Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Authorities on the hunt to bring Kampot creek fillers to justice

Authorities on the hunt to bring Kampot creek fillers to justice

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Kampot provincial governor Cheav Tay ordered an illegally-filled creek in Teuk Chhu Destrict be restored on Thursday, FRESH NEWS

Authorities on the hunt to bring Kampot creek fillers to justice

Kampot provincial governor Cheav Tay has ordered the authorities to search for whoever illegally filled in a creek at Kbal Romeas and hold them accountable under the law.

He also warned local authorities that they would be held accountable if they allowed state land to be grabbed within their jurisdiction.

Tay on Wednesday inspected the creek, near National Road 33 in Trapaing Thom village, in Teuk Chhou district’s Chum Kriel commune, which had been filled with soil. He ordered technical officials to use machinery to excavate the earth.

“When we saw that the creek had been filled in, we had it excavated. We are now attempting to find whoever did it and bring them to justice. We cannot let such state property be violated,” he told The Post.

Tay instructed all municipal, district and commune authorities to uphold the law and protect what belonged to the state.

“They must not allow any violations to happen. If they allow it, the local authorities must be held responsible according to the law,” he said.

So Bun Thoeurn, the deputy police chief of Kampot province’s Chhouk district, said on Thursday after a field visit that soil had been illegally dumped on 40m to 50m of Kbal Roemas forest land, while seven to eight metres of the old canal near the national road had been completely been filled-in.

“I took charge of the machinery and about 16 truckloads of soil were excavated. But then I received an order from the top leadership to suspend the work, so we did.

“I don’t know why there was an order to stop. I am a rank-and-file official, I follow the orders of the top leadership. I don’t know anything else,” he said.

Bun Thoeurn was unable to confirm the identity of the individuals who filled in the land. However, he said they were not Kampot residents but lived in Phnom Penh.

Ub Sovanchanthorn, Kampot and Kep provincial investigator at human rights organisation Licadho, said those who dared to grab the land may be backed by powerful individuals.

He expressed concern that excavating the earth might be ineffective if cases were not followed up, because the land would just be filled in again.

“Grabbing natural resources is already against the law. Those people know grabbing state land is illegal but still do it, so we urge the relevant authorities and especially the courts to enforce the law.

“We shouldn’t let those individuals become bad examples for others because land grabs affect mangrove forests as well as other natural resources,” Sovanchanthorn said.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication