KACHAK ethnic minority villagers facing court in Ratanakkiri over a protest against a Vietnamese company that allegedly stole their land filed a complaint yesterday urging rights group Adhoc to investigate. Representatives of the minority group from Kanat village in Andong Meas district’s Talav commune have been summoned to court following a complaint from the Veasna Investment Company over a protest in March. The company alleges village chief Romam Khieun, 57, Sal Nheuch, 49, and Rocham Ham, 53, incited crime and deliberately destroyed its property when 201 villagers staged a protest against the company bulldozing land.

The group, who missed a hearing on Monday because of heavy rains and fear of arrest, has also requested Adhoc provide legal assistance, Pen Bunnar, Adhoc’s Ratanakkiri provincial coordinator said yesterday.