Human rights violation by Ly Yong Phat’s sugar Company will be examined by the EU Parliament

EU MP Cecilia Vikstrom

CPP land-thief Ly Yong Phat

18 May 2011
By Rithipol
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Accompanied by SRP MPs, Mrs. Cecilia Vikstrom traveled to Om Laing commune, Thpong district, Kampong Speu province, the location where a bitter land dispute is taking place, pitting about 3,000 families against the sugar company owned by Ly Yong Phat, a CPP senator. On the spot, Mrs. Vikstrom witnessed human rights violations against the villagers and she indicated that this case will be raised at the EU Parliament so that sanctions may be taken against companies whose products depend on the EU market.

Mrs. Cecilia Vikstrom, a member of the EU Parliament from Sweden, accompanied by SRP MP Mu Sochua, a member the largest opposition party in Cambodia, questioned villagers who are currently suffering from the use of armed force to grab their land by the Phnom Penh Sugar Company owned Ly Yong Phat and his wife. Ly Yong Phat is a senator of the ruling CPP party.

Mrs. Cecilia Vikstrom considered the eviction of the villagers as a true human rights violation. She also agreed with the findings made by human rights organizations indicating that Ly Yong Phat benefits from duty-free export of sugar to the EU and the minimum price guarantee set by the EU’s “Everything but Arms” program whereas [his company is involved in] human rights violations.

Mrs. Vikstrom added: “In my opinion, I think that it must be temporarily stopped. I will meet with other parties involved in the EU Parliament when I will go back and discuss about this problem.”

CPP MP Cheam Yeap admitted the human rights mistakes were made by Ly Yong Phat’s sugar Company and he said that the visit by this EU MP could have negative impact on trade with the EU. He said that Ly Yong Phat should pay utmost attention to respect of land rights which sometimes Ly Yong Phat violated in the past.

Mrs. Mu Sochua told reporters yesterday that she invited Mrs. Cecilia Vikstrom to Cambodia with the aim of evaluating a number of violations perpetrated in the name of the EU’s “Everything but Arms” program.