Saturday, October 23, 2010

Authorities Move To Evict Stadium Vendors

Vendors tear down their stalls around Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium on Friday, pushed out by plans to build offices for the National Olympic Committee. (Photo: by Heng Reaksmey)
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Friday, 22 October 2010
In Pol Pot's regime, we had three days to evacuate Phnom Penh. Right now, the Cambodian regime is crueler than Pol Pot.” - Hak Kim Heang, a clothing seller
More than 100 police cleared out vendor stalls surrounding the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh on Friday, blocking off the main roads and carrying shields and electric batons to push out those reluctant to go.

Some vendors appeared to have little time to carry their goods from the stalls, leaving behind clothes, shoes, belts and other merchandise as they dismantled their metal-roofed shops.

Other vendors shouted at the police, angry because they said they had been given notice only the day before they would have to leave.

“In Pol Pot's regime, we had three days to evacuate Phnom Penh,” said Hak Kim Heang, a clothing seller. “Right now, the Cambodian regime is crueler than Pol Pot.”




City officials say they need to clear the vendors from 10,000 square meters of land in order to build offices for the National Olympic Committee and to build a wall around the stadium.

Pa Socheatvong, deputy governor of Phnom Penh, told VOA Khmer on Friday that the city had made several announcements to vendors.

“This area belongs to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, for the development of sports in Cambodia,” he said.

Vath Chamroen, secretary-general of the Olympic Committee, said the building will provide offices for his agency, as well as the Cambodian Football Federation and other sports organizations.

He urged calm among the vendors and an understanding of Cambodia's policies to develop sport.

But on Friday, calm and understanding were in short supply. Vendors said they were left to clear out the stalls by themselves, and some accused city authorities of keeping roofs and other building materials to sell for recycling.

Yin San, police chief for Prampi Makara district, said police had been deployed to control security only. He denied his police had taken any materials from the vendors.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pol pot regime if they dont like
someone they just take to the bushes then kill right away.
HUN SEN regime they do whatever they want if someone againt them
they make them suffer ...suffer..
and suffer...

Khmer chheu chapp

Anonymous said...

I think it's wrong for the police to give the people just a day notice. But I do agree that the vendors should be selling in the stadium, not a place for selling.

Anonymous said...

The govt allowed those vendors to sell their things in the Stadium,but later the govt forced them out without a notice. The govt must be responsible finding a place for them first,then vendors followed the govt order.This govt treated their own citizens like animals.When these people get more suffered,they will fight back and won't be afraid to die.

Anonymous said...

I understand that the area need to be cleared, but it is unfair for the vendor. The other side of stadium also there are also many shop and building that the the authority to clear too.

Anonymous said...

I am very please with Govts idea to clear out these junky and dirty slum..We need to make our city cleans and modern today! Phnom Penh is the capital of cambodia...just like D.C. People must understood and willing to take what Govts offering...better than nothing to give?? to make our country look and become modern, this is the only way..!! step by step we make it...

Anonymous said...

People should realize that Govts has work so hard to rebuild the country and trying to improve people's life of living? they need to understand what Govts trying to do...this is for all of cambodian!!!! Do people want Thailand and other country to continue look down on our country..with Trashes? dirty slum?

Anonymous said...

Yep! to those who bad mouth PM Hun Sen...look whats going on everyday in cambodia, new bridges, new railway, new road, Electricity reaching rual area...but you dumbfuck sitting behind pc bad mouth Govts? why don't you go and help the country or something? did you stay in school like us in Srok Khmer? or you bunch of drop out and on foodstamp?