Seven villagers have been arrested and detained in prison over land disputes in Banteay Meanchey and Battambang provinces, officials said Tuesday.
Four villagers arrested in Poipet commune Friday were charged Monday with violating the property of others, Adhoc’s Banteay Meanchey coordinator Sam Chan Kea said.
The arrests stemmed from a dispute between 29 families living on 78 hectares of land since 1988 in Andoung Thma village and senior military officials who are trying to clear the property for unknown purposes, Sam Chan Kea said.
The families sent a letter of complaint to Adhoc Aug 26 claiming that the military officials were conspiring with local officials to usurp them from the land, he said.
Banteay Meanchey provincial police chief But Chhoeung said the four were arrested for leading villagers who tried to burn a car belonging to local government officials who were dealing with the dispute.
But Chhoeung said the disputed area was “military development land” and that part of it was being given to demobilized soldiers.
Demobilized soldiers involved in a separate dispute protested Monday outside Banteay Meanchey’s provincial offices demanding land promised to them by the government, officials said.
The protestors dispersed after provincial governor On Sum agreed to hold a meeting today to address their demands.
On Sum said he would hold a meeting between the protesters and their former RCAF commanders who are accused of selling land earmarked for demobilized soldiers. “If the land was sold, I will rescind [the sale],” he said Monday.
In Battambang’s Bavel district, an 84-year-old man and two others in their mid-50s were arrested Monday and accused of establishing a secessionist movement related to a land dispute involving 3,170 families, most of whom are families of demobilized soldiers, villagers said. The three, and two other suspects who are at large, were accused of distributing 10,000 hectares of disputed land to the 3,170 families.
Yorm Moun, deputy commander of RCAF Battalion 2 in Bavel district, said soldiers helped execute the arrest warrant with police.
Battambang Provincial Court Director Nil Non said he was unaware of the arrests.
Yeng Meng Ly, Adhoc’s Battambang coordinator, said that a Chinese company cleared a section of the 10,000 hectares earlier this year but then stopped several months ago. What officials plan to do with the land is still a mystery, Yeng Meng Ly said.
