Police Clash With Residents of 'Illegal' Neighborhood
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
02 November 2007
"This forceful displacement was inhumane and even worse than evacuations from one place to another under the Pol Pot regime, because we still had place to live back then ... This is the way Khmer treat Khmer" - Anonymous evicted villagerAbout 200 armed police marched into a suburban Phnom Penh neighborhood in the predawn of Friday morning, destroying 132 homes and ejecting "illegal" residents, officials said.
Authorities for the district, which lies just across the Tonle Sap River from Phnom Penh's Royal Palace, said he was implementing a land law in the name of development, but rights workers and opposition members condemned the eviction.
Phnom Penh officials have recently moved hundreds of families out of their homes across the capital in order to make room for private development. Many residents have been deposited in far-flung, make-shift villages far from water, work and schools.
Meanwhile, the prices of property in the city have skyrocketed.
At least one woman and several others were wounded in clashes with police, who carried AK-47 rifles and batons and joined about 150 demolition workers packing axes and hammers and driving bulldozers.
Around 4 am, the police and demolition crew entered the village, in Chroy Changvar commune, Russei Keo district, and ejected the residents, who claimed they'd been living in the area since 1980.
Villagers told reporters the armed forces beat and cuffed them, leaving several injured, while failing to compensate anyone.
"This forceful displacement was inhumane and even worse than evacuations from one place to another under the Pol Pot regime, because we still had place to live back then," one unidentified villager said. "This is the way Khmer treat Khmer."
Cambodians had been "blinded by money," she said. "The buldozers came and people stormed into my home while my children were still sleeping. I begged them not to remove all my stuff, but they didn't listen and instead demolished the whole house. They struck me outside, threatening that others would not get frightened if they did not handcuff me. Now I have nothing left. Please help me."
Russey Keo District Chief Kleang Huot denied confrontation led to injuries, saying the authorities were implementing the law.
"We announced three times this removal, and those constructions were really anarchic and damaged our environment," he said. "We consume this water everyday, so how can we bear with the fact that they use this river as their restroom?"
Reporters and local and international human rights officials were barred from entering the site and monitoring the destruction.
Opposition members and rights groups condemned the act, calling it a human rights violation and irresponsible.
The Human Rights Party issued a statement, expressing sympathy and condemning the violence. It urged the Prime Minister Hun Sen to intervene and help the 132 families receive fair compensation.
"Even though the government wants to charge those residents with illegal or anarchic settlement, its obligation is to be responsible for the solution," HRP President Kem Sokha said.
Ho Van, a Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker, described the act as brutal.
"It is a serious human rights violation, and it is also illegal because it damaged residents' property," Ho Van said.
Kek Galabru, founder of the human rights group Licadho, said the authorities should stop such acts of displacement.
"The authority not only abused the rights of the residents, but also used violence against them," she said. "I think driving them out of their homes with no appropriate compensation is a serious wrongdoing and a rights abuse. They should stop it."
Kleang Huot said the authorities offered residents a plot of land or 1 million riel in compensation.
35 comments:
"This forceful displacement was inhumane and even worse than evacuations from one place to another under the Pol Pot regime, because we still had place to live back then ... This is the way Khmer treat Khmer" - Anonymous evicted villager"
Wrong, there are plenty space for squatters to live, but not in prime time property that is needed to move everyone out of poverty. Squatters has no right to keep everyone in poverty. Furthermore, it is unconstitutional to intrude on others people rights.
i don't understand why...u.u.u.u.u..and u....still vote for cpp....who really corrupted..and serve yuon....vote now for a new leader...please...we need new leader....may be his son because he will like his father.....ha...ha....if u vote for them...be happy..now is the time to fight and stand up....do it...no one will do for u.u.u.u.u.
That's how the dictator rule the country.
The authorities did not use their mind to resolve the matter peacefully. They are quick to use their hot temper and violence. Look at the other person in the eyes: Do they look like animals?
3:32, we are all for the better, but we are not going to take any wild guesses on new leader. If you have someone with solid proven records of accomplishments, we would like to see it. Right now, the government did the best they can to move the country forward as fast as it can be, and we are not going to destroy it all on any sweet-and-charming angel.
I want to shoot these cops.
Those father muckers CPP.
"Para-Chey Ah Kanh-Jeah Yuon!"
That's the Hanoi mentored and influenced to counter innocent khmer people without faith.
That's why Khmer always call them
"Krom Pouk Ah Thmil" Ah Thmil regime.
Hey, you're happy, we're happy!
Puork ah tmil,you are strong only with the poor people.
Victor SIHANOUK&UN
Just last week the King Norodom Sihamoni then said to the world:
“Compatriots, uncles and aunts, children and nephews/nieces, respected ladies and gentlemen, in my entire life and forever, I am a faithful and devoted servant of our compatriots … The royal palace has nothing to hide to the eyes of our compatriots, aunts and uncles, children and nephews/nieces, ladies and gentlemen. Each week, I will spend several days of my time to serve our compatriots, uncles and aunts, children and nephews/nieces in the cities and in rural areas, one after another.”
Hmmmmmmmmmm I wondered where is HE?
He was liar, that's why people call him King. Which is
"THE GOD KING OF LIAR"
"THE KING OF LIAR"
"THE FATHER OF LIAR"
"MOTHER OF LIAR"
"THE SON OF A BITCH LIAR"
Ok! chose one of the above.
He's not everywhere, but you can email him if you got true detail about it.
The ECCC is attempting to prosecuted the past atrocities. What about the current situation that HunSen is creating the new Era of Khmer Rouge. CPP= Control, Punish, Persecute is their goal.
Nope, Hun Sen is Khmer liberator. He will never risked his life to save all of us, only to abuse us afterward. You lakaun Bassac is not selling here, dude (7:18).
Animal Viet troller @7:38 AM must know that I am just like your shadow...I'll be everywhere you are here on KI-Media. I am on and in your face until you disappear from KI-Media. You animal Viet troller can no longer pretend to be khmer speaking for Khmer. I know who you are. I know how you write. I know when you come on KI-Media. You can no longer loiter, litter, or spam KI-Media...
Now, Go home Animal Viet troller!
Now, go home animal Vietcong!
Ah choymray CPP authorities beaten up our Khmer brothers and sisters and allow Ah choymray yuons to live and roam freely all over my beloved country, Cambodia. Ah choymray CPP authorities and their government will go to Hell soon!
Vietnamese asked CPP's government on the plan at Chroy Changvar commune, Russei Keo district for veitnamese development, solidarity and the co-operation for Cambodia's prosperity .
From Secret source in PP said.
Secret source from PP, hay? would that happened to be from the KKF community by any chance, 8:35?
These Cambodian difficulties stemmed from Land disputes and Land evicted that Khmer described as “Viet Annexationist in design” on the part of our Vietnamese neighbors.
KNP said.
You know Chroy Changvar is belong to Sok Kong and you know who's Sok Kong.Chroy Changvar will be Little Saigon in a couple a year with Hotels, restaurants and Most attracrive is Casino.Better kill one Flu Bird to save live of million birds.I think Cambodian people better act now rather than later.
Wrong, 9:13, that is not the problem. The problem is people just grab land anywhere they want and hinder the country from moving forward. And that is not going to happen here. If that is what squatters want to do, I say book the flight with Nasa to the moon. No country on this planet will tolerated that conduct.
Viet troller@10:34AM pretending to be Khmer speaking for khmer must be stopped at all cost. We know who you are. Give up and go home to Hanoi now!
Go home Viet troller!
Go home Vietcong!
shut the fuck up Ah kaun mee chor som phoeung youn cpp kinhoum kann chass 10:34am fuck your mother go back home o k.ha noi
these khmer soldiers are not real khmer..for sure Ah khmer youn! pretending to be real khmer!! this is worst than KR regime!! fucking
vC
if you look at the guy with the stick, you can see that he has no brain in his head just like the Khmer rouge. has no vision, short sighted. they are Khmer but super stupid, deserve to be animal. this is Khmer atitude. they are mostly stupid. you can deny as much as you like but the fact is they are really are stupid and cowards. si jo. can't think for themselves to what is wright and what is wrong. Stupid Khmer!
These are the Vietcong slaves.
Try to remember their faces, some day we will get back to them.....
KamPear KamPear KamPear somlab khnea min chob soss louey.....
The Royal Government of Cambodia acts of
“HEINOUS CRIMS” to the poor.
The Royal Government attempts to robb from the poor, which it organized long ago. The Regime acts of evil, its aggression against their own and poor people, thus, do not have anything and astonishing.
The Classic Royal Evil Regime delivered themselves and continue to devote themselves to all kinds of criminal activities with the aim to the poor communities by burning and destroying to the gound zero.
Nope, there is nothing wrong with protecting Khmer's property from Ah Khmer-Yuon squatters.
These Vietcong slave officials are trying to impress the world with their brand new uniform!
Just look at them fool even without gun their brand new uniform make them look so tough! Ahahhahahha!
One of the Vietcong slave fools kicks like a girl!
Don't let your perception fool you, dude. Remember how large the Khmer Empire was?
This animal Viet troller @1:55 AM pretending to be khmer and speaking for Khmer must be stopped at all cost. We know who this animal is, and we will be in its face until it quits.
When time comes we will castrate and then euthanize this animal accordingly...
Go home Viet troller!
Go home Vietcong!
We will reveal the Viet troller and the Vietcong true colors to the world!
Hi all,
How could 13 millions people in Cambodia right now resolve their differences if we are only fews here on this site can not even communicate in a civilized manner?
We are supposed to discuss the matters, not to be racist and discriminating. This land crabbing stuffs have nothing to do with racism and nationalism, but the rich and the poor. Every country in the world has gone through this kind of period. They discussed and found solutions. We need more education, not swearing at each other.
I would suggest that for each topic, we should discuss and try to come up with solution; otherwise, posting has no meaning and it should not deserve to be posted here. I hope you guys reconsider. Many thanks.
Cheers,
--Tony
To 1:13PM!
I am fucken frustrated as hell!
I mean AH HUN SEN can negotiate with the Vietcong government on Cambodian border issue and North Korean government on economic issue but why can AH HUN SEN negotiate with his people on land issue? How hard is it to negotiate peacefully to find the solution and how about give some incentives to dirt poor Cambodian people to move out the land peacefully because these dirt poor Cambodian people have nothing and I mean nothing! Their fucken little shack says it all!
I do believe that if AH HUN SEN government have the will power to talk and to negotiate in a peaceful civilize manner and the solution will be found and so far there is no will power because it is the culture of a dictator not to negotiate!
Cambodia is still run by the same government installed by the Vietcong since 1979! This is a Vietcong puppet government! I wouldn’t be surprised if the Vietcong government tells the Vietcong puppet government not to negotiate with dirt poor Cambodian people!
1:13, where is you solution, buddy? We want to hear it.
The problem that we are having is Ah Khmer-Yuons from south Vietnam are grabbing our prime time lands, and they must be evicted. Normally, people who own land have ownership certificate to their land, and Ah Khmer-Yuons from South Vietnam doesn't have theirs, alright?
And the solution is Ah khmer-Yuons are going to have to work for it, if they want to own land in Cambodia. We can't afford to give out free land to every immigrant, Dude.
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