Five groups of land evictees marched to the Council of Ministers yesterday to submit petitions.

Between 30 and 40 evictees, from Chroy Changvar and a handful of other commuities involved in land disputes, were received by council adviser Seng Savorn who pledged to send the petitions to National Authority for Land Disputes and Resolution’s chairman, Bin Chhin.

With the resumption of land clearing on the Chroy Changvar peninsula, Chea Sophat said their petition requested the government purchase their land at market rates and not the $15 per square metre offered.

Another suggested solution, he said, was to allow families to retain 65 per cent of the land, and use of the remaining 35 per cent for the development of a satellite city in the district.

He said the petitioners also rejected comments by Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Khuong Sreng on Sunday that the land belonged to City Hall.

The other evictees also demanded the quick resolution of their cases, with representatives of the Former Boeung Kak Women’s Network asking for additional compensation for the land they had given up.