The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), the Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF) and the Resettlement Action Network (RAN) are deeply troubled by the actions of the Phnom Penh municipality for using excessive force to evict and dismantle houses of the residents of Sambok Chab village, and in their arrest of nine persons including residents, journalists and NGO staff.

On 6 June 2006, approximately one thousand police and military police forces gathered in Sambok Chab village heavily armed with rifles, electric batons, tear gas and riot gear. They threatened human rights monitors and local and international journalists, and then confiscated their cameras and prevented them from recording police actions. The Phnom Penh Municipality chose to use violent means against the poor people rather than using a non-violent, transparent approach.

Furthermore, after the eviction of the people was completed, the Phnom Penh Municipality but especially the police have suppressed information in relation to the arrest and detention of the arrested persons without giving permission for visits by either lawyers or human rights monitors. They have also refused to disclose the identity of any of those accused.

One thousand families were forced by the authorities to get in the vans. Their belongings,, which had been dismantled by paid workers, were also brought to the new location situated in Andoung village, Sangkat Kok Rokar, Khan Dangkor, which is approximately twenty kilometers from the city center. The municipality had one month to plan the relocation but failed to prepare the land in advance for the people. Monitors from several human rights groups have carefully surveyed the new site, and observed that it lacks running water, electricity, health care services and is far from any populated area where they could access these things. And until the present time, the people have still not been provided with sufficient food or materials for their daily living and in particular, the new land has not yet been provided by the Authority.

CHRAC, HRTF, and RAN consider that the newly-transported residents of the Andoung village community face a daunting situation, especially the children and elders who will easily contract diseases if there is not immediate action taken to assist them.

Therefore, CHRAC, HRTF and RAN would like to call the attention of the Royal Government to the following points:
1- Address the urgent, essential needs of the evicted residents after the Phnom Penh Authority transported them to the new location which lacks adequate and appropriate land allocations, shelter and food;
2- Stop using weapons en masse to evict people for the purpose of development, and in particularly, to discontinue night-time evictions;
3- Stop arresting protestors and immediately release those who were arrested in relation to this land dispute;
4- Prepare appropriate living arrangements at a new site before transporting people from their old residences. This includes land allocations, basic infrastructure as well as issuing land titles to the people in order to avoid possible future evictions for any subsequent city developments.

For more information, please contact:
▪ Dr. Kek Galabru President of LICADHO Tel: 012 940 645
▪ Mr. Sok Sam Oeun Executive Director of CDP Tel: 012 901 199
▪ Mr. Chhith Sam Ath Executive Director of NGO Forum Tel: 012 928 585
▪ Mr. Huon Chundy Program Coordinator of CLEC Tel: 012 942 326
▪ Mr. Ny Chakrya Monitoring Head of ADHOC Tel: 012 920 730

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