League of Democratic Party members protest in Kampot demanding to release the 13 members that were arrested for allegedly encroaching Bokor National Park's land. Photo supplied.
Mon, 6 February 2017
Niem Chheng
ppp
Hundreds of activists with the League for Democracy Party protested outside Kampot Provincial Hall yesterday demanding the release of 13 supporters of the group arrested over a land dispute in Chhouk district’s Decho Aphivat commune.
The 13 were detained on Saturday, though there is disagreement between authorities and LDP members about the circumstances surrounding the case. Kampot Provincial Governor Sim Vuthea said authorities had received several complaints accusing the group of clearing land in Bokor National Park and harassing villagers within a social land concession.
“We arrested suspects who threatened villagers and occupied state land. They cleared land, set fire to the forest, so we used our forces to stop them.” he said yesterday. “We are looking for those behind this; most of them are from Phnom Penh.”
While about 250 people demonstrated in the commune in support of the arrests, LDP president Khem Veasna yesterday told supporters in town the group was wrongly detained.
“All in all, the arrest was done without any evidence,” said Veasna, whose voice was soon drowned out by police playing music over loudspeakers. “The arrest was far from the scene, and they arrested only onlookers. The one who committed the wrongdoing already fled.”
Veasna said the dispute, in fact, related to a disagreement between LDP supporter Ly Kimhong and his cousin over a quarter hectare of farmland. He said the cousin’s sister, via a contact at the provincial hall, filed a complaint, which prompted authorities to take action.
Kampot police chief Mao Chanmathurith said the 13 would face court today.
3 comments:
I have listened almost all of Khem Veasna's speeches.
Most of his concepts are right, but they will benefit only Yuon and its puppet Hun Sen to stay in power.
For instance: The CPP is in power. Khem Veasna attacks both the CPP and the CNRP. Realistically, the only party who has a good chance to topple the CPP in this next election is the CNRP. So, attacking and weakening the CNRP is not a good strategy for Cambodia's survival.
Khem Veasna's ideas will serve Cambodia well if Cambodia is not controlled by Yuon.
The proper steps to save Cambodia is uniting to get rid of the Yuon slave party CPP first, then implementing Khem Veasna's concepts later.
In brief, Khem Veasna's ideas are right but cannot apply because of the wrong time (Yuon will not let Khem Veasna's ideas penetrate Khmer society).
The LDP party should slow down its attacks on its counterpart CNRP in order to stop the CPP from winning this next election. We need to win step by step.
Bun Thoeun
I know LDP will not slow down its attack on CNRP, what will you do Bun Thoeun? Are you going to attack LDP?
GDP should merge with LDP, then kick CNRP to the curb.
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