Armed police concludes “Group 78” eviction
31 July 2009 4:44 am

Armed
police concluded the eviction campaign of Group 78, a community in the
riverside area of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 17 July 2009. Below is the
report by Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human
Rights (LICADHO), a FORUM-ASIA member.
Armed
police concluded the eviction campaign of Group 78, a community in the
riverside area of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 17 July 2009. Below is the
report by Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human
Rights (LICADHO), a FORUM-ASIA member.

July 17, 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.

To view the video, please click here (LICADHO website).

Also related:
1 July Group 78 Eviction: Another Black Day for Land Rights in Cambodia (Joint statement)