(Siem Reap): Residents of 53 villages whose land was removed from the list of ancient sites in Siem Reap city and Prasat Bakong district, Siem Reap province, received certificates of ownership from His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Say Samal on the morning of November 30, 2024.
His Excellency Prak Sophon, Governor of the Siem Reap Provincial Government, said that in 13 cities and districts of Siem Reap province, there are 11,559 ancient sites, equivalent to 56,694 plots of land, which the technical team of the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Land Management, Urban Planning, Construction and Cadastre has measured and published publicly. The results achieved so far are the result of the efforts of the working group of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, with the participation of the Siem Reap administration, the Apsara National Authority and local authorities, who have met in succession to identify the locations of ancient sites in 9 cities and districts, including Siem Reap city, Prasat Bakong district, Sotnikum district, Banteay Srei district, Runta Ek Techo Sen city, Kralanh district, Srey Snom district, Puok district and Chikreng district, equivalent to 71 communes and sangkats. 7,213 locations have been identified, equivalent to 63 percent, with an area of 235,456,849 square meters and affecting 70,402 plots of land, including 1,06 ancient sites that the Apsara National Authority has decided to remove from the list, equivalent to 12,019,864 square meters, 1,027 ancient sites that the leadership has requested to be identified, equivalent to 119,974,072 square meters, 18,777 plots of land that can be registered for citizens, equivalent to 29,656,477 square meters, and a total of 4,447 plots of land to be issued. Of these, 4,423 titles were given to citizens and 24 titles were given to the state under the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.
On that occasion, His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister said that in the 7th term, the Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia provided guidelines on how to end the controversy in the national society related to the land sector, so we have also prepared a complete land registration policy to create a dispute-free environment in the entire national society and prepare the country for a better future.
His Excellency thanked the citizens for joining the team of experts and authorities in resolving the controversial land issues until they received the title deeds now and cleared the dirt related to this land issue so as not to prolong the time. Because some of the areas in this area are ancient sites, it is somewhat complicated because we must consider preserving the ancestral heritage and ensuring the safety of citizens in owning their property.
His Excellency stated that the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction has put forward a 6-point strategy to create a dispute-free environment for citizens: 1. Complete land registration across the country, end disputes, and provide legal security in property ownership. 2. Land disputes are a matter that must be left to future generations, but we must work together to resolve them in accordance with cadastral techniques and legal principles. 3. Provide satisfactory services to citizens, making it easy to use all the ministry's services online. 4. Preserve Tonle Sap Lake for future generations. 5. Resolve the issue of buying land and houses in Borey for citizens. 6. Implement the principles of living for citizens in heritage areas. These strategies are the sacred desire of the Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia, who wants all citizens to have happiness, decent housing, enough food, work, decent income, access to education for all, and live in harmony.