Cambodian soldiers accused of land rights abuse in Prey Trolach forest

Cambodian soldiers and police have been clearing undergrowth with pesticides and using bulldozers to bring down trees in an area of community forest, according to local groups. The alleged land seizure at the 1,335 hectare (3,300 acre) Prey Trolach commune forest, a four-hour drive from the capital Phnom Penh, began five to six weeks ago. … The Prey Trolach forest in Roka Kiri district in Battambang province was established in 2004 and has gained national recognition from the ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Planting of crops has already started on land that has been taken, according to After the Flood. The military have planted about 40 hectares of corn on land they cleared, and the military police have planted about 10 hectares, with activity stepping up this week. There is now a road from the disputed land’s southern to northern boundaries. The alleged seizure came just after a speech by the prime minister, Hun Sen, in which he spoke out forcibly against land “grabs”, an issue that was flagged up by the UN special rapporteur for Cambodia during a visit in May. … More than 400,000 Cambodians have been affected by land “grabs” and evictions since 2003, according to the Cambodian league for the promotion and defense of human rights (Licadho), which works in 12 provinces across half the country. Last year there was a big increase in land disputes, the group said, with an additional 11,000 families affected. …

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/aug/03/cambodian-soldiers-land-rights-prey-trolach