Land dispute in Siem Reap (Photo: RFA)By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 January 2009
Six months after July’s national election, critics of the new administration of the Cambodian People’s Party say it has so far been incapable of solving the ongoing problem of land disputes.
This inability was underscored by the forced eviction—by tear gas and water cannon—of hundreds of Phnom Penh slum-dwellers in the Dey Krahorm neighborhood Saturday morning.
“I voted for the CPP, hoping this area would have justice and a fair resolution after the election,” said Horn Sar, a 49-year-old evictee of Dey Krahorm. “But right now, I’ve met with injustice through eviction. So I request Prime Minister Hun Sen to protect justice for the poor Dey Krahorm residents.”
The CPP took 90 of 123 National Assembly seats in the July 27 election, but they have so far done little to deal with the concerns of people like Horn Sar, who are at risk of displacement and land grabs, rights workers say.
“One hundred and forty land dispute cases were promised to be solved by the ruling officials during the election campaign,” said Chan Soveth, deputy chief of investigation for the rights group Adhoc. “But those cases are still a concern and cannot be solved at all.”
Local institutions, such as land dispute committees, as well as the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes, have proven incapable of solving the problem, Chan Soveth said. “So six months after the election, land disputes have no result and have no resolution.”
Ou Virak, head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, agreed.
“The government has no real willingness to solve the land disputes,” he said. “The authorities continue to use violence in the eviction of the people from their houses, especially in the case of Dey Krahorm. Before the election, the authorities allowed the people to protest land-grabbing, in order to get votes from the people. But after the election, we haven’t seen results coming from the result of the vote. So the government has fallen down.”
On Saturday, armed riot police fired tear gas and water cannons to evict hundreds of residents from Dey Krahorm, razing an area that had been part of an ongoing land dispute with developer 7NG.
Residents say they have not been fairly compensated by the development company. 7NG representatives say the company has offered each family an apartment on outskirts of Phnom Penh. Hundreds of Dey Krahorm evictees gathered on Monday and Tuesday in front of the National Assembly, seeking monetary compensation instead of an apartment.
“We don’t want to get the house from the company, because in that place the housing is not proper and we can’t make business, have no schools, and have not enough water and electricity and no toilets,” said Kim Hong, 58, a Dey Krahorm evictee.
Cheam Yiep, a CPP National Assembly lawmaker, said the government was capable of solving the disputes, but could not solve the thousands of cases before it in only six months. Resolution of the disputes was a priority, he said, “because Prime Minister Hun Sen is not happy about land grabbing by powerful men or rich men, or those who make injustice for farmers or ordinary people.”
This inability was underscored by the forced eviction—by tear gas and water cannon—of hundreds of Phnom Penh slum-dwellers in the Dey Krahorm neighborhood Saturday morning.
“I voted for the CPP, hoping this area would have justice and a fair resolution after the election,” said Horn Sar, a 49-year-old evictee of Dey Krahorm. “But right now, I’ve met with injustice through eviction. So I request Prime Minister Hun Sen to protect justice for the poor Dey Krahorm residents.”
The CPP took 90 of 123 National Assembly seats in the July 27 election, but they have so far done little to deal with the concerns of people like Horn Sar, who are at risk of displacement and land grabs, rights workers say.
“One hundred and forty land dispute cases were promised to be solved by the ruling officials during the election campaign,” said Chan Soveth, deputy chief of investigation for the rights group Adhoc. “But those cases are still a concern and cannot be solved at all.”
Local institutions, such as land dispute committees, as well as the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes, have proven incapable of solving the problem, Chan Soveth said. “So six months after the election, land disputes have no result and have no resolution.”
Ou Virak, head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, agreed.
“The government has no real willingness to solve the land disputes,” he said. “The authorities continue to use violence in the eviction of the people from their houses, especially in the case of Dey Krahorm. Before the election, the authorities allowed the people to protest land-grabbing, in order to get votes from the people. But after the election, we haven’t seen results coming from the result of the vote. So the government has fallen down.”
On Saturday, armed riot police fired tear gas and water cannons to evict hundreds of residents from Dey Krahorm, razing an area that had been part of an ongoing land dispute with developer 7NG.
Residents say they have not been fairly compensated by the development company. 7NG representatives say the company has offered each family an apartment on outskirts of Phnom Penh. Hundreds of Dey Krahorm evictees gathered on Monday and Tuesday in front of the National Assembly, seeking monetary compensation instead of an apartment.
“We don’t want to get the house from the company, because in that place the housing is not proper and we can’t make business, have no schools, and have not enough water and electricity and no toilets,” said Kim Hong, 58, a Dey Krahorm evictee.
Cheam Yiep, a CPP National Assembly lawmaker, said the government was capable of solving the disputes, but could not solve the thousands of cases before it in only six months. Resolution of the disputes was a priority, he said, “because Prime Minister Hun Sen is not happy about land grabbing by powerful men or rich men, or those who make injustice for farmers or ordinary people.”
21 comments:
Poor or rich, the human characteristic is still the same. This is what you call, greed of the rich meets greed of the poor. 20,000 dollars is a lot of money in Cambodia where the average factory garment worker gets 50 dollars a month. Just do the math and you'll see if the residents there are victims or injustice or victims of their own greed, with a little devil whisper from rights group and political parties who seek to use this for their personal gain in discrediting the current government.
Foolishness! Isn’t it time to learn about trust in Ah Kwack a traitor? Stop giving him your votes and look into changing a direction of the leader. Do you think he’d care about your land or hear your complaints? That’s just a promise to attract votes during his campaign. Once he got what he wants, he forgets what he’d promised you. It’s not the first time and will not the last either. He’ll keep giving people empty promise as long as he needs to hold on to power thu corruptions.
Most of the people seem like they’re frogs living in a deep well.
They can’t further far-away. Learn from your mistake, folks!
My beloved 4:53AM!
Ya're repeatedly whining and insulting the miserable evictees that they are consciously greedy and foolish. You must be evidently shown us where and when these miserable evictees greedily refuse to accept the money. Otherwise. according to my dull common sense, even the illiterate fool can still tell and understand the entire difference between the old broken hut and 2 or 2.5 G!
Ya can simply convince anyone who have never been visited, lived, or known Srok Khmer, they might unacknowledgeably believe ya!
Once again, nice try!
Ah Sen you're fucking idiot asshole.
This is typical of pouk Ah Scam Rainxy. They want PM Hun Sen to help them, but they voted for Ah Scam Rainxy.
And they did the same thing in the US: they want Obama to help them, but they voted for McCaine.
What a bunch of born losers?
"7NG had promised to pay $20,000 per home, but only one person of thousands had been compensated, Kek Galbru said. Some had only received $500."
What the fuck! Only one person gets $20,000? ahhahahhahahahh!
This is Hun Sen legacy that is to make the dough without the flour and to do business without the money! The money just keep pouring into Cambodia nonstop and Cambodia still remain dirt poor!
This is to response to 5:57
It's doesn't matter who you vote for. As a PM and gov't agency, you have to follow the constitutions. When you sign the Paris Peace aggreement you have to follow. I don't support Sam Rainsey or Hun Sen either. I just speak my heart out on behalf of my people abroad. Your corruption get to stop before the UN Sanction again you. Stop putting my Khmer people homeless. This is Khmer Land. They deserve it. What did you do for the past 30 years? I still see slavery and brothel and sex abuse, land grabbing etc. on every front page of world news. Shame on all of you that doesn't respect human life. You people are not differnce from Pol Pot.
People voted for McCain and Obama still lend a hand for McCain’s supporters no matter what. This calls a real democracy world. Unlike Ah Kwack people gave him votes and he turned his blind eye and closed his ears up pretending he is Chimpanzee. What an idiot!
5:10 AM
Maybe you yourself haven't lived in Cambodia for so long, you haven't got a reality check yet. Maybe, you think every country has to follow what the US says and acts. It's called doggy behavior. Do you follow what the white men say? I think you do or else.
6:49 AM
Calling someone an idiot? Maybe you should feel a bit of an irony there. In the US, it's a one party state, buddy. Sorry to ruin your American dream there. Democrates and Republicans are essentially the same party. Their core ideology is the same. The only real difference is how they do it. Election is something they do so you have an idea that you have choice but in reality you don't. Want a reality check, do you own any property in the US. No, the question is "Do you really own any property in America?" If you answer, yes. You'd be surprised to know that you're quite wrong. How? Try not paying your home tax and we'll see how actually is the owner of your house. That's just one example of the reality of your freedom, choice, and RIGHTS. Like George Carlin said, you have to be asleep to believe in "American Dream."
6:09 AM
20,000$ isn't enough? Apparently, you don't know a damn shit about Cambodia. You should stop considering calling yourself Cambodian because you don't even know much about Cambodia anymore. 20,000 is a hell out of money. Those people didn't take it because they wanted more. Greed is what they have got. An average salary for garment factory worker is 50 dollars. Do the math. You can have a decent life in the rural area if you're a smart and not a lazy bum that wants to live off the welfare.
6:58
You can choose to buy and own a house or a trailer homes. Taxes is what make this country progress. If you choose not to own none of these above , you can choose to live under the bridge on a card board. I own my house and I pay $5200.00 a year on my real estate taxes. I'm still survive and able to support my wife and kids. Imagine with 7 kids living in Cambodia. I probably don't have that chance. Just a looser here that blame on the gov't and others people. Get you butt out there and get a jobs. Go school if you want to get pay more. Stop blaming on White men or Black , Jews. This is a country of opportunity. Leave here if you don't like. Open your mouth and bag us when you starv to death. And we still give you foods because we're American. We don't hate you. We love all god ceature.
Khmer Freedom Lover Against Dictatorship.
6:58AM, no need you as a Moron to ruin our American dream. Most of us already got American dream. That’s why we condemn Yuon’s puppet regime.
Good thing that you’ve a bit of knowledge about the Western countries and how it's like and you still bow to your master Viet. for helps.
Keep the advice for yourself in case your family needs it. We don’t need your lecture on that.
7:18 AM
I hope you made yourself feel like a better man now, calling another person names. You got pretty good character to you there, buddy. I just hope you don't pass that to your kids. Fyi, whatever I might be, CPP or Funipec, or etc..., it's my right? people like you are the hyprocites of the world. You want your right to say this and that but when someone else like me who expresses my right to say things too, you just can't restraint yourself from verbally attacking me and try to shut me up because what I say is not what you like. A little self-contradicting there, Mr. Equality and Justice?
7:18 AM
I live in America and it is not always rainbows and sunshine like you like to believe. America is a big place, just because you never encounter racism but it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Western world isn't a perfect place you like to believe in your head. Look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A7DEkq5rbc
"kept behind closed doors in America"
That's what they get for not thinking before voting...
Ah Hun Kwang will die ugly like ah Hok Lundy.
Have we seen the government evicts Vietnamese illegal settlers yet?
How about all of Khmer band together and evict all of the rich and powerful CPP officials of Cambodia, take all their properly and belonging....why not they have demolished and taken your!
After that we can have another proper election istead of this previous rigged one.
Oh my Got take your self away from the dust of Viet Nam feet folks,do not waste your valuable times with half pre`te and half human,these moron CPP bugs ,just a virus to twist Right to wrong,talking none senses that what they get pay for ,to me I personal want to through up on his or her face with da kantorb
slave =CPP= wild human being.
correction=Oh my God
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