The government has so far done a poor job handling the growing land theft crisis, despite promises from PM Hun Sen

Gov't Efforts on Land Theft Weak, Parliamentarian Says
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
27 August 2007

The government has so far done a poor job handling the growing land
theft crisis, despite promises from Prime Minister Hun Sen and others
to curb the practice, Eng Chhay Eang, a lawmaker for the Sam Rainsy
Party and a member of the government's top land authority, said
Monday.

Years of civil war and neglect have led to confusion of land
ownership, while the poor and disempowered are routinely kicked off
land to make room for development.

It is the government's responsibility to manage this crisis, but so
far they have not done so, Eng Chhay Eang said, as guest on "Hello
VOA."

Local authorities often collude with land thieves, at worst, and are
unable to help victims, at best, forcing people to take their
complaints to the prime minister or the National Assembly.

But legal owners can find recourse, Eng Chhay Eang said.

The land authority has seized about 200,000 hectares of illegally held
lands, and has encouraged people to come forward with legal claims. So
far, cases involving about 60,000 hectares are pending court
decisions. The remainder will be kept by the government until the
proper owners come forward.

This is the best the government can do so far. Broader changer, Eng
Chhay Eang said, will have to come from next year's national elections.

.

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