The Phnom Penh Post
AN official in Mondulkiri province has backed away from a threat to torch the homes of villagers resisting eviction from a gold-mining concession in Keo Seima district, but villagers said they were still concerned they would ultimately be forced from the site.
Last week, Len Vanna, the deputy district governor, told the Post that if villagers did not agree to tear down their homes, “we will burn them to the ground”.
When contacted Sunday, however, Len Vanna denied having ever threatened to burn the villagers’ dwellings.
Around 30 families in Keo Seima district face eviction after ignoring an order to vacate a concession to Australian mining company Oz Minerals.
During a June 13 meeting with the villagers, district authorities told them to dismantle their homes and relocate immediately or face harsh
reprisals.
I AM NOT AGAINST GOVERNMENT POLICY ... BUT THEY MUST PROVIDE COMPENSATION.
Despite Len Vanna’s reversal, villagers continued to express concerns about their future.
“I am worried about my home, because I heard a rumour that the authorities will burn it if I do not agree to tear my house down,” said Yor Noeun,
one of the residents who has refused to move from the land without proper compensation.
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