The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 553
“Mr. Eng Chhay Eang, the secretary-general of the opposition party, resigned from the position of deputy chairperson of the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes. The official resignation came one day before Prime Minister Hun Sen criticized the chairperson and the secretary-general of this Authority for being inactive and not working well, and he said that this Authority should be dissolved.
“On 24 March 2008, Mr. Eng Chhay Eang had written to Mr. Sok An, the chairperson of the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes, a deputy prime minister, and the minister in charge of the office of the Council of Ministers, stating, ‘Currently land disputes are spreading almost everywhere across Cambodia. Land disputes are caused mostly by the powerful and the rich who use various means to confiscate land from the poor, from the weak, and from the innocent. The authorities do not have the capacity and clear mechanisms to solve land disputes for the citizens. Moreover, a number of municipal and provincial authorities used armed forces to suppress and to evict people from their residences unjustly, and they used violence against the people. This resulted also in some citizens being injured, and some were even killed. Some people were arrested and imprisoned, while others fled from their hometowns, fearing that the authorities would arrest them.’
“The letter continued, ‘Having seen that the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes, which had been set up two years ago, does not fulfill its duties appropriately and does not have the capacity and the willingness to solve land disputes for the citizens, I would like to resign from the position of deputy chairperson of the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes from the date of signing this letter.’
“Delivering a speech at an annual conference of the Ministry of Land Management, Urbanization and Construction in the evening of Tuesday in the Chaktomuk Conference Hall, Mr. Hun Sen warned Mr. Sok An and Mr. Svay Sitha, the secretary-general of the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes, that this Authority should be dissolved, because it is too inactive. The head of the government blamed Mr. Svay Sitha, who has a bad reputation for an extramarital love affair with Miss Tat Marina, a TV program presenter, for delaying dispute solutions, causing disputes to happen, using disputes for personal gain, and not working.
“Mr. Svay Sitha was not present at the occasion where Mr. Hun Sen blamed him with strong words. The National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes was formed in early 2006 and has a membership from all political parties which have seats in the National Assembly. The Sam Rainsy Party has two representatives – Mr. Eng Chhay Eang and Mr. Chhit Sarith, who has now defected to Cambodian People’s Party. Land disputes have doubled. There have been thousands of cases concerning the powerful and the rich, as they grab land from the people.
“Mr. Lu Lay Sreng, the first vice-president of Funcinpec, told Khmer Machas Srok by phone, ‘As for the speech of Prime Minister Hun Sen, it depends on his understanding… He can do whatever he thinks is right. I don’t know much about this issue… If this authority was created… and if there is no transparency, why was it set up?’
“Regarding the blame that Prime Minister Hun Sen put on Mr. Svay Sitha, Lu Lay Sreng said, ‘They are his subordinates and confidants.’” Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #124, 27.3.2008
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Chuoy Khmer, Vol.2, #73, 27.3.2008
- [Vice-president of Human Rights Party] Keo Remy: Sok An Controls Too Many Different Authorities [high level government corporations not under any ministry]; therefore He Is Incompetent to Solve Land Disputes [the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes being one of these Authorities]
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1603, 27.3.2008
- US Denies Plan to Provide More Aid to Khmer Rouge Tribunal
- Government Sells Rice to Citizens at a Cheap Price [of Riel 2,250, approx. US$0.56 per kg – Russey Keo, Phnom Penh]
- Economic Police Checks Prices of Goods on the Market [Phnom Penh]
- More Than 10,000 Hectares of Flooded Forest Land in Kompong Thom Surrounded with Dike Constructions to Be Claimed [by businesspeople and officials]
Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #124, 27.3.2008
- Eng Chhay Eang Resigns as Vice-President of National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes
- Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association Demands Phnom Penh Regime Decrease Prices of Goods on the Market
Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #7, 26-28.3.2008
- Minister of Environment [Mok Mareth]: 59% of Trees Still Remain in Cambodia [he said that there are still many trees]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6307, 27.3.2008
- Gas and Oil Income Is Not Enough for Economic Development
- In 2008, Government Has the Goal to Issue 1 Million Land Titles
- South Korea Requires Troops to Take a [Hot] Bath Only Once a Week and Reduce Training in Order to Save Energy
Meatophum, Vol.52, #682, 26-29.3.2008
- Khmer King Visits Site of Oil Production in Brunei
Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3423, 27.3.2008
- US Ambassador Says Khmer Rouge Tribunal Spends Less Money Than Criminal Court in Yugoslavia
- Limitation of Number of Observers Will Make Elections Not Free and Not Fair
- Government Announces Suspension of Rice Exports for Two Months
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #45, .3.2008
- League of Rice Millers’ Association Carries 500 Tonnes of “Neang Minh” Rice to Sell at Phsar Chas Stalls, Phnom Penh [at Riel 2,600, approx. US$0.65]
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