Investments deprive Cambodian farmers of their land

Farmers in Kandal province, southern the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, were affected by the construction of the new airport, which is supervised by the China Development Bank, at a total cost of about $1.1 billion, where the development of the airport led to the deduction of part of the local villagers land in Kampong Talong village, who depend on rice cultivation for their daily income. On the other hand, more than 300 families inside the village refuse to accept the compensation provided by the Cambodia Overseas Investment Corporation (OCIC) and the governmental State Secretariat for Civil Aviation, while the local authorities arrested about 30 villagers for their participation in the protests organized by the residents against the expropriation of land and preventing them from accessing it. Takhmao airport is the second that China is trying to invest in after the controversial Dara Sakur airport and resort, which is worth about $3.8 billion. The new airport will cover more than 700 hectares and will have a capacity of 27 million by 2030. The airport package, which includes a single 4km runway, is due to be completed by the end of 2022, allowing flights to begin the following year.