Ministry of Agriculture blamed for Cambodia's Economic Land Concession problems.
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2016 7:46 am
A curious speech here by the Deputy Prime Minister against the Ministry of Agriculture, designating it responsible for the mismanagement of Cambodia's Economic Land Concessions. It is even suggested that land grants have been given to corporations illegally by MoA officials
Chhin chides ministry on ELCs
Thu, 22 December 2016
Phak Seangly
Deputy Prime Minister Bin Chhin, the Kingdom’s top authority in charge of resolving land disputes, slammed the Ministry of Agriculture over “shameful” irregularities in granting economic land concessions at the Environment Ministry’s annual meeting yesterday.
During yesterday’s meeting, Chhin accused the Ministry of Agriculture of granting land concessions in protected areas, displacing villagers and carelessly handing out huge swaths of land to corporations.He said that while both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Environment can grant economic land concessions for companies to invest, the Environment Ministry does it better and more transparently.
“We have to talk honestly here,” Chhin said.“The granting of economic land concession is, by policy, made only on barren forest land where the forest does not grow well. This is not the reality; I think that all of you have known, but you do not dare to speak.”
The government’s ELC policy has affected tens of thousands of Cambodians, resulting in countless disputes, many of which have dragged on for years. It has also been blamed for deforestation on a massive scale, including in ostensibly protected forests.
Chhin yesterday claimed some agriculture officials simply marked out enormous concessions without inspecting the actual land to see if it was protected. On one occasion, the ministry actually granted a concession on land where an agriculture office was located, he added...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/c ... istry-elcs
Chhin chides ministry on ELCs
Thu, 22 December 2016
Phak Seangly
Deputy Prime Minister Bin Chhin, the Kingdom’s top authority in charge of resolving land disputes, slammed the Ministry of Agriculture over “shameful” irregularities in granting economic land concessions at the Environment Ministry’s annual meeting yesterday.
During yesterday’s meeting, Chhin accused the Ministry of Agriculture of granting land concessions in protected areas, displacing villagers and carelessly handing out huge swaths of land to corporations.He said that while both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Environment can grant economic land concessions for companies to invest, the Environment Ministry does it better and more transparently.
“We have to talk honestly here,” Chhin said.“The granting of economic land concession is, by policy, made only on barren forest land where the forest does not grow well. This is not the reality; I think that all of you have known, but you do not dare to speak.”
The government’s ELC policy has affected tens of thousands of Cambodians, resulting in countless disputes, many of which have dragged on for years. It has also been blamed for deforestation on a massive scale, including in ostensibly protected forests.
Chhin yesterday claimed some agriculture officials simply marked out enormous concessions without inspecting the actual land to see if it was protected. On one occasion, the ministry actually granted a concession on land where an agriculture office was located, he added...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/c ... istry-elcs