Families, authorities reach relocation deal
Locals and authorities came to a relocation agreement on January 23 after some 100 villagers, representing about 200 families living on a riverbank in Kampong Chhnang province protested on Sunday to demand proper compensation after they were told they must move to pave the way for a garden development. Touth Sareth, Chung Koh village chief in Phsar Chhnang commune, said the villagers had protested after they were told that they would be given a nearby relocation plot – but would have to pay $3,400 to a company to level it out. The families have lived on the riverbank since 2000 and they have “settlement” documents issued by local authorities, he said. However, Sun Sovannarith, deputy provincial governor, said yesterday that all of the families were living on state land illegally and didn’t have land titles. He said that after negotiations, all but 10 families had agreed to resettlement packages.
