Military police and workers from a Chinese company in Koh Kong province persisted yesterday in their attempt to remove houses belonging to over 20 families and progress with plans to develop a sprawling $3.8 billion tourism project.
On Wednesday, human rights group Licadho released a statement saying military police and workers from Union Development Group were removing houses and uprooting crops in Botum Sakor district and that their actions were in violation of the 2001 Land Law.
“They haven’t stopped and continue to clear land, remove poles and houses,” said Srey Khmao, a villager in Thma Sar commune. “I saw these activities clearly with my own eyes.”
Neang Boratino, provincial coordinator for the rights group Adhoc, also confirmed that evictions in the area continued yesterday.
“The company has not suspended activity, and they used the excuse that delaying the project would cost them money,” he said.
While 1,100 families living along the coast in Botum Sakor and Kiri Sakor districts have accepted compensation, 40 families have not.
Union Development Group has cleared about 30 km of woodland from Thma Sar commune in Botum Sakor district to Koh Sdech commune in neighboring Kiri Sakor district to make way for displaced families, and has began construction work on hotels, office blocks and more roads lining the coast.
Rows of yellow wooden houses can be seen about 20 km from the coastline where families now live on parched, deforested land, far away from the rows of cashew and coconut trees they once possessed.
Military Police Commander General Sao Sokha downplayed the role of his men in the eviction, saying they were only present in order to facilitate the development.
“The government has decided already…that [Union Development Group] come to do business, so we have to protect them,” he said. “I do not defend the Chinese, but I do defend Cambodian law.”
Botum Sakor district governor Orn Phearak said he was unaware of any police intimidation and had asked local authorities to inform him about how many families in the area had not accepted compensation.
