Cambodian village prays against company

• Tweet

LORPEANG, Cambodia, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- More than 100 residents of a Cambodian village gathered to pray for misfortune to befall a company embroiled in a land dispute.

The Lorpeang village residents gathered Wednesday to pray misfortune on KDC International, which is owned by Chea Kheng, wife of the minister of industry, mines and energy, The Phnom Penh Post reported Thursday.

The villagers said KDC seized more than 1,200 acres of land in 2007, while the company asserts the land was properly purchased.

Lawsuits on the issue have been filed back and forth for the past half a decade.

"We pray to the gods to insult the company and dealers who invaded our lands (almost) seven years ago. We decided to organize the traditional ceremony because we lost confidence in the court and authorities," Lorpeang village representative Reach Sima said, adding that the land dispute has denied villagers their crops and forced many to seek work as laborers in Thailand.

A KDC representative could not be reached for comment.