92 families in Sihanoukville are facing hardhsip11 August 2007
By Sok Serei
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
92 Cambodian families living in Village No. 4, O’Tress commune, Stung Hav district, Sihanoukville, who lost their shelters, complained that they are currently facing tremendous hardships from almost daily storms, severe lack of food, and lack of medicine.
55-year-old Keo Kea, one of the representatives of the 92 families who lost their shelters and who are now forced to live along the beach without any tent and food, told RFA that on Friday night, a strong storm hit the area and the families have no shelters and they are facing extreme hardships.
Keo kea said: “We are facing severe hardships from the storms, and we don’t have food, we lack rice, and the majority of us have nothing to eat at all. As far as medicine for those who are sick, some don’t have it. Most importantly, the main problem is the lack of shelters and the hard living condition.”
45-year-old Suong Touch, another representative of the 92 families, said: “The storm was fierce, and the sea waves were very strong, it rained and we couldn’t sleep at all. And at night time, they come to threaten us, they take down our tents in the middle of the night, we were trembling with fear and we went to hide under people’s houses. Now, we do not dare live near the beach, we can come back only during day time.”
According to an investigator of a human rights organization based in Sihanoukville, the Sihanoukville authority seems not to care about these families at all, it didn’t help provide food or resolve the shelter problem for the people at all.
Regarding this issue, Say Hak, the governor of the Sihanoukville municipality, reacted by saying that that his authority cannot provide any help because these families are under accusation by the court. Say Hak accused the families as an illegal group which occupy lands belonging to others.
Say Hak reacted by saying: “This is a court case, it is not in the hand of the authority or the local authority anymore. Where do they live now? They went to live on other people’s land. When were these lands theirs?”
The 92 families used to live in Village No. 4, O’Tress commune, Stung Hav district, Sihanoukville. The Sihanoukville authority conducted an operation to destroy their homes, and all of their crops at the end of July. The operation followed a land dispute pitting the families against Sar Soeng, the army commander of Sihanoukville , and his Chamroeun Cheat company. The extent of the land in dispute is about 130-hectare, and the dispute started since 2005.
Pung Chiv Kek, President of the Licadho organization, said: “This is the government duty, it cannot afford not to acknowledge this issue. It is his (Say Hak) duty and the duty of the government to look for a mean to provide housing and sufficient food to these people. Also, when these families are sick, they should receive medical service help also.”
Earlier, the Cambodian Independent Committee against Corruption sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior to complaint about Say Hak, accusing this (CPP) governor of using violence to grab 16-hectare of lands belonging to 100 families living in Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville, on 20 April 2007.
55-year-old Keo Kea, one of the representatives of the 92 families who lost their shelters and who are now forced to live along the beach without any tent and food, told RFA that on Friday night, a strong storm hit the area and the families have no shelters and they are facing extreme hardships.
Keo kea said: “We are facing severe hardships from the storms, and we don’t have food, we lack rice, and the majority of us have nothing to eat at all. As far as medicine for those who are sick, some don’t have it. Most importantly, the main problem is the lack of shelters and the hard living condition.”
45-year-old Suong Touch, another representative of the 92 families, said: “The storm was fierce, and the sea waves were very strong, it rained and we couldn’t sleep at all. And at night time, they come to threaten us, they take down our tents in the middle of the night, we were trembling with fear and we went to hide under people’s houses. Now, we do not dare live near the beach, we can come back only during day time.”
According to an investigator of a human rights organization based in Sihanoukville, the Sihanoukville authority seems not to care about these families at all, it didn’t help provide food or resolve the shelter problem for the people at all.
Regarding this issue, Say Hak, the governor of the Sihanoukville municipality, reacted by saying that that his authority cannot provide any help because these families are under accusation by the court. Say Hak accused the families as an illegal group which occupy lands belonging to others.
Say Hak reacted by saying: “This is a court case, it is not in the hand of the authority or the local authority anymore. Where do they live now? They went to live on other people’s land. When were these lands theirs?”
The 92 families used to live in Village No. 4, O’Tress commune, Stung Hav district, Sihanoukville. The Sihanoukville authority conducted an operation to destroy their homes, and all of their crops at the end of July. The operation followed a land dispute pitting the families against Sar Soeng, the army commander of Sihanoukville , and his Chamroeun Cheat company. The extent of the land in dispute is about 130-hectare, and the dispute started since 2005.
Pung Chiv Kek, President of the Licadho organization, said: “This is the government duty, it cannot afford not to acknowledge this issue. It is his (Say Hak) duty and the duty of the government to look for a mean to provide housing and sufficient food to these people. Also, when these families are sick, they should receive medical service help also.”
Earlier, the Cambodian Independent Committee against Corruption sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior to complaint about Say Hak, accusing this (CPP) governor of using violence to grab 16-hectare of lands belonging to 100 families living in Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville, on 20 April 2007.
