The Phnom Penh Post
ROUGHLY 100 farmers from Kampong Speu, Preah Sihanouk and Kampot provinces squared off yesterday on two separate occasions with an NGO that claims to own land they have cultivated in previous years, though officials intervened and prevented the altercation from spilling over into violence, witnesses said.
Mou Savoeung, a representative of the farmers, said they arrived at a section of the disputed land in Preah Sihanouk’s Kampong Seila district with three tractors early on Monday intending to prepare rice fields for planting. She said workers from the NGO, the Kampong Speu-based Cambodia Disabled Survivors’ Association, had been at the site and tried to obstruct their access to it, which led to the standoff.
“We were facing off with the members of the association because they did not allow us to plant on our rice field,” she said. “We nearly used violence, but our commune officers came one time to tell us to avoid violence and find a peaceful way.”
Tim Hong, the chief of O’Anlong village in Kampong Seila district, said he and district police had intervened to prevent violence, and that negotiations would be held today to resolve the dispute.
Mou Savoeung, a representative of the farmers, said they arrived at a section of the disputed land in Preah Sihanouk’s Kampong Seila district with three tractors early on Monday intending to prepare rice fields for planting. She said workers from the NGO, the Kampong Speu-based Cambodia Disabled Survivors’ Association, had been at the site and tried to obstruct their access to it, which led to the standoff.
“We were facing off with the members of the association because they did not allow us to plant on our rice field,” she said. “We nearly used violence, but our commune officers came one time to tell us to avoid violence and find a peaceful way.”
Tim Hong, the chief of O’Anlong village in Kampong Seila district, said he and district police had intervened to prevent violence, and that negotiations would be held today to resolve the dispute.
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