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Article

25 Jun 2017

Author:
Pav Suy, Khmer Times

Cambodia: Villagers' protest lead to road access deal with Vietnamese-owned rubber company; unrestricted transport of goods and access to farmland allowed

"Kratie protesters negotiate road access deal,"  22 June 2017

About 200 villagers in Kratie province...  blocked a road leading through a Vietnamese-owned rubber plantation to protest the company’s decision to limit their travel across the land...

The villagers...were upset that...Doty Saigon-Binh Phouc rubber plantation, began using reinforced steel bars to block the road, only opening it from 7am to 7pm. 

Heang Chhivkun, provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, said villagers used tractors to block the road...because they need it to be freely accessible to transport goods and access farmland.

...Chhivkun said the villagers were also worried about news they would have to present identification cards to access the road... 

He added the company alleges some villagers use the road to transport illegal wood and it is worried such activities will tarnish its image.

Hang Samnang, an administration manager with Doty Saigon-Binh Phouc, said that after the protest, the company negotiated an agreement with the villagers.

“Now, the problem is settled and we have agreed that people can travel freely 24-hours, but if you transport goods, the time limit will be from 5am to 11pm.”

...District governor Hang Channy said the two sides agreed to the new time limit...and added that the two sides signed a formal agreement.

 Mr Channy also denied villagers would have to present ID cards when crossing the area.