P Sihanouk authorities to go ahead with demolition plan
THE Preah Sihanouk prov incia l aut horit y will continue with plans to bulldoze some 20 homes i n Sihanoukville, after aut horities failed to find a solution to an ongoing land dispute wit h v illagers during a v isit on Monday.
The homes, located in Village I, Commune I, have faced demolition since sub-decree 116 was issued in June 2016, as they are located in the Kbal Chhay protected area on the outskirts of the city.
Provincial authority spokesman Y Thearin said the authority visited the area on Monday morning, but did not reach a solution with the villagers and will continue to demarcate the land in accordance with the government sub-decree.
“We met wit h t he v illagers at t he prov incia l hall. We are demarcating t he land now, but it af fects some v illagers. We haven’t yet found a solution, they live illega lly on protected la nd at Kbal Chhay,” he said.
Over 100 families have petitioned prov incia l governor Yun Min ask ing for a solution to t he land issue. They claim the sub-decree instr ucted aut horities to give part of the Kbal Chhay land to t hem, but aut horities failed to do so.
Lim Veasna, t he v illager’s representative, said on Monday t hat t he prov incia l aut horit y’s actions are i mpacting t he homes of more than 20 families who have been liv ing t here since 2014.
“The authorit y came without any letter, announcement or solution for the v illagers. They just told us t hat t hey are follow ing t he sub-decree and will continue to bulldoze it.
“We are seek ing a solution, but it is not effective because they have more power,” he said.
Prov incia l Environmental Department director Samut Sothearith said t he prov incia l aut horit y will continue to demarcate the land in accordance with the sub-decree.
“We continue to build the demarca- tion between the land of the villagers and Kbal Chhay [protected area], which is protected by a sub-decree. We need to build the demarcation so that it is clear what is villagers’ land and what is the state’s,” he said.
Cambodian National Research Organisation director Sok Sok hom supported t he aut horit y’s actions, claiming t hat t hey had a lready “cut of f land for t he v i l lagers”.