Representatives from an ethnic Bunong community in Mondolkiri province filed a complaint with a district governor against a commune police chief on Thursday after he allegedly cleared trees belonging to villagers in Pech Chreada district’s Krang Tes commune, officials said Friday.
“The representatives of Bunong villagers collected 100 fingerprints in their community to ask for the removal of commune police chief Yim Ban after they complained that he cut down their commune forest and cleared trees they use for growing black pepper,” said commune chief Trek Sophon.
Despite trying to mediate negotiations with villagers, Mr. Sophon said an agreement was not reached, and he therefore sent the complaint to district Governor Nguon Saran.
“We tried to solve the problem with villagers but they did not accept. Therefore, we decided to send it to the district governor to find solution for them,” he said.
“We have received their complaint and we will go there to conduct an investigation into this.”
