Seventy-three families from Kampong Speu province’s Phnom Sruoch district yesterday appealed to Prime Minister Hun Sen to intervene with provincial authorities in Treng Trayeong commune to help them resettle after their houses were cleared on Friday.

Pheng Polin, one of the evicted villagers, said that only Hun Sen could intervene on behalf of villagers locked in a decade-long land dispute with petrol conglomerate Sokimex.

Evicted villager Sieng Sokha said that she and 20 other families were also banned from staying in nearby Treng Trayoeng pagoda.