Cambodian minister orders officials to stop rampant land stealing in Ratanakkiri
Saturday, 04 Jul 2020
12:40 PM MYT
Phnom Penh, July 4 (The Phnom Penh Post/ANN): After a meeting with officials, the Ratanakkiri governor, and commune and district authorities, Minister of Environment Say Sam Al said land stealing is rampant and has not slowed down in the province.

Sam Al said local officials have been involved in several illegal land sales to various entities and stressed that measures preventing such actions must be stronger.

He said local authorities continued to sign illegal land titles even though they have been educated on the matter many times.

“Local authorities have to take part in protecting and conserving natural resources. They can’t cut trees, burn land or steal state land. They must not illegally request state land for culprits. (If they do so) they have to face the law without being forgiven,” he said.

Ratanakkiri provincial Department of Environment director Phon Khemarin said Sam Al’s assertion was a reminder to those who steal land in protected areas.

“I am sorry, but I cannot tell you the exact places where land stealing occurred. We are doing the job. We are working with the court,” he said.

Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra said many hectares of land in protected areas have been stolen. The ministry will take measures to build court cases and take back the land.

Ratanakkiri provincial coordinator for Adhoc Din Khanny agreed with Sam Al’s assertions. Local authorities receive benefits for not preventing land stealing in protected areas, he said.

But Khanny thinks Sam Al’s request to strengthen measures is a bit late. Protected areas are already almost lost entirely, Khanny said.

Local authorities became careless and even threatened, sued and slandered activists trying to protect the land, he said.

“If the measures are taken from now on, there are at least some natural resources that remain. If it is like how Sam Al has mentioned, we can take back state land.

“Legally, officials who signed documents and those who occupied state land must receive the same punishment,” he said.

The Post has been unable to reach provincial governor Thorng Savun.

There are six protected areas covering 893,594ha including Virachey National Park, O’Yadav National Park, Lum Phat Wildlife Sanctuary and Siem Pang Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the environment ministry. - The Phnom Penh Post/Asian News Network
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/as ... atanakkiri

Incidentally, five years ago, the same minister was telling the Ratanakiri minority tribes to get with the programme of deforestation.
Old thread from 2015:
newsworthy/minister-says-minorities-sho ... t4336.html

Iron Man has spoken to him, apparently.

Long read.
Ratanakkiri officials face scrutiny for allegedly threatening activists
18 July 2020
Khuon Narim

A local civil society group called on the Justice Ministry to investigate authorities in Ratanakkiri province for allegedly intimidating environmental activists to withdraw their complaint against corrupt officials related to the destruction of a community forest.

The request comes after an environmental activist was allegedly beaten up at a public forum held on July 8 in Lumphat district’s Seda commune after he raised the issue of local authorities colluding to clear and sell off community forestland in 2017.

Activist Chhorn Phalla, 41, fled Samutkroam village with his family this week due to persecution, but authorities have denied the allegations of intimidation and beatings.

Ny Sokha, head of human rights and land rights at Adhoc, said at a press conference on July 16 that his organization has received at least three letters from other villagers in the area saying they had been forced by local authorities to sign contracts promising to withdraw complaints they had made court over illegal forestland clearing.

“I have received three letters from villagers who have said they promised to withdraw complaints,” Sokha said at the press conference, adding that some villagers were brought in front of local authorities and police officials to sign paperwork withdrawing their complaints on July 8 and 9.

“It raises concerns over why they had gone to withdraw their complaints in front of officials, and whether the officials had made a mistake or not,” Sokha said. “I am just raising the issue for law experts to consider, especially the Justice Ministry.”

He added that a criminal complaint cannot be withdrawn by police officials or local authorities because once a complaint is filed, it is the duty of the provincial court prosecutor to decide how to proceed.

“We have asked [judicial] authorities to consider carrying out the law regarding a person who has committed intimidation against another person not to file a complaint,” Sokha said.

He said that the court and Justice Ministry should take into consideration Article 527 of the Criminal Code, which says “any threat or intimidation made against a victim with a view to persuading him or her not to file a complaint or to withdraw it shall be punishable by imprisonment from 1 to 3 years.”

Phalla, who was present at the press conference, called on the government to provide him with protection from authorities and other villagers who he says have hated him since he filed a complaint several years ago alleging they had colluded with authorities to clear community forest land.

“My family members and I are afraid to return home right now that they have threatened to beat us up if we do not follow them” by withdrawing the complaint, he said after the conference.
Full article: https://cambojanews.com/ratanakkiri-off ... activists/