Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Newspapers sellers: Hun Sen offers a gesture of reconciliation

Monday, January 21, 2008
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo

Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Phnom Penh newspapers sellers are now quiet. The prime minister decided to compensate each one of them a sum of money following their eviction from the Borei Keila sidewalk. The sellers receive something that allows them to restart their shops and pay off some debts.

The 24 newspapers kiosk owners in Borei Keila, located in Phnom Penh, are now reassured. After their indiscriminate evictions from their shops on 10 January, Prime minister Hun Sen intervened in their favor. The result is that they were all compensated last Friday, with $2,000 each, prior to their move further down, on Street No. 211.

Hok Bun Nat, president of the Association of Kiosk Owners, felt that the amount of compensation was “reasonable,” even though she asked for $5,500 of compensation for each owner for their departure. She also thanked Hun Sen for his “on-time intervention.” According to her, with this compensation amount, the shop owners will be able to resolve their debts and their losses.

The kiosks will be rebuilt just behind the Borei Keila, using a model authorized by the city of Phnom Penh, i.e. using a Khmer style. In spite of everything, the sellers suspect that this new settlement would be as temporary as their old one. Here as well, they are on public sidewalks. Who knows, when these sidewalks will be taken away again to make place for new infrastructures?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2426/vntoiletpaper2ge0.jpg

for the sandals

Anonymous said...

1. The amount of compensation to new paper sellers is reasonable.
2. Newpaper sellers must be aware that the sidewalks are public places.
3. They cannot consider theses place as their owns for ever.
4. Theu must not build additional facilities like in the previous stalls; Sleeping room, kitchen, bathroom....
5. the size of the stall must have standardized size fixed by the Municipality.

A P. PENH RESIDENT

Anonymous said...

No, 9:31AM we want pic of Uncle Ho on our toilet paper, please?

Anonymous said...

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/3669/hochiminhtoiletpaper2tw0.jpg

please post both up