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Sunday 13 June 2010

Land evictees plan to protest in front of UN Office in Phnom Penh on Monday


By Khmerization
Source: CEN

An unspecified number of people who lost their lands through land-grabbing and forced evictions throughout the country plan to travel to Phnom Penh to protest in front of the UN Office after there are reports that the UN Special Envoy, Prof. Surya Subedi (pictured), failed to address their plights with the government during his 10-day visit to Cambodia, reports Cambodian Express News.

Last week, many local human rights NGOs have criticised Prof. Subedi for for failing to address the issue of land-grabbing and forced evictions and as well as too passive on human rights abuses in Cambodia.

Mr. Ouch Leng, official from Adhoc human rights NGO, said many people who lost their lands through land-grabbing and forced evictions will travel from the provinces to protest in front of the UN Office on Monday 14th June to inform the UN Envoy of their grievances.

He added that, currently, 42 evictees have been jailed for resisting evictions and 187 have been on the run from the authority. He said that up until now 150,000 people have been evicted from their homes and lands without proper compensation.

Mr. Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said many local NGOs which have a tendency toward the opposition parties are trying to score political gains while the UN Envoy is in the country. He added that the NGOs' demand for the UN Envoy to address forced evtions and land issues are done just for the purpose of fulfilling their criteria to secure more funds from donors.

However, he said the authority will not attempt to stop those people from protesting, saying it is their rights and their freedom of expression.

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