New village prepared to move Angkor residents
MINISTER of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Chea Sophara said over 40,000 plots of land have been measured and marked in the Angkor Archaeological Park and other areas under the control of the Apsara National Authority (ANA), while 61ha of land has been cleared in Banteay Srei district’s Run Ta Ek commune to prepare for families who are moving out of the park.
“Additionally, a 1,730m gravel road will be prepared by the Siem Reap engineering corps to allow access to the new village, Run Ta Ek,” he said in an August 28 social media post, in reference to a new site in Banteay Srei district that has been allocated for people who have agreed to relocate from a protected area in Siem Reap town, within the sprawling park.
Hai Yong, who represents the orientation team, said the team had drawn lots for residents who were willing to relocate over the August 25-27 period. In total, 936 households in Siem Reap town’s Kokchak commune had drawn lots, a jump from 727 reported on August 25.
He added that the residents who are willing to relocate were happy and that some of them have requested that infrastructure, schools and a market be built in their new location.
“I have observed that they all appeared very happy to be drawing for plots of new land. There have been no problems that I am aware of, although naturally they have lots of questions,” he said.
He said his team was working hard to make sure the new residents would lack for nothing. Plans had been prepared for a new school and other infrastructure and work would begin soon. Environmental officials had also joined the team and were preparing to establish fruit trees. They would also replant the land the residents had vacated.
While inspecting the general work of environmental officials and park rangers in the community protected area of Run Ta Ek eco-village on August 26, Minister of Environment Say Samal said his ministry supported the land management ministry, ANA and the provincial administration in their mission to prepare the village for its new residents.
The government issued a directive on April 18 which established an orientation team tasked with solving the problem of illegal structures and land occupation in the Angkor park and other areas managed by the ANA.
The land management ministry sent 78 specialists – who worked alongside officials from
the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts – to measure plots and
identify illegal occupants of land and structures in the park area.
Choeurm Choeurb, a resident of Kokchak commune’s Veal village, said on August 28 that the plots in his village had been measured, but he was not required to relocate as his village was far from Angkor.
He added that although he can live on the land, he has no right to sell it and before building anything, he must obtain permission from the ANA.
“We have no title for this land, but we can stay. We just have to be mindful of the fact that all renovations must be approved by the ANA,” he said.