A lively and cultural community
in Siem Reap, came to an abrupt and sad end. Nearly 400 Cambodian and
Vietnamese families have been evicted from their homes beside the Siem
Reap river in the Slokram commune of the city. The decision has been made by
officials - with the reasons stated as needing to develop, widen the river and
make new communal gardens.
The
Vietnamese and Cambodians I spoke to told me how after notification by letter,
they expected to have until the 1st of April to take down their fragile wooden
shacks on stilts, and find a new home elsewhere.
On
the 26th of March, a considerable police force arrived in the early hours, and
demanded that all families and businesses had one day to leave, or their homes
would be destroyed.
Because
some of these river residents have been living and working in the area for over
15 years, I was told that the government have offered the Cambodian residents a
small piece of land at Sala Kamroeuk commune, 6 kilometers outside the
city.They will also receive a small payment of a few hundred
dollars.
However,
the Vietnamese have been given a small amount of compensation, but have no land
rights, and because of the premature eviction on the 26th - up to 10 families
with countless children are all now homeless.
That
morning, an emergency meeting was called so that the residents could protest to
the district governor about the situation; I attended on the invite of a
Vietnamese family, and on our return to the commune, some families found that
their properties had been taken down in their absence
