Hundreds ask for help in disputes | Khmer Times | News Portal Cambodia |
▻http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/34976/hundreds-ask-for-help-in-disputes
About 500 people representing thousands of families from four provinces who are affected by the development of sugarcane plantations requested intervention from Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday.
The request was made at a gathering to submit a petition to the prime minister’s cabinet and the European Union by citizens from Kampong Speu, Koh Kong, Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
They are engaged in long-running land disputes with at least a dozen companies including Phnom Penh Sugar, Kampong Speu Sugar, Koh Kong Sugar Industry, Koh Kong Plantation, Chinese company HLH and Angkor Sugar.
Seoung Sokhom, a representative of more than 700 families in Kampong Speu province’s Oral and Thpong districts, said that land disputes involving 1,000 hectares between them and Phnom Penh Sugar and Kampong Speu Sugar – both owned by ruling party senator Ly Yong Phat – as well as HLH had occurred since 2010.
An inter-ministerial working group and the EU had in the past gone to evaluate the impact of those companies on the villagers’ land to find the solution, but a document was still waiting for the prime minister’s signature.
“We came to submit this petition to ask the prime minister to consider signing on those matters. We want the prime minister to sign so the inter-ministerial committee can go and evaluate compensation for us,” he said.
