"Kampong Speu sugar company villagers protest at Land Management Ministry", 5 April 2019

Nearly 700 people from different communities in Kampong Speu province protested in front of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction …, seeking a solution to their long-running land dispute with three sugar companies.

The villagers petitioned the ministry to speed up the settlement for the disputants from 14 villages in Oral district’s Trapaing Chou commune, three in Rasmey Samaki commune and six in Thpong district’s Omlaing commune.

They have been embroiled in a land dispute … with Phnom Penh Sugar Company, Kampong Speu Sugar, and Sugar Plantation, the petition states. The former is owned by tycoon Ly Yong Phat, whereas the existence of the other two could not be ascertained…

Yub Noeun, a Trapaing Chou commune resident, said she had lost 3ha of land … adding that she wanted to be compensated $5,000 per hectare instead of the $500 payout for each family which was given by Phnom Penh Sugar ...

Seng Sokhom, who represents the disputants from Oral district, said 20 people were invited to have a dialogue regarding their dispute with a ministry working group.

The protesters, he said, agreed on the ministry’s idea to involve the communities in finding solutions…

A meeting note seen by … confirmed that a ministry working group will conduct visits to the respective communities after Khmer New Year.

They will meet with the disputants and collect information from them, it continued.

Ministry spokesman Seng Lot and representatives from Phnom Penh Sugar Company could not be reached for comment ...