Saturday, 14 June 2008

Candidates Assail Government at Land Forum

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 June 2008

Khmer audio aired 13 June (1.02 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 13 June (1.02 MB) - Listen (MP3)

Members of four political parties on Friday blamed the government and the ruling Cambodian People's Party for failure to address the growing problem of land disputes, and one official wept as he described landless poor forced to become beggars.

The Cambodian People's Party was not represented at the forum, which included members of the Funcinpec, Sam Rainsy, Norodom Ranariddh and Hang Dara Democratic Movement parties and was held by the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee.

Funcinpec member Kim Vean blamed the National Authority for Land Dispute Resolution for failing to resolve land disputes for people; Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Muth Chantha blamed Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Duong Chan Soriya, of the Hang Dara Democratic Movement Party, said government leaders ignored land disputes in cases of the poor, who became landless beggars.

"In this regime, Cambodian people are facing the most difficulties," he said, as he began to weep, passing his floor time to Muth Chantha.

Land dispute authority spokesman Chun Bunrong said Friday the authority worked hard to resolve disputes. Without the authority, there would be confrontation and instability throughout the county, he said.

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