About 100 residents of Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila community embroiled in a long-running land dispute with the powerful construction firm Phanimex filed a complaint at the Prampi Makara district offices on Friday, seeking the intervention of Phnom Penh governor Kep Chuktema, and demanding that the company fulfill its agreement to house the residents in apartments.
Phanimex had promised to build 10 apartment blocks to house the 1,776 affected families, but only eight have been built, leaving 384 families without permanent accommodation. The conditions were set when the residents gave the company their land in 2003.
Borei Keila resident Khiev Lai, 38, said she had been living in the community since 1993. “I have the documents as evidence, but I still don’t have an apartment like other residents,” she said.
“I appeal to Samdech Hun Sen to solve the problem; without intervention from him, the company and the local authorities will not provide for us,” Ms Lai said.
Another resident Sor Sorn, 54, said she still did not have her name on the list to receive an apartment.
Phanimex chairwoman Suy Sophan has repeatedly said that the company was given a list of only 1,382 families eligible for resettlement.
On Aug 26, prime minister warned the owners of economic land concessions to resolve their disputes with villagers or risk having their licenses revoked.
Yesterday, Ms Sophan said that for “the villagers who have documents, the company will provide an apartment.” She added that Phanimex will begin moving residents into blocks 7 and 8 next month.
