A villager started a small fire in a tree to extract the resin in Kampong Thom province in 2015. Post Pix
Some 10 families from the Pou Tong Pou Houng community in Mondulkiri province’s Keo Seima district said a group of soldiers had felled their rubber resin trees while expanding a road leading to a mining company.
The villagers said the soldiers claimed to have cleared the resin trees from the road under the order of a military commander known only as Mo.
San Sary, a representative of the villagers in Chung Phlas commune, said the ministries of rural development and environment oversee the road expansion project leading to an unidentified Australian-owned firm.
He claimed the road construction using heavy machinery had encroached on their community forest and destroyed many resin trees on which they relied for their livelihood.
“The resin trees belong to the Putong Puhuong community. When asked who ordered them to clear them, they claimed to have received an order from a military commander called Mo,” he said.
Sary said the villagers had not received any compensation for damages caused to their resin trees. He called for legal action against the soldiers and for the company to pay them proper compensation.
“We allowed the road constructors to clear trees from the old road, but not resin trees on the community’s land. What they did was beyond the boundaries, affecting a great many resin trees of the community."
“We all rely on the trees for a living, but now they have been felled,” he said, adding that the road expansion started in March.
The Post could not reach the commander accused of ordering the road clearance for comment on the matter.
Provincial Military Police commander Doung Chom told The Post on Monday that although he was unaware of the case, he would probe the community’s claims.
“I will have my forces look into it,” he said, declining further comment.
Sary said the community had sought intervention by filing several petitions to relevant institutions, but have not received any solution.
Provincial environment department director Keo Sopheak said the road expansion does not involve his department.
He said the project is overseen by the provincial Department of Rural Development, which has been contracted by the mining company to clear the road.
“The [rural development] department has received this project. Maybe the department has made some promises to the villagers … I’m not sure. We cannot blame the soldiers because they are engineers and are just doing their job after being instructed,” he said.
Department of Rural Development director Yon Sarom could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Eang Mengly, the provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, said clearing villagers’ resin trees on their land without compensation is illegal as the trees are their main source of income.
“In general, if a development project affects residents’ livelihood, the developers need to pay proper compensation. If the residents reject the offer and file a complaint demanding higher compensation, the authorities need to coordinate a solution."
“Avoiding responsibility is unacceptable. Residents have nothing else to rely on besides their resin trees. Without them, they would face hardships,” he said.
