Dispute fires up

More than 300 protesters seized two company trucks outside the Kratie office of Korean-owned timber company Think Biotech Co yesterday as protests by villagers who allege land-grabbing continued for a second day.

The villagers, residents of Sambor district’s Kampong Cham and Boeung Char communes, said the company has refused to negotiate.

“We have seized the company’s two trucks to ask the company to come and settle, but they refused to negotiate and are conspiring with authorities to arrest me and two others,” community representative Sam No, 54, said.

“We protest to protect the land, but they accused us of spying and of masterminding the protest,” he said. Think Biotech Co was granted 34,007 hectares of economic land concession in 2010 to develop agro-industry in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces.

Neither Sambor district governor Seng Sotha nor the company could not be reached.