By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
05 October 2009
Rights groups joined more than 300 displaced residents on Monday to urge the government to punish those powerful officials and companies who violate residents’ rights through forced evictions, as they marked World Habitat Day.
Thousands of Cambodians have been displaced in development schemes in the capital and land grabs for agricultural business in the provinces, an ongoing problem that critics have warned is causing political instability.
“The government ought to end the illegal implementation in forced evictions and temporarily postpone all forced evictions until there is a judicial system for executing human rights and mechanisms for the monitoring of implementation, to ensure social responsibilities with transparency,” Ny Chakriya, chief of investigation for the rights group Adhoc, said. “The government ought to ensure that there is a legal resolution with effectiveness, justice, equity, and timeliness for the victims because of the violation of residence rights and land and natural resources.
“Furthermore, the government ought to end impunity for some people, including the government officials, military, police, individuals or companies who have joined in the activities of the violation of residence rights,” he said.
Am Sam Ath, head of the monitoring unit for the group Licadho said forced evictions became a serious problem after 2006, when “authorities and companies pressured people into leaving their land and houses through various means.”
Forced evictions create a “very far gap” between the interests of companies of citizens, he said. “So we’ve seen that the government or the authorities always provide more interest to companies over people.”
Be Pharum, a representative from the Boeung Kak community in Phnom Penh, which is being evicted to make way for a giant development project, said forced evictions brought “worry and fear” to people.
Loeuk Sambo, a former member of group 78, another displaced neighborhood, said it caused “negative affection and difficulties in the shortage in their livings.”
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said the government did not encourage public servants, in or out of uniform, to violate rights and freedoms of citizens.
“No law allows any person to be above the law, and we are reforming the legal system and judiciary for land principles,” he said. “The offenders will face punishment and condemnation.”
Licadho’s Am Sam Ath said he had taken 13 cases of forced eviction in early 2009, particularly from development projects in Phnom Penh, compared to 10 cases the year before.
Thousands of Cambodians have been displaced in development schemes in the capital and land grabs for agricultural business in the provinces, an ongoing problem that critics have warned is causing political instability.
“The government ought to end the illegal implementation in forced evictions and temporarily postpone all forced evictions until there is a judicial system for executing human rights and mechanisms for the monitoring of implementation, to ensure social responsibilities with transparency,” Ny Chakriya, chief of investigation for the rights group Adhoc, said. “The government ought to ensure that there is a legal resolution with effectiveness, justice, equity, and timeliness for the victims because of the violation of residence rights and land and natural resources.
“Furthermore, the government ought to end impunity for some people, including the government officials, military, police, individuals or companies who have joined in the activities of the violation of residence rights,” he said.
Am Sam Ath, head of the monitoring unit for the group Licadho said forced evictions became a serious problem after 2006, when “authorities and companies pressured people into leaving their land and houses through various means.”
Forced evictions create a “very far gap” between the interests of companies of citizens, he said. “So we’ve seen that the government or the authorities always provide more interest to companies over people.”
Be Pharum, a representative from the Boeung Kak community in Phnom Penh, which is being evicted to make way for a giant development project, said forced evictions brought “worry and fear” to people.
Loeuk Sambo, a former member of group 78, another displaced neighborhood, said it caused “negative affection and difficulties in the shortage in their livings.”
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said the government did not encourage public servants, in or out of uniform, to violate rights and freedoms of citizens.
“No law allows any person to be above the law, and we are reforming the legal system and judiciary for land principles,” he said. “The offenders will face punishment and condemnation.”
Licadho’s Am Sam Ath said he had taken 13 cases of forced eviction in early 2009, particularly from development projects in Phnom Penh, compared to 10 cases the year before.
14 comments:
This government should pay more attention to stopping the continuous flow of illegal Vietnamese into Cambodia than chasing the poor people living in slums out of their huts.
The almost one hundred Khmer-viet borders ' gate were beeing built to facilitate and protect the flock of illegal Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia very easily, and to avoid the khmer people to chase them back.
Wake up all Khmers, otherwise all of you will be vietnamese slaves on your ancestors' lands.
Viet from Hanoi had controlled of everything, khmer administrations in all levels, buddhist religion, trade,...etc.
The vietnamese last project for the Vietnamisation of Cambodia is to WIPE OUT KHMER IDENTITIES.
Do all Khmers realise this yet ???
I think we should first start with ah Youn Sen. We should sent him back to Vietnam where he belongs.
The best way to stop Hun Sen and his goverment from chasing people out of their homes is voting them out of the office.
Over 5 millions Viet illegal immigrants already became Xamers, and voted for Hun Sen.
How Khmers can get rid of these unfair game of election ????
The government needs to step up to protect its own people, rather than be selfish to its own needs. Taking away things from people who have no power might make the government happy. But when they die, they will go straight to hell! Evil bustard.
Hun Sen please remember, if you give peace to people, people will give peace to you! Please look at other successful countries, their leaders are working to protect every individual by put law and order, such as zero tollerant to corruption, and other laws to protect all other injustice. Aust
correction: to protect and prevent from all other injustice
When will civil war start? Proposed.
Why we Khmer not in Phnom Penh? Expeled.
Why we poor to poorer to poorest? Ah HUNt & SENd.
Voting won't change anything. Hun Sen lost the election before, but that didn't stop him from regaining power. The only people who vote for him are the business owners because most of them are aren't khmer. They are afraid their business might be threaten if a new prime minister comes into office. As long as hun sen is in power, they can bleed us dry. You think those illegal immigrants care what happens to our country? If our country should ever collapse, those aliens can easily return to theirs, but where are the khmers going to go? Nowhere! We only have this one land. That 99 years lease policy is so stupid.
I would never hit a guy with glasses, but I will make an exception with ah youn sen.
Cambodia Town
Long Beach, Ca
The government should provide people with adequate housing before displacing them, and some compensation.
New Phally
I agree New Phally..Aust
You! Aust = Khmer Australia or Khmer Kangaroo and where's Angkorian Krama Man. Whatever?
Come on people, let us join the money together and buy Cambodia out from ah Hun Sen! Since voting don't help, money can only buy!
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