Newspapers kiosks lining up Street No. 169 (Photo: Cambodge Soir Hebdo)07-01-2008
By Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
The Borei Keila district is a battle field between newspapers kiosk owners and the new land owners. The municipal authorities had decided in favor of the latter group.
Since December, a conflict is taking place, pitting newspapers kiosk owners and the Borei Keila municipal authorities, located in Veal Vong district, near the Olympic Stadium. Eighty of the kiosk owners are threatened with expulsion, even though they have set up shops at this location since the 90s. The root of the problem stems from the widening of Street No. 169, and the fact that the kiosk owners occupied access to properties which, then, were not yet built and belonged to the municipality, but now these properties have been privatized and apartment buildings are planned there.
In December, the kiosk owners were asked to move further down, along Street 211, at the latest on 09 January, based on an order issued lately by Keo Sakal, the commune chief. Should they ignore this order beyond the set date, their kiosks will be torn down by the cops and no compensation given in exchange for the move will be provided to them.
Hok Bun Nat, President of the Association of newspapers sellers, defend the kiosk owners, and she asked, on their behalf, a compensation of about $5,000 for each kiosk moved. Tain Narin, one of the kiosk owners, added: “We know that the municipality is developing Borei Keila, but this development favors the businessmen.” If the newspapers sellers understand the necessity to develop the city, they have a hard time understanding that it is done to benefit private investors and apartment developers. “We recognize that our shops are set on sidewalks belonging to the state, but here, it’s the apartment owners who force us to leave,” Hok Bun Nat said.
According to Keo Sakal, who plays the go-between for the two parties, the amount asked by the kiosk owners are too high, and the land owners do not take this demand into consideration. This conflict can also affect the distribution of newspapers, bulletins and other magazines in Phnom Penh. When asked about this topic, Khiev Kola, a member of steering committee of Cambodian journalists, explained that all acts aiming at restraining the flow of information is considered as an attack on the freedom of the press.
Since December, a conflict is taking place, pitting newspapers kiosk owners and the Borei Keila municipal authorities, located in Veal Vong district, near the Olympic Stadium. Eighty of the kiosk owners are threatened with expulsion, even though they have set up shops at this location since the 90s. The root of the problem stems from the widening of Street No. 169, and the fact that the kiosk owners occupied access to properties which, then, were not yet built and belonged to the municipality, but now these properties have been privatized and apartment buildings are planned there.
In December, the kiosk owners were asked to move further down, along Street 211, at the latest on 09 January, based on an order issued lately by Keo Sakal, the commune chief. Should they ignore this order beyond the set date, their kiosks will be torn down by the cops and no compensation given in exchange for the move will be provided to them.
Hok Bun Nat, President of the Association of newspapers sellers, defend the kiosk owners, and she asked, on their behalf, a compensation of about $5,000 for each kiosk moved. Tain Narin, one of the kiosk owners, added: “We know that the municipality is developing Borei Keila, but this development favors the businessmen.” If the newspapers sellers understand the necessity to develop the city, they have a hard time understanding that it is done to benefit private investors and apartment developers. “We recognize that our shops are set on sidewalks belonging to the state, but here, it’s the apartment owners who force us to leave,” Hok Bun Nat said.
According to Keo Sakal, who plays the go-between for the two parties, the amount asked by the kiosk owners are too high, and the land owners do not take this demand into consideration. This conflict can also affect the distribution of newspapers, bulletins and other magazines in Phnom Penh. When asked about this topic, Khiev Kola, a member of steering committee of Cambodian journalists, explained that all acts aiming at restraining the flow of information is considered as an attack on the freedom of the press.
1 comment:
To be honest, Those stands must move to another places.They cannot stay there for ever.
Those stand have abused the minicipality by building additional facilities; Room to sleep, kitchen....
Municipality must set Standard size and dimension for those newstands and also for Tuk tuk.
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