Secession claims in S’ville

THE president of the Khmer Rise Party Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung, a member of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations, said he considers one area in Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Nop district a secessionist area.

This comes after private security guards wearing the uniform of the Ministry of Environment blockaded the way to the area and are suspected of holding citizens hostage.

Vathana Sabung told The Post on Sunday that the day before, he had led a working group armed with a proper mission letter from the government to get to the bottom of the incident.

He said he was told that the authorities used violence and confined between 30 to 50 people in Smach Deng village, Ream commune, Prey Nop district, Preah Sihanouk province.

“What the citizens have reported, I am not sure if it’s true or not, which is why I have to go to the place where citizens say people are being held to find out the facts,” Vathana Sabung said.

He said he was not sure whether what the villagers reported is true or not, but he was barred from entry.

“Environment officials and private security guards stopped us,” he said. He said he was told he would have to wait for authorities even though he had the mission letter.

He said the road is the only way to access the area in question and he was only 1km away but couldn’t get there.

Vathana Sabung said he would prepare two sets of documents to the Ministry of Interior and Prime Minister Hun Sen to check on the case.

He said environment officials said the land was inside the Ream National Park area, which is barred from visitors.

“I said I have a mission letter from the national level, why can’t I enter? This is an offensive act by officials trying to cover up the truth and create a secessionist movement here.

“My focus is on what is going on inside there? What are they producing? What offences have been committed? Why are national officials not allowed to enter?” he asked.

Chuon Voeun, a residents’ representative, said on Sunday that on January 3, local authorities used machinery to destroy 134 homes and crops in an attempt to eradicate evidence that people have owned this land for five to 10 years.

He said they also used violence and blockaded access and travel.

“The authorities demolished our house and did not let us in. We need to grow our crops but we have not been allowed to enter since the beginning of January,” Voeun said.

He said on Sunday, besides blocking people from entering the disputed area, three people were held and he does not know if they have been set free or otherwise.

The Ministry of Environment issued a press release on Sunday claiming it is always open to cooperation with all members of the Supreme Council for Consultation and Recommendations.

But cooperation needs to be informed and a specific time needs to be set in order to visit the area.

“The Ministry of Environment really regrets the irresponsible acts and ignorance of the working procedures of the president of the Khmer Rise Party. This shows arrogance without evidence,” the press released stated.”

The press release also claimed that the people who came to protest, who Vathana Sabung considered to be the victims, were, in fact, the illegal occupiers.

“In this case, this party president should have been more mature and carefully disseminated the information as there was no use of violence or confinement of citizens,” the press released claimed.

Preah Sihanouk Provincial Hall spokesman Kheang Phearum told The Post on Sunday there was no illegal confinement.

“The people who have ownership are citizens and if those who have just taken possession of the land don’t have a possession letter they will face legal penalties.

I am the authority before Vathana Sabung. I don’t need him to intervene,” he said.