Villagers Banned from Entering their Farmland in Banteay Meanchey

On February 12, 2010 some 20 families in Tuol Pong Ror village, Tuol Pong Ror commune, Poipet city, Banteany Meanchey province were intimidated and prohibited from harvesting in their rice field by a group of about 150 soldiers from RCAF Division 12, who came with weapons.

The above 20-hectare land conflict has taken place since 2006. However, the issue has not yet solved positively. Villagers have been threatened over and over although they have lodged a complaint with Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court of First Instance.

The party from RCAF Division 12 asserted they were given rights in December to the 28 hectares in dispute by the privately run National Agriculture Development Association, which acquired provincial governor in 2006; whereas the party from those local villagers claimed provincial authorities granted that land to them in 1998. Since then they have been farming and growing other crops in this land dispute.

It has been recently reported that the case is under the authority of Banteay Meanchey Court for further investigation.