Ministry Cracks Down on Dormant Land Concessions, land given to the people

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Khmer Times/Chea Takihiro

Tuesday, 15 September 2015

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PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times) – Twenty-three companies holding a total of 90,682 hectares in economic land concessions (ELCs) have had their concessions rescinded, while another 20 are being monitored for six months to a year, the Environment Ministry said yesterday.

Companies with another nine ELCs in Kampong Thom province will have their leases reduced from 99 to 50 years, the ministry said.

The statement follows years of lobbying by environmental and lands-rights groups, as well as opposition political parties, about the impact of ELCs on the environment and local communities. They have said some ELCs are both environmentally and socially destructive. Opposition politicians have also accused the government of selling large swathes of the country to foreign companies.

read more: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/15769/ministry-cracks-down-on-dormant-elcs/