Mondolkiri Minorities to Protest Land Grab
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original re****t from Phnom Penh
02 May 2008
The rights group Adhoc will lead a demonstration on the behalf of
thousands of ethnic minorities who blame government officials and
businessmen for the alleged theft of land in Mondolkiri province.
More than 10,000 hectares of land have been taken in at least 15
different cases, leading to the arrests of at least two men, the group
said.
Pen Bunna, an Adhoc coordinator in Mondolkiri, told VOA Khmer that the
demonstration, to be held May 20, will include 200 participants
representing the victims of alleged land theft.
The demonstrators plan =93to ask the government for help in retaking
their community and state land,=94 he said.
=93Now the powerful men and businessmen are happy for their land
grabbing, but the minorities are suffering from the lose of their
land,=94 he said. =93As the government carries out the law to retake the
minority and state land, the powerful men and businessmen will see
suffering replacing that satisfaction.=94
Chhouk Savath, 48, a representative of hill tribesmen living in O=92Chum
village, in Mondolkiri=92s O=92Chum district, called the demonstration
=93a
very im****tant sign=94 in reflecting the need for a resolution to the
crisis.
=93I want to participate in the demonstration against the powerful men
who pressured us into selling our land to them and then cut most of
the forest,=94 Chhouk Savath said. =93The minorities have no land to crop
and to hunt. I and my fellow minorities who don=92t understand the law
suffer from land-grabbing.=94
Mondolkiri Governor Moung Poy declined to comment on the
demonstration, saying Friday he had not received a request from the
protesters.
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