Three city-centre communities facing eviction by land developers rally to petition lawmakers to intervene to save their homes

RESIDENTS from three separate central Phnom Penh communities facing eviction protested Monday in front of the National Assembly, requesting the government intervene to halt the forced relocation of their communities and pay full compensation for the loss of their land.

Representatives from Boeung Kak lake, Dey Krahorm and Group 78 in Chamkarmon district  - all of which are facing eviction due to land developments - submitted complaints to the Assembly describing the situation in each of the communities.

Around 200 villagers stood outside holding banners requesting government intervention.

"While the UN holds World Habitat Day [on Monday], we want the world to know that we live under threat of eviction and need the government to take care of people's rights," said Lim Likean, a representative from the Group 78 community, situated just one block away from the Assembly.

Bunn Rachana, a human rights monitor for the Housing Rights Task Force, said: "The city is for both rich and poor living together in harmony."

She added that villagers who have been evicted from the city centre have never received market price compensation for their land. "Compensation is made by government policy, not at market price," she added.

Van Sengly, deputy chairman of the Assembly's Commission on Human Rights, Reception of Complaints, Investigation & National Assembly-Senate Relations, said his office had received the complaints and "will write a letter to relevant authorities to look into the case."