Relocation fears for Siem Reap families
About 90 Siem Reap families have rejected what they say is a preliminary move by the provincial authority to have them moved off land declared part of Kulen Mountain National Park in 2002. The families, in Banteay Srei district’s Tbeng commune, said yesterday they had rejected an offer to be moved to unseen land because they feared being moved to an isolated area bereft of infrastructure. Koe Sophy, a village representative, said the offer had been made during a meeting with provincial Department of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction officials and Banteay Srei’s district chief. “Banteay Srei’s village chief said that we must leave if the government wants to develop this area, because we’re living illegally on government land,” Koe Sophy said. “We settled there in 1997 and we . . . have land ownership documentation.” …
