Borei Keila Residents Protest as Villager Is Questioned

About 100 Borei Keila residents gathered outside Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday to protest the questioning of community representative Phok Lina on accusations of fraud and forgery over the sale of a home he was granted as part of a relocation deal to make way for a Phanimex construction project.

“We came to protest to support and encourage him; he didn’t do anything wrong,” resident Sor Sorn said. On Wednesday, authorities padlocked the home of On Nita, which had been sold to him by Mr. Lina without a land title in August 2010.

On Thursday, Prampi Makara district governor Som Sovan said land titles would only be issued five years after relocation.

“No officials made it clear that I could not sell my home before five years elapsed at all,” Mr. Lina said, adding that he had been questioned about the sale as well as his activity as a protester. He said he was worried about Mr. Nita. “I’m worried about the new owner of the house…[the authorities] came to threaten him and his family.”

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