NGOs say selling off old land concessions is premature
The government’s announcement on Wednesday that companies looking to start rubber plantations could skirt a moratorium on new economic land concessions (ELCs) by taking over existing, dormant ones continued to make a good impression on prospective investors in town Thursday.
Ly Phalla, who heads the Agriculture Ministry’s general directorate of rubber, made the pitch to new investors on the first of a two-day summit on the rubber industry that drew industry experts, consultants and traders to Phnom Penh from across the region. Of the nearly 1 million hectares currently being leased out for rubber plantations, he said only a fraction was in use, leaving much of the rest up for grabs.
Rights groups, however, said Thursday that it was irresponsible to solicit new investors when the government had not yet fixed the flaws in the country’s controversial ELC system and had yet to finish a review of existing ELCs. ...
Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/ngos-say-selling-off-old-land-concessions-is-premature-53677/
