Eviction by drowning: It only happens in Hun Xen’s lawless Cambodia

Sand pumping operation by the Shukaku Inc. led to the drowning of about 30 houses in Boeung Kak Lake area (Photo: Den Ayuthyea, RFA)

Shukaku Inc. pumps in sand to drown houses in Boeung Kak

03 Nov. 2010
By Den Ayuthyea
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

“Our country has good laws, but the government has only one will, i.e. it does not respect the law at all, it rejected the fact that people are living there, it wants the residents to move out far away from the city. All that the government does is to allow the plan set up 100% by the [Shukaku] company” - Ouch Leng, Adhoc official

Residents in Boeung Kak area claimed that at least 30 of the houses there were drowned out by the sand pumping operation performed by the Shukaku Inc. Co. to fill the lake. The house drowning took place even though there is no resolution given yet as to the development of that area.

Boeung Kak residents, who were victimized, told RFA on 03 November with choking voice about their concerns over the loss of their houses. They indicated that neither the Phnom Penh city hall nor Hun Xen would look into their numerous pleas for intervention, nor did they offer any help to the residents. Nevertheless, Boeung Kak residents are still confident that Hun Xen can help them.

Ty Pisey, a woman living in Village No. 24 and whose house was drowned out by the Shukaku Inc. on 03 November, issued a new plea to Hun Xen, asking him to help stop the sand pumping operation immediately and to force the company to return to the negotiation table to provide a reasonable solution to the residents: “The three Samdachs [Hun Xen, Heng Xamrin and Chea Xim], please help resolve the hardship faced by the residents of Boeung Kak area because the residents are currently being drowned out.”

Chhim Navy, an elderly woman, indicated her concerns and issued this plea: “Samdach Hun Xen please help your children and grandchildren and find a reasonable resolution for the residents. The residents are willing to move out, we will not stay, but give us a decent [compensation] so we can buy another house to live in.”

The victimized residents added: “There must be a commission to resolve this problem, the [Shukaku] company should not be allowed to do whatever it wants. In the past, they said that there will be separate resolution for those who live on the lake, and those who live on land. But, now, irrespective of where you live, the resolution is the same, this cannot be.”

The residents indicated that during the Shukaku company’s sand pumping operation to drown out the houses in Beoung Kak on 03 November, there was no government official who came to meet the residents or came to stop this sand pumping operation at all. The residents said that all that they can do is to watch their houses being drowned out because they were helpless and the Shukaku Inc. also brought in numerous armed guards for its protection.

On 03 November, RFA could not reach the city hall to clarify on this pumping operation.

Regarding this problem, Kong Chamroeun, the representative of Hun Xen’s office, said on 15 September 2008 that Hun Xen decided to let the city hall and the Shukaku Inc. Co. resolve the problem for the residents who actually live in the Boeung Kak area, the resolutions would provide three alternative choices for the residents.

Kong Chamroeun said: “The three options are: (1) accept an already built house, (2) accept $8,000 and 2 million riels (~ $500) [in compensation], or (3) remain there so that they will receive another house at the same location. For the sand pumping, if there is no pumping, they will not be able to do anything, i.e. they cannot change this area.”

Ouch Leng, a land dispute official for the Adhoc human rights organization who visited and observed the sand pumping operation by the Shukaku Inc. Co., said that the operation is a serious violation of the residents’ rights.

Ouch Leng added: “Our country has good laws, but the government has only one will, i.e. it does not respect the law at all, it rejected the fact that people are living there, it wants the residents to move out far away from the city. All that the government does is to allow the plan set up 100% by the [Shukaku] company.”

In 2007, the Cambodian government, through the city hall, signed an agreement to lease 133 hectares of land to the Shukaku Inc. Co. for a duration of 99 years. That development plan led to 3,000 families losing their house and they have to be evicted and taken out far away from that area.