Hundreds of Preah Sihanouk Families Forced From Homes
More than 100 families in Preah Sihanouk province were forcefully removed from their homes yesterday morning by at least 100 armed police officers who dispersed the crowd by firing shots into the air from AK-47 rifles and spraying villagers with water cannons, accoring to provincial authorities and human rights groups. One woman was also detained. “We tried to find resolution for the villagers, and we also did not want to use force to [evict], but they did not accept our resolution,” said Mong Mony Chakriya, chief of Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court, adding that the villagers were living illegally on 5 hectares of land owned by provincial port official Chain Kaing. But the evicted families disagreed, saying they purchased the land legally. … Ung Setha, the chief of Phuom Bei village in Muoy commune, said the families had been living on the site since 1993, which gave them the right to apply for a title under the Land Law. …
