Right Officer Sued for Disinformation in a Land Conflict with KDC Company

In relation to a long land conflict between remained 64 families and KDC Company, a local human right defender, who also investigated the case, was sued by the company’s representative for disinformation.

Mr. Sam Chankea, coordinator for the rights group Adhoc in Kampong Chhnang was complained for disinformation by KDC International Company, owned by Ms. Chea Keng, the wife of Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Suy Sem.

For the above issue, Sam Chankea said that the case derived from his interview with the Radio Free Asia on December 26, 2009, which he commented that the clearance of conflict land by the company might be against the law. However he asserted that, the RFA reporter had just asked his idea regarding to the clearance of villagers’ land by the company. He raised that if the land belonged to the villagers, it would be illegal to do that.

Moreover, Mr. Sam Chankea had been involved with monitoring the case of the land conflict in Laor Peang commune, Kampong Tralach district, Kampong Chhnang between the above families and the company. Other than that most of the victims normally came to him to seek for legal intervention.

According to Mr. Chan Soveth, Adhoc human rights program officer, said that the organization had sent its lawyer to check with the court clerk list and found that Mr. Sam Chankea was really in the list, signed on May 25, 2010. The complaint was filed by the company representative Thai Hy. He added that if the case is really taking place, there will be 3 lawyers to defend Mr. Sam Chankea. They are from CDP, LAC and Adhoc itself.

He also said that the group was still waiting to see the proceeding of the provincial court whether or not the case would be taken.