Bunong Minority Villagers Protest Against Rubber Company
About 80 ethnic Bunong villagers living in Mondolkiri’s Pech Chreada district staged a protest against the Socfin-KCD rubber company Monday, demanding that the firm honor its long-standing pledge to return 1,000 hectares of farmland located inside its concession. … Socfin-KCD, a join venture between Socfin, a Luxembourg-based holding company, and Cambodia’s Khaou Chuly Group, has been accused of forcing villagers into selling their land. Back in 2008, hundreds of villagers torched and smashed vehicles belonging to the rubber company and confronted armed police. … Mr. Sin [a representative of Bunong families] said that following the half-hour demonstration outside Socfin-KDC’s offices, two of the protesters met with representatives of the firm in an attempt to resolve the conflict. Although not present at the meeting, Mr. Sin said the company had agreed to demarcate the 1,000 hectares of contested land for the villagers. …
