Vendors Homeless After Being Removed From Stalls
By Chhay Channyda
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Police arrested two vendors who protested the early morning removal Wednesday of 400 market stalls located outside the former Sam Han garment factory in Phnom Penh's Russei Keo district, officials said.
Hundreds of police officers began dismantling the stalls at 4 am, vendors said, after vendors failed to remove the stalls themselves following a Nov 28 order for them to move their "anarchic" establishments in Toul Sangke commune.
Kim Chhey Hoeun, 39, and An Borey, 32, who both lived inside their tin-roofed market stalls, were arrested for arguing with police, according to Kim Chhey Hoeun's wife Pouk Heak.
Pouk Heak said that her husband told police they were behaving like "robbers" by dismantling the stalls while people were still sleeping.
The Nov 28 statement signed by district governor Khlaing Huot added that if vendors did not take down their own stalls, authorities would dismantle them after a four-day grace period.
Khat Darasy, Toul Sangke commune police chief, said he had been instructed by Khlaing Huot not to comment on the arrests or the removal of the market stalls.
Khlaing Huot said by phone that the two men were released on Wednesday evening at around 5:30 pm after police had "re-educated" them.
He added that the removal was justified, as the road in the area could not support the hundreds of vendors as well as busy traffic.
National Assembly and Honorary CPP President Heng Samrin sent a letter to Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Kep Chuktema in August requesting authorities to delay the removal of the vendors, many of whom had occupied their stalls in the market area for more than five years, according to a copy of the letter.
Deputy Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong said he was in a meeting Wednesday and could not be reached for a comment.
Am Sam Ath, a monitor with local rights group Licadho, said many of the vendors also lived in their stalls and after this incident will be homeless.
"If [the authorities] needed to remove the stalls, they should find another place for people [to live]," he said.
Hundreds of police officers began dismantling the stalls at 4 am, vendors said, after vendors failed to remove the stalls themselves following a Nov 28 order for them to move their "anarchic" establishments in Toul Sangke commune.
Kim Chhey Hoeun, 39, and An Borey, 32, who both lived inside their tin-roofed market stalls, were arrested for arguing with police, according to Kim Chhey Hoeun's wife Pouk Heak.
Pouk Heak said that her husband told police they were behaving like "robbers" by dismantling the stalls while people were still sleeping.
The Nov 28 statement signed by district governor Khlaing Huot added that if vendors did not take down their own stalls, authorities would dismantle them after a four-day grace period.
Khat Darasy, Toul Sangke commune police chief, said he had been instructed by Khlaing Huot not to comment on the arrests or the removal of the market stalls.
Khlaing Huot said by phone that the two men were released on Wednesday evening at around 5:30 pm after police had "re-educated" them.
He added that the removal was justified, as the road in the area could not support the hundreds of vendors as well as busy traffic.
National Assembly and Honorary CPP President Heng Samrin sent a letter to Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Kep Chuktema in August requesting authorities to delay the removal of the vendors, many of whom had occupied their stalls in the market area for more than five years, according to a copy of the letter.
Deputy Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong said he was in a meeting Wednesday and could not be reached for a comment.
Am Sam Ath, a monitor with local rights group Licadho, said many of the vendors also lived in their stalls and after this incident will be homeless.
"If [the authorities] needed to remove the stalls, they should find another place for people [to live]," he said.
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