Preah Vihear Land Dispute Residents Say Local Authorities Conspired with Chinese Sugar Company

This article is translated by Google Translate from the Khmer version, original source available at: https://www.rfa.org/khmer/news/land/land-dispute-residents-in-preah-vihear-province-say-local-authorities-conspired-with-chinese-sugar-company-08022021115156.html?fbclid=IwAR2ZWX_KFcYpez4XZKPxdhvUIWWIRuNbgTh1xVkzfoYUD5k4ygPBjbhpkIg

Hengfu Group Sugar Industry has been out of production for more than two years, but three indigenous people live in the district from thousands of families have yet to receive a proper solution from state authorities. Villagers say the main reason for the ongoing land dispute is because the authorities conspired with Chinese companies to rent the disputed land to the outside people farming for thousands of hectares.

Indigenous people living in three districts, Tbeng Meanchey, Chey Sen and Chep, are still shouting for justice to demand their farmland. Lost to return so that they have farmland, plantations to grow crops for a living. Villagers regret authorities delaying land dispute resolution And.

Indigenous Kuay resident of Premre commune, Tbeng Meanchey district, Ms. Huot Maly is very desperate for the authorities who do not pay attention to address their concerns. Villagers who have suffered for years due to Chinese company encroachment on farmland since 2013 The solution at all. She confirmed that the 30-hectare farmland of the parents of the female family, which has been cultivating for generations, was cleared by the Chinese company. Sugarcane for almost 10 years.

The 48-year-old added that local authorities have always protected Chinese companies and conspired to lease the disputed land to incoming residents. New, worth 300,000 riel per hectare: “Even if there is no forest, as long as there is land removed from some companies I can replant trees to herd cows. When we complained to the authorities, he shouted that if we did it on Chinese soil, if China did it, he would not be responsible because the people did it. On their land by anarchy, do not rent them.

Mr. Soeun Tha, President of Bresakak Village Association, Mlou Prey 2 Commune, Chhep District, urges local and national authorities to intervene and find solutions for the people. Transparent. He said that if the authorities still refuse to resolve the land dispute, the indigenous people will continue to shout and expose the injustice. Finish. Moreover, all the actions of the people who dare to protest, even though he knows that the authorities are persecuting and threatening innocent people, the villagers do not give up. . He considered the farmland that the Chinese company encroached on as their life: “When we went to grow crops, the company threatened to seize it. We are in prison and the authorities will not let us do it because he said that this land is the land of the company and if we got this land in the past “After the cultivation, a company came to clear it.”

RFA tried to contact Preah Vihear Provincial Hall spokeswoman Yong Kim Hoeung and Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman Vuthy, but the call went unanswered.

As for the ruling party spokesman, Sok Isan, he said that there was no basis for the land dispute to be political and that he accused the indigenous people. Those minorities are insurgents against local authorities. He said that if there is a land dispute, the provincial authorities will not stand by and watch these people suffer because the authorities have a role. Serving the people: “The authorities belong to the state and the people, if the authorities do not address the people, you have a valid reason, especially in the case of forest land Well, the people are not all good.

In this regard, civil society sees Mr. Isan’s remarks as not a mechanism for finding a peaceful solution to alleviate his suffering. No citizens. They observe that the indigenous Kuay people involved in land disputes often protest non-violently to demand land that the Chinese sugarcane company Abused, but government authorities often accuse them of associating with the opposition.

Ponlok Khmer executive director Pek Sophoan said authorities were unwilling to resolve the land dispute. The civil society official urged the government to release the poor people who have been suffering for many years. Resolve this chronic dispute fairly to its citizens so that they can have access to farming on their land as before Because of the disputed land, the company has suspended operations. He stated that the excuse to accuse and accuse the land dispute is a political issue, not a mechanism to find a solution for citizens in accordance with the policy of No government: “This is a conflict of interest because the authorities received bribes from the giants, even though the company does not operate, but the authorities Some also have land in it. Therefore, it is not possible to resolve land disputes, people hand over the community living around there.

Meanwhile, Preah Vihear provincial ADHOC Coordinating Officer Lor Chan said that the land dispute, the authorities not only did not find justice for the people. Instead, he threatened to persecute the people who exercised their land rights. He said that the disputed land was partially stolen by the authorities and sold to traders, angering the people. Therefore, he called on the head of government to expedite the settlement of this issue, if prolonged, it will increase the complexity and the people will be more miserable: Only the government can confiscate this land and give it to the people, the real victims because I do not trust the lower authorities The nation is not willing to solve for the people. If he is, he will not last 10 years. ”

Hengfu Group Sugar Industry Concession Company has received investment rights from the government on more than 40,000 hectares (42,000 hectares) since 2011. Sugarcane and rubber crops. The company is the parent company and has five subsidiaries. The company’s investment has affected about 2,000 indigenous families with about 10,000 people in the village. 25 communes, 10 districts and 3 districts: Chey Sen, Chep and Tbeng Meanchey districts. NGO Forum on Cambodia and a number of partner organizations found that a Chinese company was clearing people’s farmland Clearing water sources, which are natural waterways rich in live fish and clearing the land of 4 ancient temples and Other ancient sites.