71 S'ville Homes Torn Down for Beach Resort
By Kay Kimsong
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
More than 100 police and military police officials tore down 71 wooden homes on Shanoukville's O'Chateal Beach on Tuesday so that the beach can be leased out to petroleum giant Sokimex to establish a $70 million tourist resort, officials said.
Authorities arrived in 10 trucks and with several bulldozers at about 8:30 am and pulled down 40 food stalls as well as the huts, which belonged to fishermen and their families, officials said.
"What we are doing now is for development and poverty reduction," Sihanoukville Municipal Governor Say Hak said by telephone. "If I do not take action today, do you know how long the development project will take?"
Say Hak said officials evicted villagers from the area peacefully and did not threaten them. He added that he was uncertain whether authorities were considering paying them compensation.
"They are living there illegally," he said "I think all the beaches will be organized properly for local and foreign tourists. We can't keep them in the dirt like this."
Sokimex Resident Sok Kong said his company will spend between $70 million and $80 million developing a 500-room hotel next to the beach with a nine-hole golf course, diving facilities, a parking lot and a 1,000-person conference room.
The government is leasing Sok Kong 43 hectares for the project, according to Thong Khon, secretary of state at the Ministry of Tourism. He added that food-stall owners may be able to rent land on the beach from Sokimex in the future.
Sokimex already owns the luxury Sokha Beach hotel which is within walking distance of O'Chateal beach.
Sun Kanna, a food-stall owner and mother of four whose house was dismantled, said she was alarmed by the eviction, but said villagers became afraid to protest after an official shocked two people with an electric baton.
"After the booth has been torn down, my family will become beggars," she said by telephone. "I don't understand why the authorities love to curse the poor but sponsor the rich."
Ieng Sy An, 49, a retired member of the navy who said he has lived next to the beach since 1991, said the families should receive compensation.
"As a poor person, I am very shocked to see police with guns and trucks come and tear down my home," he said.
Thong Khon said Sihanoukville authorities are mapping out development plans for all the beaches so the municipality can compete with other resorts in the region.
"Beaches are publicly owned, but that does not mean everyone has the right to build homes and food stands," he said.
"Our beach and sea are naturally so clean and beautiful," he said "But our problem is poor management."
(Additional reporting by Jason McBride)
Authorities arrived in 10 trucks and with several bulldozers at about 8:30 am and pulled down 40 food stalls as well as the huts, which belonged to fishermen and their families, officials said.
"What we are doing now is for development and poverty reduction," Sihanoukville Municipal Governor Say Hak said by telephone. "If I do not take action today, do you know how long the development project will take?"
Say Hak said officials evicted villagers from the area peacefully and did not threaten them. He added that he was uncertain whether authorities were considering paying them compensation.
"They are living there illegally," he said "I think all the beaches will be organized properly for local and foreign tourists. We can't keep them in the dirt like this."
Sokimex Resident Sok Kong said his company will spend between $70 million and $80 million developing a 500-room hotel next to the beach with a nine-hole golf course, diving facilities, a parking lot and a 1,000-person conference room.
The government is leasing Sok Kong 43 hectares for the project, according to Thong Khon, secretary of state at the Ministry of Tourism. He added that food-stall owners may be able to rent land on the beach from Sokimex in the future.
Sokimex already owns the luxury Sokha Beach hotel which is within walking distance of O'Chateal beach.
Sun Kanna, a food-stall owner and mother of four whose house was dismantled, said she was alarmed by the eviction, but said villagers became afraid to protest after an official shocked two people with an electric baton.
"After the booth has been torn down, my family will become beggars," she said by telephone. "I don't understand why the authorities love to curse the poor but sponsor the rich."
Ieng Sy An, 49, a retired member of the navy who said he has lived next to the beach since 1991, said the families should receive compensation.
"As a poor person, I am very shocked to see police with guns and trucks come and tear down my home," he said.
Thong Khon said Sihanoukville authorities are mapping out development plans for all the beaches so the municipality can compete with other resorts in the region.
"Beaches are publicly owned, but that does not mean everyone has the right to build homes and food stands," he said.
"Our beach and sea are naturally so clean and beautiful," he said "But our problem is poor management."
(Additional reporting by Jason McBride)
3 comments:
Sok Kong is working for Vietnam Government.
It is a modern collonization by the VIET!
Destroy the Cambodia Royal Police Force to help Cambodians live free in democracy!
Why are acting so barbaric to these poor family? Haven't we learned of anything from Sambock Chap? Corruption after corruption, when will Khmer government have any decency to take care of the people. I am so depressed with all of these idiots governments. They are just "pretts".
in order to protect the vietnamese from flowing to Cambodia, you should win the CPP,, then the vietnamese will fleed back to veitnam with asking..for sure!
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