ADB defends secrecy on Cambodian rail report

Updated 21 March 2013, 

Radio Australia

Listen to audio here.

 

Organisations working to help Cambodians displaced by an upgrade to the country's rail system say they're disappointed the Asian Development Bank is refusing to release a report about controversial resettlements.

ADB defends secrecy on Cambodian rail report (Credit: ABC) 

The Railway Rehabilation Project is a joint venture of logistics giant Toll Holdings and Cambodia's Royal Group and is funded by the ADB and AusAID.

Around 1,200 families are required to move to accommodate the upgraded train lines and there's been controversy over the poor conditions of resettlement sites and the lack of services for those affected.

This is particularly important for the ADB - the main funding body - which has a policy of not leaving people worse off due to their projects.

The ADB commissioned a report on the resettlements last year from an international expert, Dr Michael Cernea, but have now decided not to publicly release the full report, saying "the harm that would result from the disclosure of the entire report would be substantial, immediate, and likely irreparable".

The NGO's say this is a cover up but the ADB says it was always meant to be a candid report for internal use.

Presenter: Liam Cochrane

Speaker: Nora Lindstrom, Programme Development Manager, NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut