The Phnom Penh Post
ABOUT 200 residents of Svay Rieng province involved in a land dispute with a rubber company travelled to the home of Senate President Chea Sim on Tuesday to protest the continued detention of one of their representatives, after Romeas Hek district police prevented them from going to Svay Rieng town, villagers said.
The same villagers on Monday staged a protest in front of the Romeas Hek district police office following the arrest of Yea Yeoung, whom authorities have accused of “briefly kidnapping” a company representative.
Prior to his arrest, Yea Yeoung had been advocating on behalf of more than 400 families who say they will lose their land to the Peam Chaing Rubber Company, which was granted a concession totalling nearly 4,000 hectares in 2007.
Upon arriving at Chea Sim’s home in Prey Veng province’s Komchay Mear district, the villagers presented the complaint they had prepared for Svay Rieng provincial officials to a woman who greeted them, villager Pao Chhat said.
Sorn Sam Oun, another villager, said it was just as well that they had been blocked from going to Svay Rieng town.
“We have filed complaints many times to the provincial governor, but they have never responded,” he said. “So we want Chea Sim to help us now. We have lost confidence with the provincial authorities.”
Romeas Hek Police Chief Chum Ry denied that his officers had blocked the road to Svay Rieng, but said the villagers should not travel to Svay Rieng in a large group.
The same villagers on Monday staged a protest in front of the Romeas Hek district police office following the arrest of Yea Yeoung, whom authorities have accused of “briefly kidnapping” a company representative.
Prior to his arrest, Yea Yeoung had been advocating on behalf of more than 400 families who say they will lose their land to the Peam Chaing Rubber Company, which was granted a concession totalling nearly 4,000 hectares in 2007.
Upon arriving at Chea Sim’s home in Prey Veng province’s Komchay Mear district, the villagers presented the complaint they had prepared for Svay Rieng provincial officials to a woman who greeted them, villager Pao Chhat said.
Sorn Sam Oun, another villager, said it was just as well that they had been blocked from going to Svay Rieng town.
“We have filed complaints many times to the provincial governor, but they have never responded,” he said. “So we want Chea Sim to help us now. We have lost confidence with the provincial authorities.”
Romeas Hek Police Chief Chum Ry denied that his officers had blocked the road to Svay Rieng, but said the villagers should not travel to Svay Rieng in a large group.
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