One of the two homeowners was physically dragged out of her home. Russei Keo governor claimed that no violence was used to remove the homeowners. (Photo: Koh Santepheap newspaper)
Police and demolition crew waiting to demolish the 2 homes. (Photo: Koh Santepheap newspaper)
One homeowner hanged a banner asking Hun Sen to help intervene (her plea was never heard). The homeowners also held a gaz tank to prevent the cops from approaching them. (Photo: Koh Santepheap newspaper)Monday, April 23, 2007
By Duong Sokha
Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read Cambodge Soir’s original article in French
For Adhoc and the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), the demolition of 2 houses in Tuol Kork by the municipality in order to make space for a large urban project was not done under satisfactory conditions for the home owners.
Two organizations, Adhoc and CCHR, have denounced the manner which the Phnom Penh municipality used to destroy two homes in Tuol Kork, in Khan Russei Keo, apparently without providing any promise to compensate their owners. The city called in about 100 workers to tear down these dwellings which were located along the path a planned new road to be built by the South Korean company World City which also plans to build a vast city project in the new Boeng Paung Peay zone. The development project involving an investment of almost $2 billion, and which the master plan was adopted in December of 2005, will include the construction of apartments, villas, schools, hotels, high rise towers, sport center, markets, hospital and shopping centers. The construction would be completed by 2018. Adhoc and CCHR accuse the authority of “forcing the owners, who were settled there since 1980, to leave without offering any compensation nor finding a solution through legal means,” and for violating the 2001 land law.
Mey Sothaline, the owner of one of the 2 houses, explained that she was punished because she was not accommodating enough: “The city first called me to propose $32,000. I asked $65,000 because my home is 4-by-14.6-meter. They finally evicted us without letting us know in advance, and I heard that we will not be compensated either.”
The Russei Keo governor said that this family is too greedy. He reminded that the municipality created a commission in charge of estimating the price of houses threatened by the demolition, and that almost all of the 30 families had accepted the city’s offer, with the exception of only one. “This family asks too much money, it is illegal. The others are happy to leave the place for the development of the city, and there was no violence…” he claims.
Two organizations, Adhoc and CCHR, have denounced the manner which the Phnom Penh municipality used to destroy two homes in Tuol Kork, in Khan Russei Keo, apparently without providing any promise to compensate their owners. The city called in about 100 workers to tear down these dwellings which were located along the path a planned new road to be built by the South Korean company World City which also plans to build a vast city project in the new Boeng Paung Peay zone. The development project involving an investment of almost $2 billion, and which the master plan was adopted in December of 2005, will include the construction of apartments, villas, schools, hotels, high rise towers, sport center, markets, hospital and shopping centers. The construction would be completed by 2018. Adhoc and CCHR accuse the authority of “forcing the owners, who were settled there since 1980, to leave without offering any compensation nor finding a solution through legal means,” and for violating the 2001 land law.
Mey Sothaline, the owner of one of the 2 houses, explained that she was punished because she was not accommodating enough: “The city first called me to propose $32,000. I asked $65,000 because my home is 4-by-14.6-meter. They finally evicted us without letting us know in advance, and I heard that we will not be compensated either.”
The Russei Keo governor said that this family is too greedy. He reminded that the municipality created a commission in charge of estimating the price of houses threatened by the demolition, and that almost all of the 30 families had accepted the city’s offer, with the exception of only one. “This family asks too much money, it is illegal. The others are happy to leave the place for the development of the city, and there was no violence…” he claims.
