On Coast, Chinese Development Pushes Thousands From Land
Thousands of villagers in a remote district of the coastal province of Koh Kong have been evicted or are facing eviction in the face of a Chinese resort development project. Some families have moved unwillingly to relocation sites. But others are refusing to leave, setting the stage for another land dispute. The villagers are facing eviction from a 36,000-hectare resort project by the Chinese Union Development Group, which holds a 99-year lease on the land. … More than 1,100 families in 13 villages across Kirisakor and Botumsakor districts are facing displacement from the $3.8-billion development project, according to rights organizations. Most of them have already been forced to move to relocation sites. Only a few dozen families, like those of Pev Leav, have refused to move. …
