"PM orders probes after report of land grabs by authorities", 9 September 2019

Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered investigations after receiving a report … that two provincial authorities illegally granted private companies state land for development when it was intended for villagers.

… Two letters signed by Council of Ministers secretary of state Hing Thoraksy … said that investigations were being carried out on Hun Sen’s orders ...

One letter ordered the Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, Chea Sophara, and the Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology, Lim Kean Hor, to look into misconduct regarding the implementation of sub-decree Nº183 …

The other called on Minister of Interior Sar Kheng to investigate irregularities in the application of the Law on Expropriation and sub-decree Nº93 … concerning land in Lvea Em district’s Koh Reah commune in Kandal province.

… Neither Ministry of Land Management spokesman Seng Lot nor Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology spokesman Chan Yutha could be reached for comment …

In the Kandal province case, the government issued a sub-decree … ordering the provincial authority to resolve a land dispute according to the Law on Expropriation. However, it instead granted the land to a private company for development, ...

The authorities bulldozed the crops of some 100 families without compensating them.

“The sub-decree dictated that the Kandal provincial administration must offer reasonable compensation . . . but it did not do so. The authority showed the residents sub-decree No 93 and offered them a low price.

… Kandal provincial governor Mao Phearun denied allegations the administration had improperly applied the law…