LIBRARY

15 December 2010

Venerable Loun Sovath has many hats: he is a monk, a human rights defender and a representative for the disenfranchised Chikreng community in Siem Reap province.

Sovath has acted at great risk to his personal safety, struggling to find justice for the victims of the Chi Kreng land grab.

Venerable Sovath was threatened very often, like many other human rights defenders, dispite his robes. In fact, he may face an even greater threat, given his willingness to speak out, appear in the media, and openly document abuse perpetrated by the authorities.

3 November 2010

The incident took place during a protest in front of the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital on the morning of October 28, 2010, where a group of fifty protesters gathered to seek intervention by the UN Secretary-General into the ongoing Boeung Kak land grab in Phnom Penh. ;Around 10:15AM, as the UN Secretary-General was visiting the Hospital with government officials, a mixed group of armed anti-riot police and administrative police officers launched a violent assault on standing protesters, pushing people to the ground, beating some with walkie-talkies and shocking others with electric batons.

During the incident, Suong Sophorn, an activist who lives in the Boeung Kak Lake area, was arrested and viciously beaten, resulting in a severe bleeding wound to the head. The police dragged him away as he felt unconscious and was further beaten by officers. Sophorn is one among the Cambodians who were protesting the forced eviction of the Boeung Kak Lake community, and was appealing for a meeting with the Secretary-General.

1 July 2010

A land dispute in Chi Kreng district of Siem Reap province, turned ugly when four villagers were wounded when members of a joint force - including police, military police, border police and soldiers - opened fire on a crowd of farmers in Anlong Samnor commune on Sunday, March 22.

Over a year later, not a single officer has been prosecuted for the violence committed on that day. However, nine villagers are facing trial in July 2010 on spurious charges of attempted killing in relation to the March 2009 shooting incident.

2 April 2010

On 26 March 2010, more than 600 - entangled in a land dispute with Okhna Ly Yong Phat's sugar plantation - villagers gathered on National Road 4, blocking the road for almost two hours, and demanded the release of their two representatives, Khem Vuth and You Tho, who had been arrested two days earlier. This led to heavy traffic congestion and prompted the deputy provincial governor, court officials and provincial police commissioner to talk with villagers. After lengthy negotiations, the villagers agreed to move and discuss the matter at the provincial court.

On 29 March 2010 Mr. You and Mr. Vuthy were released on bail and placed under surveillance.

14 October 2009

On September 30, 2009, more than 30 villagers fought with military police outside Takeo Provincial Court in an attempt to prevent authorities from detaining a community representative from being arrested on groundless disinformation charges.

After several hours of questioning by Takeo Provincial Court Director and Investigating Judge Tith Sothy, Sib Sen and Ny San were charged with disinformation and wrongful damage of property, which stemmed from a 2008 incident where they had removed a fence built by the mosque leaders to cover village land after declaring that it belonged to the community. No reasons were given by court which subsequently released Sib Sen on bail but arrested and detained Ny San.

9 September 2009

In the past 5 years LICADHO has documented cases of land grabbing that have affected more than a quarter of a million Cambodians. The rampant land grabbing has seriously undermined the development of Cambodia, depriving entire communities of their livelihoods and dignity.

This video was shown on September 10, 2009, during the US Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing on Cambodia.

4 August 2009

Police used intimidation and violence against MP Mu Sochua and SRP supporters, as well as journalists and other independent observers, following the announcement of the Sochua's verdict on Tuesday August 4. As Sochua, party president Sam Rainsy, SRP National Assemby MPs and supporters proceeded to march along the streets back to the party headquarters from the court, police attempted to violently disperse the impromptu march.

Anti-riot police repeatedly tried to drag participants away from the peaceful march, and several marchers were pushed or fell to the ground. Police also beat or kicked several other marchers. Police officers repeatedly directed cars, motorcycles and even a bus to drive through the marchers, in an obvious attempt to create a traffic accident which could have led to serious injury or worse.

Two men were arrested during one of the police's attempts to violently disperse the crowd of marchers; one of the men, as he was being led away by police, was kicked in the groin by a policeman.

17 July 2009

The small community know as Group 78 located in the riverside area of Phnom Penh have live on their land since 1983. Over the years, Group 78 families were served with a number of eviction notices by local authorities while witnessing two violent forced eviction that took place in the same area, namely Dey Krahorm and Sambok Chap. The 3-years-long coercion campaign of Group 78 residents to leave their homes and land, culminating in this morning's final eviction of the area.

At 4 am this morning [July 17, 2009], dozens of armed police took up positions around Group 78 in order to enforce a municipal order that they dismantle their homes or be forcibly removed. This followed 53 families yesterday "agreeing" to the authorities' demand that they accept an offer of $8,000 compensation or their homes would be forcibly destroyed. Negotiations this morning with the remaining 7 families who had not "agreed" led to a final offer to them of up to $20,000 in compensation which they all accepted, except for one family whose home was destroyed against their will.

As the sun rose on Friday July 17, 2009, dawn bore witness to the heart wrenching sight of the homes of the Group 78 community being dismantled piece by piece.

30 April 2009

Over 30 families living with HIV/AIDS in the "green shed" at the Borei Keila social land concession are facing the prospect of eviction. The families living in the temporary "green shed" have been waiting for new apartments to be allocated to them for the past 2 years, but they are now faced with the prospect of being evicted to the Toul Sambo relocation site 20km outside of Phnom Penh. At Toul Sambo there is inadeuqate housing, no clean water and is far from any markets, schools, employment opportunities and most importantly medical facilities.

Learn more about Borei Keila from our partner WITNESS.

19 February 2009

750 ethnic minority families in Kratie Province, Cambodia are embroiled in a land dispute over farming land, that the provincial authorities say they have leased to a private company for a rubber plantation. In October 2008 the bulldozers came into clear the land and the villagers were there to stop them.

(Music courtesy of the Messengers Band)

27 January 2009

This video is a compilation of footage captured by human rights monitors on January 24, 2009 during the violent eviction at Dey Krahorm. Video footage courtesy of Platapus, LICADHO, LICADHO Canada, Bridges Across Borders, and Karl Bille.

11 December 2008

In February 2007 the Municipality of Phnom Penh entered into a 99-year lease agreement for US$79 million for 133 hectares, including Boeung Kok lake and surrounding land, with a private developer, Shukaku Inc, owned by a ruling party senator. According to the government, the company will turn the area into "pleasant, trade, and service places for domestic and international tourists," including by filling in 90% of the lake.

On 26 August 2008 a company began filling the lake, which has worsened flooding and caused the destruction of some houses. The development will lead to the eviction of almost 4,000 families, despite many of the affected families having strong legal claims to the land under the Land Law.

10 December 2008

10 December 2008, marked International Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To celebrate the day various events were held throughout the country under the theme "We All Need Freedom and Justice".

16 October 2008

LICADHO's video on Attacks & Threats Against Human Rights Defenders in Cambodia 2007.

25 September 2008

September 23, 2008 marked the 1,700th day that Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun have spent in prison for a crime they did not commit. Over 70 family, friends and supporters gathered outside of PJ prison in a show of solidarity to release balloons to mark the 1,700th day in prison for the two men.