The company developing a new airport project in Kandal province suspended construction of a fence last week, following protests from villagers living inside the site.
Ampov Prey villager Youn Sreymom, 49, said she and about 50 neighbors had gathered on July 6 and blocked airport workers from constructing a large blue fence which would have cut off her home and 10 other families’ homes from access to a nearby road.
She remains concerned that construction for the Techo Takhmao International Airport project will soon resume building the fence and filling-in the so-called 94 Canal alongside villagers’ homes. Residents had used the canal for fishing, and had recently clashed with the company’s security guards over the canal and their homes’ fate.
The airport is being constructed by the Pung Khiev Se-owned Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation.
“I do not know when they will come again, we are afraid after the election, they will come and pour more land because the land has not been transported back,” Sreymom said.
After the villagers began protesting, a foreman had called his boss who then suspended work but he said the construction would continue when the boss gave the order, Sreymom added.
“I am still worried and scared, I don’t feel comfortable at all,” she said.
Sreymom also fears the eventual landfill of the canal will destroy their homes. She noted that Kandal Stung district governor Ouch Saroeun came to meet them on Tuesday and said he would try to find a solution after the national elections on July 23.
Saroeun denied that he promised to solve the issue for Ampov Prey village residents after the election, but he said will bring the issue to higher authorities, as he claimed he cannot provide any solution himself.
Chiv Kok Say, who manages land acquisitions for the new airport project, told CamboJA on Wednesday that the fence encloses the company’s land and that the canal is owned by the state.
He said the company would continue to engage with impacted villagers but would not comment on what would happen to anyone who refused the company’s offer of compensation, which villagers’ have said is well-below the market price of their land and value of their homes.
“I can not say much about this [solutions company will provide], for families who refuse to accept compensation. But the company will continue to deal with them,” Say said. “It is the work of my superiors to solve after the election.”
Kandal provincial governor Kong Sophorn said that there may be a solution reached later but did not provide details. “It is possible [the issue will be resolved after the national elections],”
Sophorn said. “Because now [the elections] are very close and we are gathering to support the government, support the CPP.”
