Lake Residents Fear Post-Election EvictionsBy Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
02 April 2008
[Editor's note: In the weeks leading into national polls, VOA Khmer will explore a wide number of election issues. The "Election Issues 2008" series will air stories on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a related "Hello VOA" guest on Thursday. This is the second in a two-part series examining the development of Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak lake.]
Residents living on and around Phnom Penh's largest lake are at loggerheads with the city over a proposed a development that is pressuring many to take a low government buy-out.
The residents, who mainly live in tiny wooden shanties on the banks of Boeung Kak lake, or on stilts over the water, are asking for market price for their homes, but city officials say the structures are occupying land that already belongs to the municipality.
For now, all is calm, but residents told VOA Khmer recently they worry they will be forcibly evicted after July's general elections.
"We will stand up in a struggle if the authorities use violent eviction against us," said Be Pharum, a 55-year-old resident, as she scrubbed clothes in front of her small, wooden home over the lake. "I think that before the national election, the authorities will not evict us. But after the election, the power will be concentrated in the hands of the current government."
After that, she said, "I believe an eviction will really happen."
"I know this because right now the government wants the vote from the people here," she continued. "So the authorities will do nothing wrong to the people, like in other places. All this history makes us very concerned."
About 8.12 million voters are expected to turn out nationwide in Cambodia's fourth general elections, slated for July 27.
Thearn Phos, 36, whose house juts over the river behind an Islamic mosque, said he was praying to god for help preventing a post-election eviction.
"I fret the authorities will evict and dismantle my house when the election is completed," he said. "I ask the government not to dismantle my house."
Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Pa Socheatvong and Lao Meng Khin, director of the Shukaku, Inc., which has leased the lake area in a $79 million deal, say they have no intention to evict the villagers.
But residents are worried by an established government track record of forced evictions, especially in the cities of Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Poipet and the provinces of Mondolkiri and Ratanakkiri.
Protesters in the past have been shot dead or wounded in clashes with security forces. Some have been arrested. Some have fled their homes for fear of arrest.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers and rights workers have accused the government of delaying compensation to villagers on threatened land, such as Boeung Kak, until after the election, because, they say, it allows the ruling Cambodian People's Party to apply pressure to voters.
Pa Socheatvong denied accusations as "baseless," saying the delay in compensation is not political but technical.
"I believe that the people [really living in the area] don't have to worry, because they will get the government-regulated [land price]," he said. "The municipality does not cheat people. The ruling party cannot commit political suicide on this problem, because we need the votes from the people."
Developer Lao Meng Khin, who is also a CPP senator, told VOA Khmer that the villagers should not worry about compensation.
"We are making a fair business, and we have to pay compensation to the villagers," Lao Meng Khin said. "We won't get their property without paying."
The development of the lake area will likely start in late 2008, after the election, Pa Socheatvong said.
Residents living on and around Phnom Penh's largest lake are at loggerheads with the city over a proposed a development that is pressuring many to take a low government buy-out.
The residents, who mainly live in tiny wooden shanties on the banks of Boeung Kak lake, or on stilts over the water, are asking for market price for their homes, but city officials say the structures are occupying land that already belongs to the municipality.
For now, all is calm, but residents told VOA Khmer recently they worry they will be forcibly evicted after July's general elections.
"We will stand up in a struggle if the authorities use violent eviction against us," said Be Pharum, a 55-year-old resident, as she scrubbed clothes in front of her small, wooden home over the lake. "I think that before the national election, the authorities will not evict us. But after the election, the power will be concentrated in the hands of the current government."
After that, she said, "I believe an eviction will really happen."
"I know this because right now the government wants the vote from the people here," she continued. "So the authorities will do nothing wrong to the people, like in other places. All this history makes us very concerned."
About 8.12 million voters are expected to turn out nationwide in Cambodia's fourth general elections, slated for July 27.
Thearn Phos, 36, whose house juts over the river behind an Islamic mosque, said he was praying to god for help preventing a post-election eviction.
"I fret the authorities will evict and dismantle my house when the election is completed," he said. "I ask the government not to dismantle my house."
Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Pa Socheatvong and Lao Meng Khin, director of the Shukaku, Inc., which has leased the lake area in a $79 million deal, say they have no intention to evict the villagers.
But residents are worried by an established government track record of forced evictions, especially in the cities of Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Poipet and the provinces of Mondolkiri and Ratanakkiri.
Protesters in the past have been shot dead or wounded in clashes with security forces. Some have been arrested. Some have fled their homes for fear of arrest.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers and rights workers have accused the government of delaying compensation to villagers on threatened land, such as Boeung Kak, until after the election, because, they say, it allows the ruling Cambodian People's Party to apply pressure to voters.
Pa Socheatvong denied accusations as "baseless," saying the delay in compensation is not political but technical.
"I believe that the people [really living in the area] don't have to worry, because they will get the government-regulated [land price]," he said. "The municipality does not cheat people. The ruling party cannot commit political suicide on this problem, because we need the votes from the people."
Developer Lao Meng Khin, who is also a CPP senator, told VOA Khmer that the villagers should not worry about compensation.
"We are making a fair business, and we have to pay compensation to the villagers," Lao Meng Khin said. "We won't get their property without paying."
The development of the lake area will likely start in late 2008, after the election, Pa Socheatvong said.
8 comments:
regardless who's in office, disorderly must go to keep phnom penh clean and safe from eyesores. thank you.
" Boeung Kak Lake residents can avoid post-eviction by voting out the current government" -- Ah Jkout (Heng Xoy)
Sorry Squatters, I am afraid that ain't good enough. Better pack your belonging and move back to your Vietcong's Shit Pit in South Vietnam.
Hello there Viet pimp @4:52 AM,
What a freaking ugly looking Viet pimp like you doing on Khmer site/blog like KI-Media, lesjeuneskihmers.com, Khmer-network.com. khmerconnection.com eh?
Quit pretending to be Khmer and please don't bring more Viet prostitutes to Cambodia, okay?
You Viet pimp ought to leave Hun Xen alone, and the Cambodian people will take very good care of him. It's a promise from us Cambodian to you Viet pimp alright?
Yeah, it's time for you Viet pimp to pack up and leave Cambodia now!
Go Home Viet, go home!
Go Home Viet, go home!
The world knows you Viet's true colors already, not to worry!
Sure, sure, I will, once Ah notorious Khmer killer Xam Rainxy is hung by his neck.
Now, tail between your legs and go East now you freaking ugly stinky Viet pimp @ 5:36 AM, now!
"We are making a fair business, and we have to pay compensation to the villagers," Lao Meng Khin said. "We won't get their property without paying."
This makes me want to vomit. It stinks.
That motherf*cker and retard bastard 452a.m & 5:36a.m. He is stupid. Geta hell out of Cambodia motherf*ck!
It's going to be the mess at the end. Trust me! No one will be happy and they will point finger at each other like stupids. No one's happy. Not the families being affected, not the PP city governor, not the citizens of concerned, not the develper and even the government itself will be very disappointed that the took this path at the end. It's going to be an catastrophic. The lake should have left alone and develope around it, not to change it completly like the mother intended it to be... There never a moment I think it will work given their history of management creditibility and leadership. They simply lie to get their way going.
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