Cambodia

Villagers from Koh Kong province delivered petitions to the government and European Union on August, 4, 2016 to lodge complaints about alleged land grabbing by two sugar plantation firms.

International Federation for Human Rights says Southeast Asia is facing increasing conflicts and violence over land grab activity. A “land grab” relates to taking land quickly, forcefully and often illegally.

Sur les hautes terres du Cambodge, les Bunong sont confrontés à des changements violents depuis que la Société Financière des Caoutchoucs (Socfin), domiciliée au Luxembourg, plante des hévéas sur leurs terres ancestrales avec la bénédiction du gouvernement cambodgien qui lui a attribué une concession économique.

With a large portion of agricultural land rendered unavailable for local farmers over the next 70 years (the average lease period of ELCs), food security of future generations of rural Cambodians has been put at serious risk.

More than 150 companies operating in 18 provinces have been involved in Economic Land Concession-related conflicts since ELCs were established more than 20 years ago, according to an annual report by the NGO Forum on Cambodia. Only 42 of the 158 companies have resolved their conflicts.

Las ZIDRES tienen varios elementos en común con las distintas modalidades de concesión que existen en el mundo para acumular tierras.

Villagers representing more than 1,000 families that accuse sugarcane plantations around the country of stealing their land gathered in Phnom Penh on Tuesday to once again call on the government to help.

In Cambodia, more than 15,000 people have been forcibly evicted to make way for sugar cane plantations.

For nearly three hours on the morning of 3 June, around a hundred protesters peacefully blockaded the entrances to the headquarters of Bolloré, one of France's most powerful companies.

Cambodia's Land Management Minister declares that land grabbers would not evade justice, no matter how rich and powerful they were, although observers yesterday maintained a “wait and see” position.

The Bank says the move will help alleviate poverty in the Southeast Asian country, but land rights activists expressed disappointment over the decision.

Pour revendiquer leurs droits, les riverains des plantations Socfin-Bolloré s'organisent.