Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Police block Preah Vihear villagers’ planned sugar protest

Police block Preah Vihear villagers’ planned sugar protest

Prime Minister Hun Sen tours Rui Feng Company’s new sugar plant in Preah Vihear province yesterday where Kuoy ethnic villagers were blocked from handing him a petition. Facebook
Prime Minister Hun Sen tours Rui Feng Company’s new sugar plant in Preah Vihear province yesterday where Kuoy ethnic villagers were blocked from handing him a petition. Facebook

Police block Preah Vihear villagers’ planned sugar protest

More than 200 angry ethnic Kuoy villagers who claim their land has been stolen by a Chinese-owned sugar company were blocked from protesting as Prime Minister Hun Sen inaugurated the firm’s mill in Preah Vihear province yesterday.

The $360 million facility is the biggest sugar plant in Cambodia and one of the largest in Asia, according to its owner, Rui Feng (Cambodia) International. The prime minister hailed the plant – which can produce over 2,000 tonnes of sugar per day – as a sign of Cambodia’s political and economic strength.

“This huge investment clearly shows that investors have firm confidence in the Cambodian People’s Party-led government,” Hun Sen told the 20,000 assembled officials and residents. “This also reflects excellent relations and mutual trust between China and Cambodia.”

The mill will process sugarcane grown on 40,000 hectares of land granted as economic land concessions to Rui Feng and four sister companies.

However, groups of villagers claim the land is theirs and have been involved in a protracted dispute with Rui Feng since 2012.

In the latest action, the villagers from Tbeng Meanchey district prepared 400 thumbprints on a petition to cancel the concession, which they wanted to hand to Hun Sen, but were blocked by police en route.

“We marched in order to meet the prime minister so that we can seek solutions for the land dispute, but police did not allow us until Samdech left,” said community member Khum Rany.

The demonstrators instead shouted their demands from the sides of the road leading to the mill.

Provincial police chief Sy Kiri and District Governor Soksan Dara claimed not to know about the interception. Kiri said that thousands of people were allowed to attend the inauguration and greet the premier.

Addressing attendees yesterday, Hun Sen hailed the project as a major job creator, but cautioned that Rui Feng would need to provide suitable compensation and facilities to attract workers who might otherwise migrate to Thailand illegally in search of opportunities.

The premier warned the company that if it “want[s] workers to work here, you need to build houses for them, provide a proper salary and . . . build a school and hospital.”

He also discouraged Rui Feng from expanding onto new land, and admonished them to “have good relations with farmers”.

“The land is still their land. They will supply sugar to your company so that the factory will be sustainable,” he added.

Company reps could not be reached for comment on past disputes or relations with locals.

Additional reporting by Vong Sokheng and Sor Chandara

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

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • 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

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • Thong Khon calls for orderly SEA Games closing ceremony

    Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and permanent vice-president of the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), calls on all people who have received tickets to the May 17 closing ceremony of the biennial multi-sports extravaganza at the Morodok Techo National Stadium to ensure that the event

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is