Residents protest against continued pumping in Village 1

Sep. 30, 2010. Pumping had continued through the night, and in the morning residents of the Boeung Kak area gathered at the sand pipe at the edge of Village 1. Burning tires in protest and climbing on the the pipes, the protesters demanded an immediate halt to the surge of water and sand into their homes.

What they got was a police blockade. As their demands were unmet, the 100 or so mainly women and children decided to walk to Hun Sen’s house in protest. Walking along the only access road to the community, the were stopped by police, who pushed the protesters and pinned some women to a wall. The situation was tense but later diffused when district governor Sok Sambath came to meet the community members. During the altercation, the pumping had been stopped, presumably temporarily.

The use of force by police against residents follows Sep. 27 events when community leaders were surrounded by armed Shukaku Inc. guards who tried, and eventually with help from local police, succeeded in stopping community leaders from spreading information in their communities.

In pictures: Boeung Kak and other areas facing eviction

Photojournalist Will Baxter has been documenting ongoing developments and their impacts on people at Boeung Kak lake and other areas facing eviction and land grabbings in Cambodia. To see more of his photos, click here.

Lakeside residents clash with company

The Phnom Penh Post reported on Sep. 27 about Boeung Kak residents clashing with Shukaku Inc. security guards following a demonstration at City Hall. For the full story, click here.

Residents Protest as Sand and Water Levels Rise

Village 1 continues to suffer from the pumping of sand and water into Boeung Kak Lake. On Sep. 20, some 60 villagers, mainly women and children, gathered near Hun Sen’s house to protest against the continued pumping. Met by police, the protesters stood their ground for a few hours before being persuaded to move to nearby Wat Botum park, where a member of Hun Sen’s cabinet finally received their request for a stop to the pumping. In the meantime, previously flooded parts of Village 1 on the lake’s Western shore are now covered in sand, though large parts of the village also remain flooded. Shukaku Inc. had on on Sep. 20 moved the pumping the middle of the lake, though it is expected the incoming sand and water will continue to affect Village 1.

Village 1: Islands in a Stream

Sep. 19, 2010. As Shukaku Inc. continues pumping sand, large parts of Village 1 are increasingly inundated. Water levels have visibly increased since last night, with more water flooding into the village every minute. Some houses are not much more than islands in the stream.

Village 1 Faces Severe Flooding

Sep. 18, 2010. Flood levels in Village 1 in Boeung Kak are expected to rise tonight as Shukaku Inc. continues pumping sand into the lake. Poles inserted into the sand indicate the company intends to raise sand levels by one metre overnight, affecting over 200 remaining households on the eastern shore of the lake as well as along the railway tracks. As water continues to flood into homes, at least one resident has sought refuge elsewhere while others work to raise their structures above water levels. Large parts of the community are already severely flooded, with the community’s only access road partly inundated.

Compensation Reduced to US$1000

Sep. 15, 2010. At least 9 households living on the lake in Village 24 in Boeung Kok report they have been told by Shukaku Inc. company representatives they are only entitled to US$1000 in compensation. Claiming houses are “not individual”, Shukaku Inc. is trying to pay those affected by the illegal development significantly less than the already offered inadequate compensation of US$8000 and 2 million riel.

There seems to be no basis for the company’s claims. The affected houses in Village 24, which are mostly wooden structures with tin roofs, are clearly separate homes, with separate entrances and house numbers. Some are even totally detached from other structures. Several residents also have documentation identifying each household as separate, and families in adjacent houses are not related.

Although the sum of US$1000 has only been “offered” to less than a dozen households at the far end of the community, residents with homes closer to land also state they have been told they may only receive half of the full compensation because they “share a roof” with a neighbour. Again, homes are distinct with separate entrances and house numbers.

Several residents on the lake in Village 24 have already been forced to leave as a result of ongoing flooding. Their former plots now stand empty, while houses are being dismantled almost every day. What used to be a vibrant, built-up community, now has gaping holes and houses sinking into the increasingly filthy water.

Flooded Out of their Homes

On Sep. 10, 2010, HRTF sent out a press release condemning the intentional flooding of the Boeung Kok area, which poses risks to public health and is forcing residents to dismantle their homes and leave the area. Read it: HRTF Press Release 10/09/10: Flooded out of their Homes

Boeung Kok Residents Denied Freedom of Assembly

On Aug. 23, 2010, HRTF sent out a press release condemning the disruption of a peaceful meeting by some 500
residents from Boeung Kok Lake in Phnom Penh, which led to a public demonstration at Independence Monument and the closure of Sihanouk Boulevard as efforts to find an alternative meeting venue were thwarted by authorities. Read it: HRTF Press Release 23/08/10: Residents Denied Freedom of Assembly .

Dateline Returns to a Flooded Boeung Kok

David O’Shea of Australia’s Dateline returns to Cambodia to find residents at Boeung Kok lake are being flooded out of their homes. Click here to watch the video.