Forced Evictions for Angkor Sugar (Ly Yongphat)

On October 9, 2009 joint workforce of police, military police and RCAF soldiers in Oddar Meanchey dismantled and burned 129 houses of 214 local families in O’ Bat Moan village, Kaun Kriel commune, Samrong city without warrants from court. This occurred since October 5, 2009. The villagers were accused of illegally living on the land, which belongs to Angkor Sugar company of a senator Ly Yongphat, and used as agricultural concession for development in 2007.

Even though, the villagers still asserted they had lived on the area since 2003, whereas the company just appeared in 2008.

On the Friday, rights observers from Licadho, Adhoc and others were blocked and not allowed to get in the area. Mr. Chan Saveit, Adhoc investigator, Mr. Am Sam Ath, Licadho investigator and other local and national NGOs, in all about 10 were stopped and blocked as they reached the second fence at O’Bat Moan village, while it was also raining.

Since the event taking place, at least 4 villagers were immediately arrested as they attempted to react against the authority. A villager, Van Chantha, 25, reported that Mr. Long Sarith, 43, Mr. Long Chankiri, 30 and Ma Hokchoeun were captured during the event. Whereas another 25-year-old villager, named Aun Chan was stopped as he returned to the village by 3 RCAF. He was pistol-wiped. The men said as they assaulted him that, “Because of damn you I have to stay in a tent here and be bitten by mosquitoes.”

Although there were evidence and witnesses for such acts and event, the authority completely denied that. Anyway it was because those NGOs monitors were blocked, no one could prove besides the victims themselves. Mr. Am Sam Ath said he had seen workers and joint forces including police, military police as well as soldiers transported by truck into the village.

Men Ly, provincial commissioner denied all the accusations. He said that all joint forces led by court and Forest Administrative officials came to dismantle tents, which illegally set on the company land.

As reported by Mrs. Sylen, 41, with 3 children, Mr. Vat Paranin, Oddar Meanchey Secretary General told the villagers Friday that under a survey conducted by commune officials and Angkor Sugar, only 39 families of the 214 present had been selected to receive compensation in the form of 30-by-50-meter residential plots and a hectare of farmland each.

In spite of the compensation, some of the 39 families did not agree with that.

After their houses being destroyed, about 70 families moved to live on a pagoda’s location, Kauk Phluk Pagoda in the village, whereas 10 villagers escaped away for safety and some agreed to live on the new area.

On October 11, 2009 the authority forced the rest to move to the un-known area. If anyone disagreed, s/he must have been handcuffed.

In addition to the matter, former village chief Mr. Huoy Chhuoy, 45, with 3 children told the story of the village that in 1998 there were about 10 families settling there. However from 2003-2006 the population of the people were increasing up to 214 families. During the period he requested the communal chief for sharing each family with a plot of land, whereas the size was fit the number of family member. Angkor Sugar came to the village only in 2008.

On October 12, 2009 he and other people, in total 26 [including 4 children], came to Phnom Penh because they scared of being captured for incitement. He reviewed a few days before the joint forces destroyed their whereabouts; several police officers pointed their guns at him and intimidated him not to protest. For instance 3 were arrested and put in Siem Reap prison for incitement and illegally logging. It was not true.

At the mean time deputy prosecutor Ty Sovinthal said he had issued 3 arrest warrants, based on the complaints from Forest Administrative officials to accuse them of inciting and making troubles for development.

Whereas Mrs. Roeun Hav uttered that, “On October 9, there were 100 joint forces coming in the village about 9:00 AM in the morning. They did not say anything. They used 3 tractors and several bulldozers to destroy the villagers’ houses. I was nearly unable to bring out my children from home. I also asked to bring out my possession; they still did not allow me to do that”.

That day, those 23 villagers were preparing the lawsuits to send to the premier cabinet, the National Assembly and the Minister of Interior for investigation.

Meanwhile, Licadho donated 400 kg of uncooked rice, 40 tents, cans of fish, and dry noodles for about 40 families still in Kaunkriel commune, though many more families were scattered and remain in need. Whereas, the organization attorney Ly Socheata was trying to get the 3 arrested men to release on bail.

On October 14, Deputy Prosecutor Ty Sovinthal said he had issued 3 more arrest warrants for 3 more villagers, who were accused of illegally logging on state land.

Whereas Mr. Huoy Chhuoy said the villagers did not trust the authorities’ promise not to arrest them. He expressed that it was their trick to say they wanted us to return home to be with families.