Friday, 29 October 2010

Cambodians Protest Eviction from Prime Tourist Area



http://english.ntdtv.com/

via CAAI

2010-10-28

Dozens of protesters took to the streets in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on Thursday… seeking help from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over an eviction dispute.

Rights groups and foreign aid donors say state officials are forcibly evicting farmers, villagers and city residents from the capital’s largest lake to sell prime land to foreign and local real estate investors.

The eviction planned for central Phnom Penh would see around 30-thousand people moved off the land.

Cambodian police clashed with protesters and arrested some of them.

Boeung Kok is a lake is popular with tourists for its striking view of Phnom Penh's sunset, and dozens of guesthouses, restaurants and shops owned by local families.

About four thousand families are in disputes with local real estate developer Shukaku Inc. over the lake since 2006.

Shukaku Inc. plans to build high-end shopping centers and housing on the land.

Officials argue that urban development will help the Cambodian capital.

The UN Secretary General was visiting Cambodia ahead of attending the ASEAN summit to be held in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Thursday.

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