By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Up to Saturday, 447 poor families have not yet moved out of the Sambok Chap (Birds Nest) village in Phnom Penh city to a new location, as ordered by the municipal authorities.
Thun Saray, Adhoc NGO president, told RFA on Saturday about the latest precarious situation of people, in particular the renters whose landlords were forced out of the Sambok Chap village by the authorities.
Thun Saray said: “Today, they (the Phnom Penh municipality authorities) still do not allow tents set up, some people have no place to stay, they don’t know where to go. These people stay under the sun, the rain and the elements. This is a complicated issue, they (the authorities) do not allow them to set up tents again, so they don’t know where to go, they remain on the same plot but without a roof on their head. They (the authorities) give (land) to the landlords, however, the renters do not receive anything, this is a problem because they (the renters) are all poor.”
The Phnom Penh municipality denied the requested delay to allow the 1,400 poor families to move their houses our of the Sambok Chap village. The human rights association group of Cambodia received the denial [from the municipality of Phnom Penh] on 05 May when one of its representatives met with an official from the Phnom Penh municipality to request a delay in the moving of people.
On 04 May, the association regrouping 21 NGOs displayed its displeasure on the action taken by the Chamcar Mon and the Phnom Penh city authorities forcing people out of Village No. 14, aka Sambok Chap village, and move to a new area in Trapeang Anhchanh village, Trapeang Krasaing district, Khan Dangkor, Phnom Penh city.
The main reason the NGO association requested the Phnom Penh municipal court to issue a delay in the moving of people from their old homes is the fact that, according the association investigation, the division of plots in the relocated area was not done clearly and justly, and there were discrepancies between the number people in the 6 communities and the census number of the land authorities. This caused confusion in people, and they are not aware on how the land exchange works.
Furthermore, the authorities have not yet built the facilities such as health facilities, schools, markets, sewer, electricity, etc… before moving people from Sambok Chap village to the new location.
Kem Sokha, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said in today’s edition of the Cambodia Daily that the forced removal of people is a major mistake committed by the Cambodian government which sold state land properties and lakes without thinking in advance of the social consequences just as they are occurring right now.
On 03 May, Kep Chuktema, the Phnom Penh governor, sent a letter to prime minister Hun Sen stating that 1,216 among all the families have illegally established their homes in Sambok Chap village. The land belonged to the private So Srun company. It also stated that 1,117 families accepted to move to the new location, however for the renters, the municipality will resolve the issue later.
Thun Saray, Adhoc NGO president, told RFA on Saturday about the latest precarious situation of people, in particular the renters whose landlords were forced out of the Sambok Chap village by the authorities.
Thun Saray said: “Today, they (the Phnom Penh municipality authorities) still do not allow tents set up, some people have no place to stay, they don’t know where to go. These people stay under the sun, the rain and the elements. This is a complicated issue, they (the authorities) do not allow them to set up tents again, so they don’t know where to go, they remain on the same plot but without a roof on their head. They (the authorities) give (land) to the landlords, however, the renters do not receive anything, this is a problem because they (the renters) are all poor.”
The Phnom Penh municipality denied the requested delay to allow the 1,400 poor families to move their houses our of the Sambok Chap village. The human rights association group of Cambodia received the denial [from the municipality of Phnom Penh] on 05 May when one of its representatives met with an official from the Phnom Penh municipality to request a delay in the moving of people.
On 04 May, the association regrouping 21 NGOs displayed its displeasure on the action taken by the Chamcar Mon and the Phnom Penh city authorities forcing people out of Village No. 14, aka Sambok Chap village, and move to a new area in Trapeang Anhchanh village, Trapeang Krasaing district, Khan Dangkor, Phnom Penh city.
The main reason the NGO association requested the Phnom Penh municipal court to issue a delay in the moving of people from their old homes is the fact that, according the association investigation, the division of plots in the relocated area was not done clearly and justly, and there were discrepancies between the number people in the 6 communities and the census number of the land authorities. This caused confusion in people, and they are not aware on how the land exchange works.
Furthermore, the authorities have not yet built the facilities such as health facilities, schools, markets, sewer, electricity, etc… before moving people from Sambok Chap village to the new location.
Kem Sokha, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said in today’s edition of the Cambodia Daily that the forced removal of people is a major mistake committed by the Cambodian government which sold state land properties and lakes without thinking in advance of the social consequences just as they are occurring right now.
On 03 May, Kep Chuktema, the Phnom Penh governor, sent a letter to prime minister Hun Sen stating that 1,216 among all the families have illegally established their homes in Sambok Chap village. The land belonged to the private So Srun company. It also stated that 1,117 families accepted to move to the new location, however for the renters, the municipality will resolve the issue later.
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