Scenes of past evictions (Nov. 2007). The evictions were carried out in the most inhuman ways imaginable. The evictees were beaten and gagged, their houses were burnt and bulldozed.
"I lost my house, rice and belongings like clothes and utensils. All
houses were burned down and destroyed by the excavator and the bulldozer.
They kept (the) good-condition corrugated steel and planks of wood for
themselves. They even took water jars and looted our chickens and ducks.
They never came to evict us like this before."
-- A villager in Sihanoukville, who lost her home on April 20, 2007.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Amnesty International
charged today that forced evictions are one of the most widespread human
rights violations in Cambodia and that at least 150,000 Cambodians in rural
and urban areas live at risk of being forcibly evicted due to land
disputes, land seizures and new development projects.
In the new report, Rights Razed -- Forced evictions in Cambodia,
Amnesty International accuses Cambodian authorities of contradicting their
rhetoric of policies to help its disadvantaged citizens by these forced
evictions. The Cambodian government is not only failing to protect - in law
and practice - the population against forced evictions, but is actively
involved in these unlawful acts.
"As long as these forced evictions continue, regardless of Cambodian
authorities' implicit support or explicit participation, the government's
highly trumpeted poverty-reduction agenda rings hollow," said Larry Cox,
Amnesty International USA executive director. "Instead of protecting and
supporting its vulnerable citizens, the Cambodian government is actually
unraveling recent progress against poverty. It is empowering the country's
economic and political powers rather than those in need."
The report shows that Cambodian government authorities have opted to
evict citizens without exploring other alternatives. Affected groups
received little or no information on planned evictions and did not have
access to adequate alternative housing. In addition, these residents do not
have any recourse to recoup their losses. Most evictions are occurring
because of the increased economic opportunities for new development.
"In one day, more than 100 families became homeless as law enforcement
agents and the military cleared their village," said Laola Hironaka,
Amnesty International USA's Cambodia country specialist. "Many residents
not only lost their house, but the land they use to grow food for
themselves."
Amnesty International urges the Cambodian government to:
-- End all forced evictions;
-- Introduce a moratorium for all mass evictions until legislation and
policy is enacted requiring any further evictions to be conducted in full
compliance with international human rights laws and standards;
-- Ensure that those victimized by forced evictions have access to, at
the very least, adequate shelter, clean water, sanitation, health services
and education, including through the provision of humanitarian assistance
where necessary;
-- And abide by its obligations under international human rights law to
give those affected by eviction an opportunity for genuine participation
and consultation.
"The merciless impoverishment of Cambodians needs to stop now. The
Cambodian government owes at least this much to its people," said Cox.
Background:
A forced eviction is 'the permanent or temporary removal against the
will of individuals, families and/or communities from the homes and/or land
which they occupy, without the provision of, and access to, appropriate
forms of legal or other protection,' according to the United Nations
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Forced evictions have
been recognized by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights as a gross
violation, and are also -- as in the cases presented here -- associated
with other human rights abuses.
As a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and other international human rights treaties
that prohibit forced eviction and related human rights violations, Cambodia
has an obligation to stop forced evictions and to protect the population
from forced evictions.
For more information or a copy of the full report, Rights Razed --
Forced evictions in Cambodia, please contact Sharon Singh at
ssingh@aiusa.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment