Tuesday, 26 October 2010

Lake Residents Seek Audience With Ban Ki-moon

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer

Phnom Penh Monday, 25 October 2010

via CAAI
 
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to arrive Wednesday for two days of official talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen and others.

“We want to meet Ban Ki-moon to help us be free of forced eviction. We need government development projects for a modern city, but we want to live in the Boeung Kak area.”

More than 100 residents from Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak lake area gathered in front of the UNDP offices on Monday to request a meeting with the UN secretary-general on his upcoming visit.

Ban Ki-moon is expected to arrive Wednesday for two days of official talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen and others, and lake residents said Monday they hoped he could help resolve an ongoing dispute with development company Shukaku.

Residents said in a letter they wanted “to stop the forced eviction from their homes and lands.” UNDP officials accepted the request and said they would forward it to Ban's office.

“We want to meet Ban Ki-moon to help us be free of forced eviction,” lake resident Sam Vanna said Monday. “We need government development projects for a modern city, but we want to live in the Boeung Kak area.”

On his visit, Ban is expected to address ongoing issues with the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal, and he is scheduled to visit the Tuol Sleng genocide Museum.

No comments: