More than 70 families from Kampong Speu province’s Phnom Sruoch district will face eviction today after the provincial court gave nearly two hectares of their land to representatives from petrol conglomerate Sokimex.

Yan Saron, a representative of 73 families from Village 3 in Treng Trayoeng commune, said yesterday that provincial prosecutor Khut Sopheang ordered them to remove their houses from 1.8 hectares of land between March 2 and 15, and give the land to Sokimex representative Chim Savong.

“I bought the land, [I did] not grab the land illegally,” he said, adding that villagers had lived in the area near Treng Trayoeng market for more than 20 years.

Yan Saron said the court case began in 2000, but people were not informed that they had lost the case.

“We will not remove and we will send a letter to the Ministry of Justice to ask for pending the eviction.”

Yan Saron said that the land was a “good location” and the evictions were because Sokimex wanted to build a petrol station.

Phnom Sruoch district governor Tep Mean said that he was unaware of the dispute and the provincial court had not informed him of the case.

“Why did no one send documents to me? If there is chaos … what will the authorities do?, ” he said.

Tep Mean said that the land had no owner prior to 1986, but “later it belonged to Sokimex gasoline company which have legal documents.”

Neither Sokimex representative Chim Savong nor provincial prosecutor Khut Sopheang could be reached for comment by The Post.