Saturday, January 31, 2009

UN criticises forced evictions in Cambodia

"We did not use violence against them, but tear gas to disperse the people who resisted" - Touch Naroth, PPenh police commissioner
GENEVA, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The Cambodian government is forcing tens of thousands of poor people from their homes in a grave breach of human rights, a U.N. investigator said on Friday.

Raquel Rolnik, United Nations special rapporteur on adequate housing, called for a halt to the evictions in the Southeast Asian country.

"The increase in forced evictions throughout Cambodia is very alarming," Rolnik said in a statement.

Cambodian police fired teargas to move more than 130 families last weekend from a Phnom Penh slum facing the Mekong River, without giving them prior notice, she said. It was the latest of a series of land disputes in the country where garment factories and hotels are springing up fast.

Rolnik, a Brazilian architect and urban planner, said those evicted from the site that the Cambodian government had sold to a private company should be compensated for losing their homes.

Witnesses said an elderly woman and a boy were hit by a bulldozer during the nightime eviction, and other residents were injured by clubs and stones, some seriously.

Police denied using excessive force against the group who had waged a 3-year battle against their eviction.

"We did not use violence against them, but tear gas to disperse the people who resisted," Phnom Penh police chief G. Touch Naruth told Reuters.

In her statement, Rolnik said Cambodia sould stop the practice that results in increased homeless and destitution.

"Forced evictions constitute a grave breach of human rights. They can be carried out only in exceptional circumstances and with the full respect of international standards," she said.

(Reporting by Laura MacInnis; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

In this case, no one uses weapon. They just only drive a bulldozer to roll over the people who resisted and hired lot of heartless man to destroy the houses.
See..there is no violence at all.
Fuck you!!
Ah Choy ma ray Touch Naroth.

Anonymous said...

Sometime you have to do harsh thing for the good of the people. That is what a good leader do.

Anonymous said...

8:43 AM HUN SEN will do that to your mother and you gandparent next

Anonymous said...

8:43, we're patiently waiting for that benefits when Pol Pot slaughtered your family.

Anonymous said...

That's fine by me, 10:43. I don't mind moving to a brand new flat just 10 miles from the city. Furthermore, once it's getting crowded in the city, the new flat price will be skyrocketing.

Anonymous said...

5.30am Beautifully said! Thank you

Anonymous said...

There go another crack head! Sure there is plenty of evidences that Cambodia is developing and moving in the right direction, using bulldozers, hammerjacks, and other power tools, but no one is complaining about it.

Anonymous said...

People power will move and take those corrupt leader, like a chkke Hun Sen for trial in the long run. A chke Hun Sen will be punished by other or god like A chke your Hok Lungdy. A chke Hun Sen is making bad image of Cambodia, detroying the nation of Cambodia. CPP have turned from liberators to coruptors and national detroyers. Take them for hang

Anonymous said...

What people power? Where? When? How? You must be on drug, Ah potato digger (6:27)

Anonymous said...

2:13PM don't be so stupid! You are and your family are on drug!

People power just like earth quake it will hit when you as sleep!!!!