Losing Ground Forced Evictions and Intimidation in Cambodia The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) is a coalition of 21 NGO members. It was created in Phnom Penh in 1994 by a group of local NGOs and associations working for the promotion and the respect of human rights, democracy and rule of law in Cambodia. September 2009. Frequently used acronyms ADHOC The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association CLEC Community Legal Education Center LAC Legal Aid of Cambodia LICADHO Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights Photos Front cover from left : A boy prepares for a ceremony to mark Children’s Day at Andong relocation site (see page 74). Police fire teargas during the forced eviction of Dey Krahom in January 2009 (see pages 31-36). A resident of Chrouy Sna village who walked from Battambang province to the prime minister’s estate to seek his intervention in one of Cambodia’s longest-running land disputes (see pages 7-12). Back cover : An unidentified police officer photographs residents near Phnom Penh’s Boeng Kak Lake during a discussion about rumors they faced eviction, on February 10, 2008. Losing Ground: Forced Evictions and Intimidation in Cambodia The Lake 4 Sharing Ground? 6 The Long March: Battambang 7 “Maybe We Will Walk Again” New Year Bullet Sugar Cane Concession: Koh Kong 13 Fighting Back with Hand-painted Signs Killing Livestock and Livelihoods Coastal Eviction: Preah Sihanouk 19 Burning Bridges in Preah Sihanouk Beaten then Jailed Vanishing Forests: Pursat and Kampong Chhnang 25 Concession Looms Over Two Provinces Thumbprints to Prison Shock at Dawn: Phnom Penh 31 Dreams Dashed, Residents Betrayed Nothing Left Rubber Plantation: Kratie 37 Living in Fear Unwritten Rules Crackdown: Siem Reap 43 Dash for Safety What Law did I break? Enter the New Year 49 Muddy Rivers 52 On the Border 55 Community Complaints 57 Appendices Cambodia’s Land Law 65 Indigenous Community Lands 70 Dispute Mechanisms 71 Background to Crackdown 72 Children’s Day at Andong 74 Losing Ground The Lake Foreword by Amnesty International he day before we released our report Rights Razed: TForced Evictions in Cambodia in February 2008, I met with residents of a community on Boeng Kak Lake in Phnom Penh to discuss news that the lake would be turned “Many poor and marginalized communities into a landfill and as many as 4,200 families relocated to are living in fear of the institutions created to the outskirts of the city to make way for “development.” Police and commune officials tried to stop our gathering protect them, in particular the police and the on February 10, 2008 incorrectly arguing we needed courts. As forced evictions increase, public space formal permission. After a brief stand-off, they allowed for discussing them is shrinking.” us to proceed, but one policeman hovered around us, photographing everyone present and tape recording our discussion. But instead of recording people’s concerns so that they could be used by policy-makers and government officials, the tape recorder turned into a tool of intimidation. particular the police and the courts. As forced evictions This is a very minor incident. As shown in this report, increase, public space for discussing them is shrinking. harassment of local activists in Cambodia, including Rights Razed noted that around 150,000 Cambodians defenders of the right to housing, is widespread. were at risk of eviction. This conservative estimate has Cambodia’s rich and powerful are increasingly abusing the since been widely quoted in the international media. For criminal justice system to silence communities standing the most part, however, the individual experiences of up against land concessions or business deals affecting the those affected go unreported. land they live on or cultivate. This book is about the people behind those numbers. Many poor and marginalized communities are living /RVLQJ*URXQG)RUFHG(YLFWLRQVDQG,QWLPLGDWLRQLQ&DPERGLD in fear of the institutions created to protect them, in shows how people living in poverty are routinely excluded Left: $Q XQLGHQWLÀHG SROLFH RIÀFHU DWWHPSWV WR SUHYHQW D JDWKHULQJRIUHVLGHQWVDQGKRXVLQJULJKWVDFWLYLVWVDW3KQRP 3HQK·V%RHQJ.DN/DNHRQ)HEUXDU\WKHGD\EHIRUH $PQHVW\,QWHUQDWLRQDOUHOHDVHGDUHSRUWZDUQLQJWKDWDERXW &DPERGLDQVZHUHDWULVNRIHYLFWLRQ Right: ´2QH SROLFHPDQ KRYHUHG DURXQG XVSKRWRJUDSKLQJ DOO SUHVHQW DQG WDSH UHFRUGLQJ RXU GLVFXVVLRQ %XW LQVWHDG RIUHFRUGLQJSHRSOH·VFRQFHUQVVRWKDWWKH\FRXOGEHXVHGE\ SROLF\PDNHUVDQGJRYHUQPHQWRIÀFLDOVWKHWDSHUHFRUGHUWXUQHG LQWR D WRRO RI LQWLPLGDWLRQµ UHFDOOV$PQHVW\ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO UHVHDUFKHU%ULWWLV(GPDQ 4 )RUFHG(YLFWLRQVDQG,QWLPLGDWLRQLQ&DPERGLD Losing Ground Losing Ground to their own, personal experiences. In a demonstration of courage and determination, they insisted upon using “There is an urgent need for officials to their real names, knowing they may face retribution for doing so. They also show how budding grassroots activism publicly condemn attacks against housing rights by ordinary Cambodians – rice farmers, street vendors, defenders, and make sure there will be no teachers and taxi drivers – brings people and communities further arrests of individuals for engaging in the together to call for respect of their human rights. /RVLQJ *URXQG )RUFHG (YLFWLRQV DQG ,QWLPLGDWLRQ LQ peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of Cambodia gives an indication of what is lost when a home is opinion, belief, expression and association.” destroyed or livelihood disrupted: not just the buildings, but everything a home can be – security, family, health, work and community. The cases demonstrate that disregard for the affected communities too often leads to making a bad situation from decisions affecting them. So-called “development” worse, leaving the poor and marginalized with less than often happens to their detriment and at their expense, they had and with little recourse to justice. rather than in consultation with them. Amnesty International is calling for an end to forced From Battambang to Sihanoukville, from Koh Kong evictions and is asking others to join our call. We are to Kratie, thousands of families have lost – or are at risk also calling on the Royal Government of Cambodia to of losing – their homes and livelihoods. Hundreds live introduce a moratorium on mass evictions until the legal huddled under plastic tarpaulins; disease and illness in framework and policies to protect the population against evicted communities is rampant. Others live in fear of the forced evictions are in place. courts, local officials, and police. We request that the Cambodian government ensure In the following pages, a number of people give voice the safety of housing rights defenders – including the courageous people who have come forward with their experiences in this book – so they are able to act freely, without intimidation, harassment or violence in the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of opinion, belief, expression and association. Brittis Edman Southeast Asia Researcher, Amnesty International )RUFHG(YLFWLRQVDQG,QWLPLGDWLRQLQ&DPERGLD 5 Losing Ground Sharing Ground? The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee he immense strides Cambodia has made in many Cambodia’s Constitution enshrines the right to Tsectors over the past 30 years is sometimes overlooked freedom of expression, a right that Cambodians need to by the media, donor and diplomatic communities. As be able to exercise freely, without fear of reprisals. Fear, a Cambodian human rights organizations, we are well hurdle to genuine development, is receding. Freedom of aware of the deep complexity and historical roots of the expression and citizen participation make it more possible problems our nation still faces. that constructive partnership can be developed between We know that genuine solutions are simple to plan, citizens and their government. but difficult to accomplish on the ground. As an NGO We recognise the achievements of the government and coalition we can offer to be a bridge to support genuine believe mutually respectful dialogue will ensure that we, and productive dialogue between communities and as a nation, continue to move forward. policy-makers. After listening carefully to those affected by the loss The following pages present a painful look into the lives of land and livelihoods, we are making four requests to of people affected by forced evictions and intimidation, address their plight: 1) all those who (in the following mainly the rural poor. The human rights abuses described pages) demonstrate their trust in justice should range from loss of livelihood and health problems to be assured that they are safe to do so; 2) our Land violence and imprisonment. Law should be enforced more rigorously; 3) courts, Still, this book is not intended to attack our government authorities and the military should serve to protect or detract from our accomplishments as a nation. It is a the people and be held accountable for failures to do collection of voices from people rarely heard and as such so; and 4) Cambodian citizens should be encouraged we see it as a step towards more inclusive and equitable to participate more fully in the development of our development. country and their enhanced participation should These voices belong to Cambodians who have been or enhance the benefits they receive. are facing eviction. Most have insisted that their names and People’s participation is, we believe, necessary for the photographs be used, believing that openness will bring next stage of re-building Cambodia. justice and appropriate solutions.