Homes torched in wildlife sanctuary
Government officials and armed police burnt down 25 homes in Oddar Meanchey province’s Anlong Veng district yesterday claiming they were in the protected Kulen Prumtep Wildlife Sanctuary, villagers and a rights group investigator said yesterday. The houses, which are part of larger community of about 150 homes in Anlong Veng commune’s O’Ampil village, were burnt down by a joint committee of officials from the Ministry of Environment, police and the army, resident Chhorm Chhoeun said. In May last year, more than 100 houses were burnt down in the same village by provincial authorities who also accused the home owners of settling on protected land.
