A Change of Guard

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Wednesday 27 February 2008

Land price increase brings no benefit to the poor

25 February 2008
By Ky Soklim
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Families relocated to the Sok Sen village, in the suburb of Phnom Penh, 7 years ago, are starting to sell the plots of land given to them by the state. Poverty does not allow them to wait for further land price increase.Seven years ago, a blaze destroyed the shanty town located behind the Russian embassy in Phnom Penh. Then, the municipality transferred more than 300 families to the Sen Sok village, in Russei Keo district. Each family received a plot of land measuring 105-square-meter (15-meter-by-7-meter). At their arrival, hardship was indescribable: no infrastructure, no water, no electricity. The victims of the blaze lived in makeshift tents.At the time, land prices were not very high. Each 105-square-meter lot cost $200. At the beginning of 2008, the average price increases to $15,000 each, i.e. $143 per square-meter. However, between 7 years ago and now, 50% of the families already sold their land at cheap price, and more well-to-do people took over their lands.Built on former rice fields, Sen Sok is currently a modern community with wooden or brick homes. Duos Sereyvuth, the village chief of Sen Sok 4, regrets that the original land owners did not benefit from the development. He explained that the families had to sell their lands because of lack of everything.When these families lived in Phnom Penh, they could survive by working as motodoup, or through some small family owned businesses. Currently, traveling to downtown is very expensive due to the high price of gasoline. The lack of schools was also one of the reasons for the departure of these families. “After they sold their lands very cheaply, they returned back to Phnom Penh to live in shanty towns, or they rent an apartment,” the village chief claimed.Sok Thann who is in charge of the community of poor people in Sen Suosdey – a community consisting of huts built on state lands, located next to the Sen Sok commune – confirmed the sales of the lands by the poorest families in the community. His community accepted 40 such poor families. “I sold my land for $2,500 because I indebted myself for the wedding of my son,” 68-year-old Nguon Sem said. He now lives in Sen Suosdey.Not everybody sold their land, 60-year-old Nguon Tim was able to buy another plot of land. “It’s for my children and grandchildren,” Nguon Tim explained in front of his house. He had to make sacrifices: price steadily increased for several years, before zooming up when electricity lines were installed, a few months earlier. “Buyers come and go every day. Price increases by $1,000 daily for each plot of land,” Tim said. According to the latter, the buyers are mainly people from Phnom Penh.Land price in Phnom Penh’s commercial area costs more than $3,000 per square-meter, whereas this price was $400 in the 90s. In rural area, the trend of land price also follows this increase. However, poor people did not benefit from this boon. Some blame them for lacking patience, and for not waiting for the good timing before selling. These poor people replied: misery does not leave them with any other choice.

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