22 Families in Kampong Thom File Petition with Senate Over Land Dispute

In Kampong Thom province, Cambodia, 22 families representing 48 households have petitioned the Senate and the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction for intervention regarding a land dispute covering over 230 hectares. The petition was submitted on July 27th. The petitioners claim they have been cultivating land along the Tonle Sap River since 1993, with the recognition of local authorities (village and commune levels), and possess cultivation rights certificates and confirmations. In the past, they received surveys and allocation of cultivation rights from student teams, in line with the high recommendations and spirit of Sub-Decrees No. 1044 (2014) and No. 1003 (2015) from the Council of Ministers, concerning the examination and allocation of land for actual cultivation by residents in the Tonle Sap area, along with additional guidance from the government working group in Kampong Thom province. However, over the last approximately three years, authorities led by Mr. Mam Thien, the deputy district governor of Tang Krork district, have allegedly prohibited and obstructed the residents' cultivation activities, causing damage to agricultural equipment. Specific actions mentioned include cutting irrigation pipes, confiscating water pumps, and accusing them of encroaching on new state forest land. The residents state that these actions by the authorities are not in line with the government's directives, causing them significant hardship and loss of income to support their families. Meanwhile, village and commune authorities have clearly confirmed that the residents have been cultivating the old farmland for a long time without encroaching on new forest land. The residents have requested the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction to: 1. Assign specialized officials to conduct an on-site investigation of the disputed land and provide justice to the residents. 2. Intervene to facilitate and allow residents to continue cultivating the old farmland on an interim basis. 3. Expedite the implementation of Sub-Decrees No. 1044 and No. 1003 from the Council of Ministers to organize the procedures for allocating cultivation rights and issuing legal ownership certificates to the residents, thereby resolving this protracted land dispute peacefully. In response, a representative from the Senate met with the residents, received their letter, and promised to provide information later. A representative from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction stated that after receiving the letter, they would conduct an investigation and provide information. Source: CEN Cambodia