crop and fruit trees. In 10 years, the increasing land price led to this dispute.
The farmers claim that they are currently facing a deadlock. “If there is no solution, we will continue to make our demands again and again, because our future depends on our plantations,” Chin Theavy said.
In the past, the villagers came to demonstrate in Phnom Penh 4 times already, including protesting in front of the National Assembly, but without success. Last month, Chea Sim, CPP and Senate president, even asked Im Chun Lim, the minister of Land Management, to review this case with great care.
The various initiatives were not undertaken in vain. SRP MP Ho Vann, who helps the villagers follow up in this case, indicated that Chhan Saphan, the state secretary of Land Manegement, promised him to send to the spot an observation committee next week.
The dispute stems from some “350-hectare grabbed by the leader of a brewery in 2004,” Chin Theavy, one of the affected villagers, said. The 49 families claim that they occupy these lands since 1994, the date when they started to cut down the forest trees to plant crop and fruit trees. In 10 years, the increasing land price led to this dispute.
The farmers claim that they are currently facing a deadlock. “If there is no solution, we will continue to make our demands again and again, because our future depends on our plantations,” Chin Theavy said.
In the past, the villagers came to demonstrate in Phnom Penh 4 times already, including protesting in front of the National Assembly, but without success. Last month, Chea Sim, CPP and Senate president, even asked Im Chun Lim, the minister of Land Management, to review this case with great care.
The various initiatives were not undertaken in vain. SRP MP Ho Vann, who helps the villagers follow up in this case, indicated that Chhan Saphan, the state secretary of Land Manegement, promised him to send to the spot an observation committee next week.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Army used to guard CPP Tycoon-Senator Ly Yong Phat's land grabbed from poor villagers
Military personnel protecting the land given to a ruling party senator by the governmentPublished on February 8, 2007
Cambodian military police mobilised to protect land concession of ruling party Senator
Licadho
Many of the 250 families of Chi Khor Leu commue, Sre Ambel district in Koh Kong province have been living on their land since 1979 however their quiet existence on the land came to an abrupt end in May 2006. Since then the villagers have been fighting an uphill battle to save their land. They have petitioned the local authorities, faced bulldozers, excavators and armed military police, have been shot at and they even tried to petition the National Assembly. This week the villagers took their case to the courts.
Trouble began in the commune on 22 May 2006 when demolition workers with bulldozers and excavators, accompanied by armed police including military police, moved into three villages in the commune (Chhouk, Trapaing Kandorl and Chi Kor). The demolition workers cleared and flattened villagers' land, destroying rice fields and fruit plantations. The demolition was commissioned by the Agriculture Duty Free Shop Development Company (later known as the Sugar Industry Company Ltd) and the Koh Kong Plantation Company, which were readying the land for commercial sugar cane production. Both companies are owned by Mr Ly Yong Phat, a wealthy businessman and a Cambodian's People Party (CPP) member in the Senate.
During the following months the villagers made numerous protests and complaints to local authorities to challenge the companies' right to their land, but got no response and no resolution. On 31 July 2006 about 160 villagers made the 280km long journey to Phnom Penh, to petition the National Assembly to intervene in their case. The Koh Kong provincial governor addressed the villagers and asked them to return home, giving assurances that the dispute would be resolved. To this day the villagers have been given no resolution.
Confrontation with the military police
On 19 September 2006, the dispute came to a bloody climax when Ly Yong Phat's companies attempted to forcibly evict the villagers from the land. Military police and national police officers armed with rifles accompanied a demolition crew to clear the land. As the villagers tried to resist the eviction, the police fired their guns into the ground and assaulted the villagers. One woman was shot in the foot and another man in the arm. Five other villagers were reportedly injured during the incident.
The raid occurred without a court eviction order and despite the fact that the villagers have legitimate claims to ownership of their land under the Land Law. Furthermore, the involvement in the eviction of military police – who are restricted by law to dealing with crimes related to military matters – was unlawful.
It appeared that Ly Yong Phat used his position and influence as a Senator to orchestrate the apparent extra-judicial eviction and the misuse of military police to deal with a non-military affair.
Ongoing violence and intimidation of villagers
On 15 December 2006, Mr An In (35) who had been actively protesting the land concession was found murdered, his body bearing multiple axe wounds and dumped inside the village. The police say the death was related to a personal matter, and not the land dispute. However, there are indications that the police – in an apparent attempt to use the death to frighten villagers' into giving up their land – seek to falsely blame the killing on one of the leaders of the villagers' campaign to keep their land.
Mr Sin Chhuon, a village representative, was summoned on 13 January 2007 by the Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner to answer questions in relation to the land dispute. Around 100 other villagers chose to join Sin Chhoun, deciding to file a complaint in relation to the increasing encroachment on their land by Ly Yong Phat's companies. However before they could reach the office of the Deputy Commissioner, military police seized control of the ferry in which the villagers were traveling in and turned it around.
Bulldozers were used to clear villagers' traditional farming lands
Legal battle over land concession
In early August 2006 – three months after attempts to forcibly clear the villagers' land began – the government awarded both of Ly Yong Phat's companies with land concessions of 10,000 hectares each in the disputed area. It appears that two concessions were awarded, rather than just one, in order to circumvent the Land Law (Article 59) which restricts land concessions to a maximum of 10,000 hectares. The land concessions were awarded without prior consultation with the villagers, and without any provision for proper compensation to be given to them. In addition, the boundaries of the concessions were not made clear. The villagers understandably refused to surrender their land.
On 7 February 2007, representatives from local NGOs LICADHO, CLEC and CCHR accompanied a group of villagers to the Koh Kong Municipal Court to file a complaint regarding the land dispute. The complaint calls for an end to the land concession and demands compensation for the destruction of villagers' property – including destroyed crops and several cows killed by guards employed by Ly Yong Phat's companies.
That same day Ly Yong Phat traveled to Chi Kor village to negotiate with the villagers' representative, Sin Chhuon, and offered to provide alternative land to the villagers. His offer was declined.
LICADHO is deeply concerned by the authorities handling of this case, including the use of military police to evict, assault and intimidate civilians, at the behest of companies owned by a CPP senator. This apparent abuse of power is unacceptable and illegal. LICADHO urges the Government and the National Cadastral Commission to ensure that the people of Chi Khor Leu are permitted to remain on their land and are protected from any further violence and intimidation. Furthermore, LICADHO urges the government to declare a moratorium on evictions until it adopts comprehensives policies on housing, land tenure, and dispute resolution which truly protect the rights of Cambodia's poor.
Cambodian military police mobilised to protect land concession of ruling party Senator
Licadho
Many of the 250 families of Chi Khor Leu commue, Sre Ambel district in Koh Kong province have been living on their land since 1979 however their quiet existence on the land came to an abrupt end in May 2006. Since then the villagers have been fighting an uphill battle to save their land. They have petitioned the local authorities, faced bulldozers, excavators and armed military police, have been shot at and they even tried to petition the National Assembly. This week the villagers took their case to the courts.
Trouble began in the commune on 22 May 2006 when demolition workers with bulldozers and excavators, accompanied by armed police including military police, moved into three villages in the commune (Chhouk, Trapaing Kandorl and Chi Kor). The demolition workers cleared and flattened villagers' land, destroying rice fields and fruit plantations. The demolition was commissioned by the Agriculture Duty Free Shop Development Company (later known as the Sugar Industry Company Ltd) and the Koh Kong Plantation Company, which were readying the land for commercial sugar cane production. Both companies are owned by Mr Ly Yong Phat, a wealthy businessman and a Cambodian's People Party (CPP) member in the Senate.
During the following months the villagers made numerous protests and complaints to local authorities to challenge the companies' right to their land, but got no response and no resolution. On 31 July 2006 about 160 villagers made the 280km long journey to Phnom Penh, to petition the National Assembly to intervene in their case. The Koh Kong provincial governor addressed the villagers and asked them to return home, giving assurances that the dispute would be resolved. To this day the villagers have been given no resolution.
Confrontation with the military police
On 19 September 2006, the dispute came to a bloody climax when Ly Yong Phat's companies attempted to forcibly evict the villagers from the land. Military police and national police officers armed with rifles accompanied a demolition crew to clear the land. As the villagers tried to resist the eviction, the police fired their guns into the ground and assaulted the villagers. One woman was shot in the foot and another man in the arm. Five other villagers were reportedly injured during the incident.
The raid occurred without a court eviction order and despite the fact that the villagers have legitimate claims to ownership of their land under the Land Law. Furthermore, the involvement in the eviction of military police – who are restricted by law to dealing with crimes related to military matters – was unlawful.
It appeared that Ly Yong Phat used his position and influence as a Senator to orchestrate the apparent extra-judicial eviction and the misuse of military police to deal with a non-military affair.
Ongoing violence and intimidation of villagers
On 15 December 2006, Mr An In (35) who had been actively protesting the land concession was found murdered, his body bearing multiple axe wounds and dumped inside the village. The police say the death was related to a personal matter, and not the land dispute. However, there are indications that the police – in an apparent attempt to use the death to frighten villagers' into giving up their land – seek to falsely blame the killing on one of the leaders of the villagers' campaign to keep their land.
Mr Sin Chhuon, a village representative, was summoned on 13 January 2007 by the Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner to answer questions in relation to the land dispute. Around 100 other villagers chose to join Sin Chhoun, deciding to file a complaint in relation to the increasing encroachment on their land by Ly Yong Phat's companies. However before they could reach the office of the Deputy Commissioner, military police seized control of the ferry in which the villagers were traveling in and turned it around.
Bulldozers were used to clear villagers' traditional farming landsLegal battle over land concession
In early August 2006 – three months after attempts to forcibly clear the villagers' land began – the government awarded both of Ly Yong Phat's companies with land concessions of 10,000 hectares each in the disputed area. It appears that two concessions were awarded, rather than just one, in order to circumvent the Land Law (Article 59) which restricts land concessions to a maximum of 10,000 hectares. The land concessions were awarded without prior consultation with the villagers, and without any provision for proper compensation to be given to them. In addition, the boundaries of the concessions were not made clear. The villagers understandably refused to surrender their land.
On 7 February 2007, representatives from local NGOs LICADHO, CLEC and CCHR accompanied a group of villagers to the Koh Kong Municipal Court to file a complaint regarding the land dispute. The complaint calls for an end to the land concession and demands compensation for the destruction of villagers' property – including destroyed crops and several cows killed by guards employed by Ly Yong Phat's companies.
That same day Ly Yong Phat traveled to Chi Kor village to negotiate with the villagers' representative, Sin Chhuon, and offered to provide alternative land to the villagers. His offer was declined.
LICADHO is deeply concerned by the authorities handling of this case, including the use of military police to evict, assault and intimidate civilians, at the behest of companies owned by a CPP senator. This apparent abuse of power is unacceptable and illegal. LICADHO urges the Government and the National Cadastral Commission to ensure that the people of Chi Khor Leu are permitted to remain on their land and are protected from any further violence and intimidation. Furthermore, LICADHO urges the government to declare a moratorium on evictions until it adopts comprehensives policies on housing, land tenure, and dispute resolution which truly protect the rights of Cambodia's poor.
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