Dispute heats up with RCAF
Commune authorities and 41 Oddar Meanchey families Chheu Krom village staged a forum yesterday, accusing Royal Forces border soldiers of unlawfully grabbing their land and banning the villagers from farming in their area. The dispute, ongoing since 2008, has recently reached fever pitch as RCAF soldiers have erected formal fencing post and military cottages on the 1,333 hectare disputed land, peaking villager fears that their arable farming land would soon disappear under a military base…. Despite provincial authorities’ previous attempts to compromise, with the latest meeting in July, there has been no resolution. Village chief, Chhum Nhory, said that since the last meeting, soldiers have built two small cottages and posts to divide the land.
