Former people, who had been living in a rubbish slum in Steng Meanchey commune, Meanchey district, Phnom Penh due to their eviction from their homes in 2009 in order to resettle in Kampot, up to 7 of these evictees now remain in jail for illegally clearing forests in a National Park in Sen Chey village, Taken Koh Sla commune, Chhouk district, Kampot province.
They have so far spent more than 3 months in prison, but the authorities involved in the case have so far failed to solve the problems of those involved. The victims are among 18 families who were forcibly evicted to the area; however, since their eviction, they have not been provided with an exact location to live. They therefore cleared an area for agricultural activity in order to make a living. The evictees had become impatient due to the failure of the authorities to provide them with a solution.
Unfairly, those villagers were blamed for the aforementioned act of clearing an area in the National Park. In an interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA) on May 7, 2010 Mr. Sareith Boreimy, Deputy Secretary General of the Land Conflict Resolution Committee, said the villagers should have submitted a proposal to the local authority in order to receive land concession from the government.
However, according to reports by RFA, the villagers in question had already sent requests to the Ministry of Interior, then to Prime Minister Cabinet, next to Royal Cabinet and finally to the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction asking for intervention. The Ministry had requested that the provincial authority find a place for them to live, excluding the National Park area. However, this action had not been taken in time, and, no longer being able to wait, they cleared the prohibited site. This led to the arrest of the 7 villagers in question.
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