At least six homes built on the southern Boeung Trabek reservoir were destroyed yesterday by Chamkarmorn district forces without written notice for residents, according to Vann Sophath of the Land Reform Project at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR).

"Some of [the homes] were dismantled by the owners because . . . if they did not dismantle it, it would ultimately be destroyed," Sophath said. Khut Bun, a resident of Village 1, where the zinc-roofed homes were destroyed, said "there was a bulldozer that started to clear the road at 8am until 11am . . . they cleared 200 metres."

According to Bun, the vehicles were accompanied by 20 to 30 security forces, although this did not discourage residents from protesting the demolition, which was postponed until today when authorities told Bun they would return with three bulldozers.

Long Dimanche, City Hall spokesman, yesterday reaffirmed the position that residents were illegally occupying the lake as stated in a January 8 Facebook post by Phnom Penh Governor Pa Socheatvong.