In The News: Music With A Message

Ka-Set, Monday September 29 2008: Messenger Band : Sept ouvrières tissent en chantant le fil de leur quotidien au Cambodge (Messenger Band: seven workers weave by singing the wire of their daily life in Cambodia) by Zineb Dryef and Ros Din

(translation to English by Babelfish)

“A song dedicated to the inhabitants of Boeung Kak:
The group recently recorded a title with Kong Nay, the “Ray Charles” of Cambodia, one of the players of chapei – traditional lute – most famous of the country. “Land and Life” is diffused on YouTube. The clip already recorded a few thousands of visits. This song highlights the group is dedicated to the inhabitants of the lake Boeung Kak, threatened for expropriation. The images of violent expulsions of those of those in rural Cambodia:

“Us, the Cambodians of the cities and the campaigns, have a recognized, pleasant, luminous ancestral cultural heritage. Water, forests, land where in harmony the people and their animals live. But all changed, our villagers have problems. For dollars, we lose our houses and our land”

http://ka-set.info/actualites/cultures-et-societe/cambodge-messenger-band-groupe-chanteuse-ouvriere-confection-textile-droits-usine-080929.html

[Over 2000 viewers so far.]

Tags: cambodia,eviction,housing,property

In The News: Displacement and development

(left: sunset at Boeung Kak)

The Phnom Penh Post has just published a special supplement, “Displacement and Development” in the September 29th edition.

The article has this to say about filling of Boeung Kak:  “…now architects and urban planners are saying the loss of the lake to commercial development will tarnish the city once regarded as the “Pearl of Asia”, ceding one of its last remaining green spaces to colourless urban sprawl. Urban-planning experts contacted by the Post said the project was irresponsible and could trigger unforeseen environmental consequences, despite  City Hall assurances that the 133-hectare Boeung Kak development has been vetted for its environmental impact.

Article Link: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/Special-Supplements/Displacement-and-development.html

Police in Boeung Kak: suppressing dissent, intimidating residents.

Police move quickly to remove signs of dissent in Boeung Kak.

Above: Armed policeman removing a “Stop Forced Evictions” protest banner displayed on a house.

Armed police, Phum 4 community. (Click for full image)

Police in Phum 4 community.

Police with AK-47s.

Tags: cambodia,eviction,housing,property

In The News: Villagers’ Injunction Refused by Court

Phnom Penh Post, September 24, Page 5
“Meanwhile, At Another Phnom Penh Lake…”

“Phnom Penh Municipal Court refused to file an injunction to stop the filling of Boeung Kak lake, despite continuing protests against development.” … “the lawyer who filed the request on behalf of villagers facing eviction from their lakeside homes rejected the court’s judgement and said he would continue to fight the case.”
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008092421811/National-news/Boeung-Tompun-residents-must-pay-to-stay-in-new-govt-initiative.html

Tags: cambodia,eviction,housing,property

On the Scene: Photos

and reportage courtesy John Vink:

“The company which is going to evict some 4000 families from around the Boeung Kak lake has started its sand pumping operations to fill the lake again.”

(c) John Vink

http://johnvink.com/news/2008/09/22/boeung-kak/

Photo reportage is welcome from all, please email to saveboeungkak – at – gmail – dot – com

This photo accompanied the article from Ka-Set: Le remblaiement du Boeung Kak a repris, des riverains déboutés de leur plainte (The filling of Boeung Kak begins again, of which the residents have complaint)
by Chan Soratha, September 22

http://ka-set.info/breves/breves/cambodge-boeung-kak-lac-phnom-penh-cour-justice-080922.html

===================================================

Not Boeung Kak, but eviction-related:

(Villagers Outside National Assembly) http://johnvink.com/story.php?title=Cambodia_Quest_For_Land2

(Tonle Bassac Eviction)
http://johnvink.com/story.php?title=Cambodia_Quest_For_Land3

(Dey Krahom)
http://johnvink.com/story.php?title=Cambodia_Quest_for_Land4

(Dey Krahom) http://johnvink.com/story.php?title=Cambodia_Quest_for_Land5

Photos of villagers marching to bring their complaints to the Prime Minister.
Click for flash slideshow (‘March of the Damned‘) or photo set.

Tags: cambodia,eviction,housing,property

Boeung Kak Facts and Figures

Developers Profit: US$ 2.12 Billion dollars

If 80% of 133 hectares (106ha) was developed at market value: US$2000/m2

Community Loss: US$73,000 dollars

Typical plot size: 35m2 @ US$2000/m2 plus loss of building materials = $3000

MPP offering: $8,000 dollars per family

Total compensation: $32 Million (1.2% of developers profits)

Observations

Observation

Officials with guns in plain sight were seen today at Village 4 on the lake, followed by the deconstruction of many homes and buisnesses from around the lake. Sources say that they are being forced to move to a location near the International Airport, with each family only getting around 8000  US dollars in compensation.

Continuing scenes will be published here.

In The News: Protest in Takhmau outside PM’s House

The Cambodia Daily, Thursday, September 18, 2008, page 28: Protesters Meet Official, City Says Lake Filling To Continue

“Five representatives of the demonstrators were eventually escorted inside the compound for discussions, where Hun Sen’s Deputy Cabinet Chief Lim Leangse said he would forward the villagers’ demands to the premier.” ….  “It is [the villagers'] right to protest, but we cannot solve the problem the way they want, ” Deputy Governor Pa Socheatvong said.  “We still continue our negotiations with the villagesrs, but the development cannot stop.”

Tags: cambodia,eviction,housing,property

In The News: Protest Outside Prime Minister’s House

(left: village life at the lake)
The Phnom Penh Post, September 18 2008, page 3: Boeung Kak residents ask PM to halt filling of lake

“The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has issued a summons to the attorney representing Boeung Kak lake residents, requesting his presence to answer questions relating to the injunction filed last week against the filling of the lake by local developer Shukaku Inc.”

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008091721697/National-news/Boeung-Kak-residents-take-protest-to-Hun-Sen-s-house.html

Tags: cambodia,eviction,housing,property

In The News: “The New City Of The East”

From Ka-Set, September 18, 2008: Boeung Kak : les jours du plus grand lac de Phnom Penh sont comptés – Zineb Dryef and Chan Soratha

Boeung Kak: the days of the larger lake of Phnom Penh are numbered

(translated by ‘babelfish’)

“700 families according to the town hall, 4.225 families according to Office of the High Commission of the United Nations to human rights (HCDH). Maybe nearly 20.000 people. The tenants, many, are not taken into account by the municipality what partly explains the gap between the figures of the ones and others. The Amnesty International organization, on its side, denounces what could be “the greatest forced expulsion of the post-war period in Kampuchea”. “

“The minister of environment himself, Mok Mareth, had protested in the columns of the Kampuchean press by informing risks for the system of drainage of the capital. Since, its ministry is keep silent and discharged from any responsibility while returning any question towards the municipality.”

http://ka-set.info/actualites/cultures-et-societe/cambodge-boeung-kak-lac-phnom-penh-capitale-expulsion-reloger-080918.html

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url_top?lp=fr_en&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fka-set.info%2Factualites%2Fcultures-et-societe%2Fcambodge-boeung-kak-lac-phnom-penh-capitale-expulsion-reloger-080918.html