Young men face the brunt of land dispute - phnompenhpost.com

Young men face the brunt of land dispute - phnompenhpost.com describes how a nearly decade-long land battle has intensified economic pressure in Lor Peang, Kampong Tralach district, Kampong Chhnang province. With work scarce and farming blocked for years, villagers estimate that about 90% of the village’s sons have been trafficked or smuggled to Thailand, where many work on fishing boats. A 56-year-old resident, Khiev Boeun, said he worries whether his sons will survive after they went to Thailand in 2009, while a 59-year-old mother, Neang Ngat, linked her son’s 2010 border crossing to family food needs. The dispute traces back to claims from 2002 that KDC International took over 500 hectares unlawfully. The most recent complaint filed around September 15 sought return of less than a fifth, but was rejected due to an $8,000 filing tax. Residents also report signs of malnutrition and families seeking work elsewhere.