"Koh Kong villagers file petition against Chinese development company", 06 April 2018

About 30 villagers embroiled in a land dispute with Union Development Group (UDG) in Koh Kong plan to file a petition asking the provincial governor to intervene after the Chinese company bulldozed crops last week.

Villager Peurng Loun, 45, said two UDG excavators destroyed hundreds of coconuts, mangoes and cashews on her 2.5 hectares of land in Koh Sdach commune in Kiri Sakor district....

The company is building a massive $3.8 billion tourism complex along the coast, sparking a series of land disputes.

...According to provincial officials with rights groups Adhoc and Licadho, UDG representative Chieng Lan, also known as Vireak...led 20 personnel armed with batons and guns, as well as two excavators, to destroy crops on the land Loun claims to own, although she has no land title.

After bulldozing...the company gave villagers three days to negotiate. 

Kiri Sakor district authorities confirmed they cleared the property, but did so only on the land of families who had already accepted compensation, which the villagers disputed.

According to Hour In, provincial coordinator for rights group Licadho, the villagers affected by the crop destruction also intend to file a criminal lawsuit against the development company.