Impact of Economic Land Concession on Villagers in Kampong Speu

Regarding the protest against their land being bulldozed by two Economic Land Concession companies in Kampong Speu, five villager representatives among 11 affected villages in Amleang commune, Thpong district, were summoned by Kampong Speu Provincial Court for questioning on March 24, 2010 in accordance with the complaints by the companies. Out of them, two were shortly arrested after questioning on that morning according to Article 94 and Article 114 of Code of Criminal Procedure of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The two people, who were captured, included Mr. You Tho, 62, CPP communal councilor and Khem Vuthy (but in his identity care is Khem Rithy), 30.

The above arrest derived from the event on March 18, 2010, in which some companies’ property installed for land bulldozing in Amleang, were destroyed and burned by some 600 people from 11 villages (First it was found the affected villages only 10).

According to document, complied by Adhoc and Licadho related to this case, the conflict was between two Economic Land Concessions- Phnom Pehn Sugar Co. Ltd and Kampong Speu Sugar Co. Ltd and those local families in Amleang commune, Thporng district, Kampong Speu province, which were granted by the Cambodian government each of about 10,000 hectares.

The concessions have affected about 11 villages in Amleang commune, Thporng district; such as Thmor Kob, Kumneab, Komar Meas, Takoang, Krang Chambak, Thnol Bambek, O’ Angkum, Trang Daung, Snoul and Kauk village.

Based on the report and also the interview with villagers, who came to protest at Provincial Court on March 24-25, the companies had not implemented their activities as mentioned in notification letters from the Cabinet of Office of Councils of Ministers, number 174សជណ and 175សជណ, signed on February 5, 2010 at all. For instance; the companies had not shown official document to the villagers and local authorities there; the companies had not conducted research in advance to see the impact of the project so that just and fair compensation should have been made; especially for social, cultural and environmental impacts. In contrast, the companies had more and more transported tractors and bulldozers onto the villagers’ land; and then started clearing and bulldozing farm land and also rice field. In addition they forcedly evicted the villagers and building up fences to prohibit them from going around the land due to the reason that they had had legal title to prove ownership. Even up to now the companies have hired armed forces to protect them to implement the above activities as villagers have been also protesting.​

The conflict has started since 2009 when a group of officials, accompanied by the company staffs, came to measure the area, spraying red paint to make frontier to show that the plot of land belonged to the companies. At that time, the villagers started protesting in front of the communal office; however, there was no explanation about that at all.

On February 26-27 the companies brought 20 more tractors and bulldozers in order to clear some land for building up as construction area. The companies started razing 50 meters to keep as the border line. At that time around 3,000 people were striving all the way to protest, prohibit and stop the companies’ activity.

On February 28, 2010 communal and district authorities invited the companies’ representative(s) and villagers in order to raise the issue, which had recently occurred. In the meeting the villagers requested the delay of clearing and bulldozing their land for awhile, waiting until there would be a clear discussion of the company plan and project. Whereas the companies requested that the villagers stopped protesting by agreeing to keep the space of 50 meters from the villagers’ rice field. In contrast, the companies did not follow the above agreement at all. They continued razing and brought in vehicles more and more.

On March 2, 2010 Mr. Hun Sok Hong, Deputy District Police Chief led a group of joint armed forces, police officers and military police of about 30 to the area to protect the companies’ activity. At the mean time, about 400 villagers were coming out to block the road, which the vehicles had bulldozed. In the end, six villager representatives were sued for trying to obstruct the development project. However, they were not arrested yet.

Up to March 18, 2010 around 600 people from the 11 affected villages gathered together and marched to the company site to protest and burn down all tents there. They also asked to bring all vehicles, tractors and bulldozers, out of their land; otherwise they would also be destroyed.

The event led to the arrest of two out of 5 accused people on March 24, 2010.

Under the processing of legal procedure of Deputy Prosecutor Khut Sopheang, Mr. You Tho, 62 and Mr. Khem Rithy, 30 were early arrested on the morning of March 24, 2010, shortly after they had been questioned under the presence of their lawyers, one from Licadho and the other from CLEC. As reported by Khem Rithy Tuesday, April 6, 2010, on March 24, 2010 Mr. Khut Sopheang did not ask him about the event of March 18, but his identity; and after that decided to arrest him and Mr. You Tho, another village representative.

However, according to interview with villagers on March 24-25, when they came to protest for release of the two people, asserted that the two arrested people had not appeared in the event on March 18.