Community Leaders Rally for Land Rights in Phnom Penh
Published on 21 June 2010
On June 15th, 2010, 350 community representatives from 24 provinces and municipalities - including ethnic minority communities - gathered near Wat Botum pagoda to rally for land rights.
Most of the representatives were engaged in land disputes with companies who had received economic land concessions from the government. Some face eviction, while others are being prevented from entering waters where they normally make their living as fishermen. The rally aimed to draw attention to their plight, and to gather petitions to be delivered to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The representatives gathered three boxes full of petitions.
About 80 of the representatives from Memot Disrict, Kampong Cham, initially gathered in front of Wat Botum on June 14. They were dispersed by about 20 police and authorities and forced to leave Wat Botum. LICADHO and other NGOs provided food, accommodation, and mediated with authorities on their behalf. The authorities ordered them to return home.
The group intended to march from the area of Wat Botum pagoda towards Hun Sen's house, but about 25 military and municipal police - armed with batons, shields, tear gas rifles and pistols - blocked their path. Approximately 50 armed military and civilian police, led by district governor Sok Sambath, stood watch nearby.
During the assembly, monk Loun Sovath was targeted by authorities for taking photographs. Police accused him of not being a real monk.
Authorities wearing civilian clothes took pictures of the monk. Half an hour later, authorities delivered a message from Teb Vong, a high-ranking monk: Loun Sovath was ordered to return to his pagoda. Loun Sovath refused and continued taking pictures. Authorities then attempted to arrest him before he finally left the scene.
A representative from the Prime Minister's office ultimately accepted the three boxes of petitions and asked the representatives to return home.
