NGO Report Shows Little Improvement in Handling of Land Evictions
Urban land rights NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut released a research document on Monday showing a slowdown in land evictions in the capital, but said there was little evidence the process was improving or following human rights standards.
The document, released by Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) and titled “Eviction and Relocation,” provides statistics on all reported land evictions in Phnom Penh since the 1990s.
Pointing to recent evictions conducted in the last three months at Boeung Chhouk A, Boeung Samrong, and Boeung Tamok, STT’s report shows little improvement in local authorities’ conduct while dealing with communities slated for eviction.
“Impoverished Cambodian families continue to be evicted despite the Covid-19 pandemic making families vulnerable to sickness and extreme poverty,” read the report’s press release.
Phnom Penh had been mired in a slew of land disputes, emanating from the local government’s handing over of land to private interests, in many cases, often to the detriment of communities and residents. This includes the forced eviction of families from Dey Krahorm, Boeung Kak Lake, and Borei Keila.
Sun Narin, VOA Khmer
