Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Governor abandons homeless sweep

Governor abandons homeless sweep

Governor abandons homeless sweep

Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara has admitted it was a "bad idea" to remove

homeless people from the city's streets before November's ASEAN meeting and said

he would no longer go ahead with the plan.

"I have changed my idea quickly because I launched and tested it, and it got

a bad reaction," Sophara said. "We will not send homeless people back to

the provinces. I want long-term solutions instead."

His latest answer to the problem of homelessness is the creation of a "My Chance"

center for street children and drug abusers at a three hectare site purchased near

the Anlong Kngann relocation site north of the city.

Thirty thousand dollars has been raised to build the center, including several large

donations from local businessmen. Sophara said the design was complete and building

could begin as early as next week. However the center was unlikely to be finished

before the ASEAN meeting.

The center will have space for 500 street children and drug abusers to live, and

they will also receive education, food and skills training.

"It will have a judo club and be open for everyone to enjoy," Sophara said,

adding the children would not be forced to go there. "We don't want to make

a high wall and restrict their freedom."

The municipality's new collaborative approach involves working with NGOs and the

UN to find a solution to the problem of street children. Sophara said he would ask

NGO Mith Samlanh/Friends to run the 'My Chance' center.

Mith Samlanh/Friends and the municipality's Phnom Penh Urban Poverty Reduction Project

will hold a workshop on helping street children to 'come off the streets' September

3 at the municipal hall. The governor, representatives from several ministries, NGOs,

donors and UN agencies will attend.

Sébastien Marot, coordinator at Mith Samlanh/Friends, said the objective of

the meeting was to explain to the municipality the variety of factors that drive

people onto the streets.

"I hope everyone realizes we have the same objective and need to work together,"

he said.

Marot said that despite the public outcry over the governor's plan to sweep homeless

people off the city's streets, local authorities were continuing to collect street

children.

"I do hope for a stop to the current policies that are not very constructive,"

he said.

Peter Swan, advisor at UN Habitat, helped arrange the workshop. He said it was an

important chance to find mutually acceptable solutions for all parties, starting

with street children themselves. "There is a great need to review the municipality's

ideas to ensure they are viable and in accordance with international conventions

on children's rights," Swan said.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom