Gov’t Asks Company to Return Village Land

Government officials went to Kompong Cham province Tues-day to ask a local agricultural company to cease bulldozing the fields of villagers with whom it has a land dispute.

Kompong Cham Governor Hun Nang, the prime minister’s bro­ther, said Wednesday that he asked the government to force Agostar Company to return to the villagers 300 of the 2,400 hec­tares of land it is claiming.

According to Kompong Cham provincial police chief Sourn Chheangly, Agostar started bulldozing fields in the Tumnap commune of Pathay district in July in order to grow mango and ca­shew trees. The land is claimed by 200 families who have planted crops on it.

Tensions rose to a climax Monday when the families went to Phnom Penh to demonstrate in front of the National Assembly and the Ministry of Interior.

The government has sent a compromise group to the village including top Hun Sen adviser Kun Kim and Agriculture Min­istry Undersecretary of State Teng Lao to negotiate with the company.

 

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