Phnong ethnic minority villagers in Mondolkiri province accused provincial officials on Tuesday of ignoring their demands and handing a Chinese company vast amounts of land around their villages.
A group of provincial representatives lead by Sok Ron, Mondolkiri’s second deputy governor, began erecting posts 500 meters from Pou Siam village in O’Reang district’s Sen Monorom commune on Monday and Tuesday, villagers said.
The officials also reportedly met with villagers and told them only that amount of land could be set aside for the village as Wuzhishan LS Group needed the remainder to plant pine trees.
“Those officials did not talk to us about our demands but instead have tried to force and intimidate us into accepting only 500 meters of land around our village,” community leader Hor Phlil said Tuesday.
Wuzhishan officials accompanied the provincial officials, Hor Phlil added.
Phnong villagers in Sen Monorom commune and Sen Monorom district’s Dak Dam commune have been embroiled in a land dispute with Wuzhishan since last year, culminating in massive protests and a promise from the government in July to resolve the issue.
The villagers in Sen Monorom commune have asked for possession of all land in a 10-km radius around their villages while Dak Dam commune residents have asked for a 3-km zone.
Em Veasna, an investigator for NGO Vigilance, said if provincial authorities refuse to listen to the villagers’ demands, it could incite the hill tribesmen to protest again.
“I am really worried that if the dispute takes too long to find a resolution, the villagers might hold other serious protests in order to get their demands,” Em Veasna said.
Provincial Governor Thou Son confirmed provincial officials had been sent to Pou Siam village but refused to say anything further.
Interior Ministry secretary of state and head of the interministerial committee charged with resolving the dispute, Nuth Sa An, said the government has not yet decided on the villagers’ demands.
“We are working on this matter,” he said.
