Someone else’s land: From Quiet Struggle to a Brighter Future in Cambodia
“I WAS SCARED. WHEN I DIDN’T HAVE LAND OR LAND TITLE DEEDS, IT FELT LIKE I HAD NOTHING. MY COMMUNITY HAD NOTHING."
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Sok Putha
is a young farmer in the village of Srongam Tae.
He sits in front of his house and admires the green rice fields stretching into the distance: these fields mean everything to him and to the people who live here. For generations, farming has been their way of life. But for many years, despite working the land with dedication and care, they lived with a deep and constant fear of not truly owning the soil beneath their feet.
This fear was not just emotional.
It had real, devastating consequences.
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They could not use their land as collateral, and they lived with the constant threat of being moved or pushed out.
Disputes were common, and trust in local authorities was low.
For years, Putha and his neighbors appealed to commune authorities for help, hoping for a solution. But nothing changed.
Their concerns were brushed aside or lost in the layers of bureaucracy.
Many gave up hope. But not Putha.
“I couldn’t stop. I believed there had to be a way to change things. I just didn’t know how.”
That changed when he connected with STAR Kampuchea (SK), an ILC member and civil society organisation that supports communities in land rights, accountability, and governance also through the National Land Coalition in Cambodia.
The ILC member-led National Land Coalition in Cambodia, as part of the Land and Housing Rights Network (LAHRiN) platform, has worked since 2013 to strengthen land tenure security and housing rights for Cambodia’s most vulnerable populations
Star Kamuchea, through the National Land Coalition and LAHRiN, played a key role in resolving land disputes across Kratie, Stung Treng, Kampong Thom, and Preah Vihear of which Sok's village was among the 112 households to secure tenure over 222 hectares in June 2023.
The knowledge he gained gave him confidence. For the first time, he understood the systems and structures that were keeping his community in limbo. He also understood how to push for change in a way that was legal, peaceful, and constructive.
With Star Kampuchea and the National Land Coalition's support, Putha took the issue to the Provincial Advisory Group. This time, something was different. Their case was heard. And slowly, things began to move.
Eventually, the relevant departments agreed to allocate 83 plots of land to families in the community.
These plots had previously been connected to the provincial water management area, but thanks to Putha’s persistence and the support of STAR Kampuchea, they were reassigned to the people who had long been working them.
“It was a big victory,” Putha says with a quiet smile.
“But there was still more work to do.”
76 families received land titles.
"Finally, these people had something to call their own,” he says. “They could build, they could farm, they could plan for the future. They could sleep without fear."
For Putha, this work has become more than a task, it has become his purpose.
As the head of the Prasneb Samaki Agricultural Community and a Commune Accountability Facilitator, he now plays an essential role in helping his community understand their rights, access services, and resolve disputes before they become crises.
He also serves as a bridge between local authorities and the people, attending meetings at the commune and provincial levels to make sure community voices are heard. His approach is calm, firm, and rooted in trust-building. He is not looking for praise or recognition. He is simply doing what he believes is right.
“Land is not just about farming, it’s about stability.
It can be used to borrow from banks, to start a small business, to improve a home. And it can be passed down to children, legally and safely. When people have ownership, there are fewer conflicts. Things become easier to manage. Life becomes more secure.”
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He strongly supports non-judicial methods of solving land disputes, such as mediation and community dialogue.
“I want everyone to understand that non-judicial settlement is the only way to create win-win solutions,” he says. “When authorities and citizens accept a result together, it creates peace. No one has to lose. That’s the kind of future I want for my village.”
The story of Sok Putha is not just about one man. It is a story about what is possible when ordinary people are empowered with knowledge, support, and a platform to lead. Across Cambodia, land insecurity continues to affect millions. Economic land concessions, lack of information, weak enforcement of land laws, and climate change all contribute to growing uncertainty among rural populations.
According to national surveys, over 60 percent of Cambodian households are involved in agriculture, but many of them lack access to markets, credit, or secure land tenure.
Land Matrix data shows that nearly half of all large agricultural land deals in the country have caused harm to local communities, and in many cases, people have been displaced without proper consultation or compensation.
Amid these challenges, Putha’s story is a rare and hopeful one. Since 2021, STAR Kampuchea has worked in provinces like Kampong Chhnang and Pursat to train dozens of Commune Accountability Facilitators, resolving hundreds of land disputes.
For family farmers like Sok Putha, these policy changes matter, but so does what happens on the ground. And that is where he continues to focus his energy.
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His story is a powerful example of what grassroots leadership can achieve when paired with the right support. It is also a reminder that while laws and policies are important, the real work of justice happens in the fields, homes, and meeting halls of rural communities.
“I am just one person,” Putha says. “But if I can help even one family feel safe on their land, then that is enough. That is why I keep going.”
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Putha is not alone, there is a long road ahead for many families in Cambodia.
Learn more about how ILC is improving people-centred land governance in Togo in a summary of our contributions
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Photo credits: ©ILC/JASON TAYLOR
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