By Sok Serei
Radio Free Asia (a station labeled insolent by Hun Sen)
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The representative of 92 families living in Sangkat O’Tress, Stung Hav district, Sihanoukville, accused the Sihanoukville authority and 200 armed men of recently perpetrating a repression and they are currently demolishing the homes and plants belonging to the 92 families, in order to confiscate the 120-hectare lands occupied by the families and turning the lands over to Sor Seung, an army officer in Sihanoukville.
The demolition of the homes started since 23 May and continued on until this Sunday, the authority erected a fence to prevent people from going in or out, and the lands are currently being guarded by armed men.
55-year-old Keo Kea told RFA on Sunday that the families no longer have shelters and have no land to plant their crops because all their lands have been confiscated. He said that of the homes belonging to the 92 families, half of them have already been demolished, and no traffic is allowed in or out of the confiscated lands so that people can no longer harvest their crops.
Keo Kea said: “The area that has been bulldozed, we cannot get in because they have guards who control to prevent any in or out traffic. After the land clearing, no one can travel in or out so that the people cannot harvest their crops.”
46-year-old Heng Kong, another representative of the families, said: “Our people suffered a lot, we ask for NGOs or the Royal Government to come and help the people, currently, the people are suffering so much. A number have their homes there (on the confiscated lands), they no longer have any shelter.”
Army officer Sor Seung cannot be contacted to obtain his reaction on the accusations leveled against him by the families. However, My Kaing, the Stung Hav deputy district governor, explained that in fact the 92 families are the anarchist.
My Kaing said: “They can accuse all they want, we have our goal, this is our second (land) clearing from an order issued by the city hall. These families occupy a land that is legally owned by someone else since 1993-1994.”
Regarding this issue, Un Anun, an investigator for the Licadho human rights organization in Sihanoukville, said that the land confiscation was done only from an order issued by the city hall (and not one issued by the court). “I saw them (the authority) producing (only) a (city) decree since last time.”
In reaction to this issue, Eng Chhai Eang, the opposition MP who is also the vice-president of the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes said: “If the court did not issue a legal judgment or decree in this case, the authority cannot do anything more than that.”
On 20 May, the Sihanoukville city authority also issued an order to repress in order to confiscate 17-hectare of land occupied by 107 families living in Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville. In that case, the authority burnt down more than 100 homes, arrested and jailed about 13 villagers.
The demolition of the homes started since 23 May and continued on until this Sunday, the authority erected a fence to prevent people from going in or out, and the lands are currently being guarded by armed men.
55-year-old Keo Kea told RFA on Sunday that the families no longer have shelters and have no land to plant their crops because all their lands have been confiscated. He said that of the homes belonging to the 92 families, half of them have already been demolished, and no traffic is allowed in or out of the confiscated lands so that people can no longer harvest their crops.
Keo Kea said: “The area that has been bulldozed, we cannot get in because they have guards who control to prevent any in or out traffic. After the land clearing, no one can travel in or out so that the people cannot harvest their crops.”
46-year-old Heng Kong, another representative of the families, said: “Our people suffered a lot, we ask for NGOs or the Royal Government to come and help the people, currently, the people are suffering so much. A number have their homes there (on the confiscated lands), they no longer have any shelter.”
Army officer Sor Seung cannot be contacted to obtain his reaction on the accusations leveled against him by the families. However, My Kaing, the Stung Hav deputy district governor, explained that in fact the 92 families are the anarchist.
My Kaing said: “They can accuse all they want, we have our goal, this is our second (land) clearing from an order issued by the city hall. These families occupy a land that is legally owned by someone else since 1993-1994.”
Regarding this issue, Un Anun, an investigator for the Licadho human rights organization in Sihanoukville, said that the land confiscation was done only from an order issued by the city hall (and not one issued by the court). “I saw them (the authority) producing (only) a (city) decree since last time.”
In reaction to this issue, Eng Chhai Eang, the opposition MP who is also the vice-president of the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes said: “If the court did not issue a legal judgment or decree in this case, the authority cannot do anything more than that.”
On 20 May, the Sihanoukville city authority also issued an order to repress in order to confiscate 17-hectare of land occupied by 107 families living in Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville. In that case, the authority burnt down more than 100 homes, arrested and jailed about 13 villagers.
