Evictions

Some 150 military police and police officers armed with guns, electric batons and tear gas were there to conduct an eviction raid on the disputed land which is home to over 110 families. No warning or official notice of the eviction had been given and a violent confrontation between police and villagers ensued. (Source: Licadho)

Not all evictions are as violent in Cambodia, but there are a lot of evictions. "Developers" want to build casinos, malls and tear down the slums to build new apartment blocks. The people who are living there are relocated to various place, mostly outside the city with no facilities.

The government says that it is necessary for economic development but some of the slum residents have been living there for sixteen years.

The major problem with relocation, aside from the appalling conditions, is that the sites are far from the cities, from the markets and from income earning opportunities. For many the cost of travelling into the city - $2- will exceed the $1.50 they can earn a day.

Human rights groups protest but the government pushes on. As always, it is a political issue and an economic one. The developers are in politicians' pockets.