At least 40 were injured during the eviction in Kbal Spean, near Poipet, including 14 seriously, and 30 villagers were arrested. (Photo: Licadho)Rights Group Seeks to Stop Forced Evictions
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
11 February 2008
The international rights group Amnesty International called on the government Monday to end forced evictions.
The displacement from people from land claimed by government officials or businesses is causing thousands to suffer, the group said, citing dozens of cases.
Speaking from the disputed Dey Krahorm neighborhood of Phnom Penh, Brittis Edman, a researcher for Amnesty International, called on the government to cease forced evictions until better laws are in place to guarantee property protection.
At least 150,000 people have been affected by forced displacement, she said, adding that the government has an obligation under international law to protect populations from such removal.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith dismissed the group’s findings.
“Maybe Amnesty International doesn’t know Cambodian law,” Khieu Kanharith said. “If you only talk jokingly like this it could destroy your reputation.”
Sam Ny, a 33-year-old resident of Dey Krahorm, an area where many families are facing eviction, said companies who want the land should buy it at a fair market price.
“We only want appropriate compensation for us to move from this land,” he said. “And then we won’t be against them anymore.”
Forced evictions in the area have lead to the razing of 80 homes and clashes between police and residents. Thirteen people have been arrested a result.
The displacement from people from land claimed by government officials or businesses is causing thousands to suffer, the group said, citing dozens of cases.
Speaking from the disputed Dey Krahorm neighborhood of Phnom Penh, Brittis Edman, a researcher for Amnesty International, called on the government to cease forced evictions until better laws are in place to guarantee property protection.
At least 150,000 people have been affected by forced displacement, she said, adding that the government has an obligation under international law to protect populations from such removal.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith dismissed the group’s findings.
“Maybe Amnesty International doesn’t know Cambodian law,” Khieu Kanharith said. “If you only talk jokingly like this it could destroy your reputation.”
Sam Ny, a 33-year-old resident of Dey Krahorm, an area where many families are facing eviction, said companies who want the land should buy it at a fair market price.
“We only want appropriate compensation for us to move from this land,” he said. “And then we won’t be against them anymore.”
Forced evictions in the area have lead to the razing of 80 homes and clashes between police and residents. Thirteen people have been arrested a result.
3 comments:
the problem with some of the reports posted on this blog are so one-sided. it seems like these authors are working for only one political party or something. where is their code of ethics. they supposed to be unbiased in their reports. i would have no problem with a fair and balance reports about everything in cambodia. what i disagreed with are the tone of voice they use most of the time, so biased and imbalance, so lopsided views. they should quote both sides of the story in their reports so the audience can see that it is fair to the other party. it's equivalent to providing evidence in the report when the use quotes from both parties in their story.
another thing i wanted to point out is that the eviction problem going on in cambodia right now seems like it could be blown out of proportion in a way. for instance, i didn't see in the reports that some areas, the people who are being evicted are actually live there like refugees or something in areas where they know in advance that some development projects are to take place, so these people are just swarmed there to take advantage of the leasing of the land for the development project. so, i would be surprise a bit everything an area is slated for development, people tend to gather there for the piece of the pie there as to make the gov't look bad in the international eyes or something. i would not be surprise, given the tactical, competing political parties vying for victories in the coming national election. i don't really buy any story from anyone of them, unless it is a fair, balance reports.
Another Pol Pot's regime will soon arrive in Cambodia. Fuck You Ah Hun Kvack Sen See Pee Pee.
And give Khmer's land for the fucken Vietnamese platation is your mother fucker CPP kind of law?
May your mothers curse your kind to be hit by ligthning and go to hell!
Ah Ke Kab!
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