Resident representatives participated in a news conference organized by CHRC. Many of the women in the group wept saying they were not sure how their families would survive if they were forced from their homes. (Photo RFA)Tuesday, July 4, 2006
By Pin Sisovann and Elizabeth Tomei
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
"The poor become victims of eviction."
—Ny Chakrya,
Head of Adhoc's
Monitoring Section
—Ny Chakrya,
Head of Adhoc's
Monitoring Section
A coalition of human rights groups condemned the eviction of 168 families living next to Phnom Penh's Preah Monivong Hospital at a news conference on Monday.
Calling the eviction discriminatory, representatives of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, made up of 21 rights groups, alleged that the Interior Ministry had made threats and used violence to force residents from the site to make way for a private development project.
The committee also wrote in a news release that the Interior Ministry had allegedly threatened police officers living in the community with the loss of their jobs if they did not agree to move from the area.
"This forced eviction strongly violates fundamental housing rights," the CHRC said in a statement released at the press conference.
Ny Chakrya, head of Adhoc's monitoring section, said that the government is acting illegally and exploiting residents at the site.
"What they are doing is completely contrary to the Land Law," as residents have lived in the area for over five years, he said.
"The poor become victims of eviction," he added.
Nearly 20 residents who refused to vacate their homes attended the news conference. Many of the women in the group wept saying they were not sure how their families would survive if they were forced from their homes.
Roeun Sokha, who said she lost consciousness Sunday after being injured during the eviction, said she could not live at the Ang Snuol district relocation site in Kandal province, more than 30 km outside the capital. "I would rather die here. No one wants to go there—there are no schools, no water, no electricity and it is far from work," she said.
Calling the eviction discriminatory, representatives of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, made up of 21 rights groups, alleged that the Interior Ministry had made threats and used violence to force residents from the site to make way for a private development project.
The committee also wrote in a news release that the Interior Ministry had allegedly threatened police officers living in the community with the loss of their jobs if they did not agree to move from the area.
"This forced eviction strongly violates fundamental housing rights," the CHRC said in a statement released at the press conference.
Ny Chakrya, head of Adhoc's monitoring section, said that the government is acting illegally and exploiting residents at the site.
"What they are doing is completely contrary to the Land Law," as residents have lived in the area for over five years, he said.
"The poor become victims of eviction," he added.
Nearly 20 residents who refused to vacate their homes attended the news conference. Many of the women in the group wept saying they were not sure how their families would survive if they were forced from their homes.
Roeun Sokha, who said she lost consciousness Sunday after being injured during the eviction, said she could not live at the Ang Snuol district relocation site in Kandal province, more than 30 km outside the capital. "I would rather die here. No one wants to go there—there are no schools, no water, no electricity and it is far from work," she said.
2 comments:
For those who do not Kith Meng, must ask all his nephews in Australia how this animal get all his monies from the first place. He is a cold blood killer. He can kill his brother for monies, who else he cannot kill?
Hahahah people where is all your AK-47 but I guess the government conficated them all hey!
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