Dey Krahom Eviction

It’s the start of Chinese New Year! There is a posh Democrats Abroad Party tonight!

But the day started out with this downer:

Via text message:

LICADHO: Jan 24, 2:45 AM: in DK (Dey Krahom), about 60 mixed police have blocked the street and access in / out of DK, DK people are rallying.

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LICADHO: Both Roads have been closed. So far approximately 70 MP and one hundred breakers. MP on roof of building and close in group 78. Around twenty monitors and media on inside. Two and a half hours to sun rise. Pls send out update and put on face book eviction group.

Eviction Dey Krahom Picture 050a

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LICADHO: From colleagues who just arrived in DK site: there are about 250 mixed armed police incl riot police, two water trucks, more than 250 workers in blue & white shirts with sticks, hammers, axes and many transport trucks.
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Bridges Across Borders: Dey Krahom is being forcibly evicted right now. Please come if you can and pass this info on to everyone you know.
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It’s a smart move to start the evictions on the weekend of Chinese New Year when many are holidaying.

Eviction Dey Krahom 105a

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Recap from human rights worker at the scene:

In the hours before sunrise an estimated
- 300 police (mixed military and regular police)
- 500 workers
– offered $5, a free breakfast, two liters of gasoline and $5 (after destruction of houses)
– many are poor people, some as old as 60, who will take any work they can get.  The workers are wearing blue or green shirts. Some are from Andong relocation site or other relocation sites.  We have evictees working to evict other communities.

At 6am (the best time legally to move in) workers and police moved in with bulldozers. The police had rubber bullets on hand and tear gas was used.

Dey Krahom Eviction

Apparently the municipality held a press conference at 11, no direct details from this yet.

Eviction Dey Krahom Picture 041a

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Some families have been separated in the forcible relocation process. Human rights groups are monitoring registration at the Dangkao (Chum Chao) site to ensure they are registered as residents in this new place.

Housing rights groups are providing temporary accommodation kits to all families.
The residences in the new “dumping site” as some have called it are not finished, no roofs or any other basic infrastructure. Apparently 7NG’s position is that Dey Krahom’s holdouts will not get any degree of substantial compensation, as punishment for not accepting their earlier offer.
Eviction Dey Krahom Picture 074a

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)
(Previous coverage on this blog)
Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUg-IHVbF8U

Linkage:
News Articles

Photos courtesy Karl Bille – Creative Commons Attribution licensedTags: cambodia,evictions,khmer,society

10 Responses to “Happy (Chinese) New Year, You’re Evicted”

  1. mong says:

    Greetings! Can i use the flickr photos of the eviction? i’m writing a post on this issue for Global Voices Online. Thanks

  2. [...] Jinja has the play by play, John Vink some arresting photos. Posted by DAS Filed in Cambodia, News [...]

  3. joyce ira says:

    thanks for linking me :-)

  4. ATNASH says:

    Watch the documentary: RED EARTH VILLAGE – Dey Krahom. Part 1

  5. [...] can read more about the evictions ay Dey Krahom in the following links. [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - See also Flickr page here managed by Jinjadey krahom, ] But in the meantime, read this excerpt [...]

  6. [...] Saturday, Jinja received the following text messages: Jan 24, 2:45 AM: Both Roads have been closed. So far [...]

  7. [...] those new to the issue, you may want to read Part 1 or this Bridges Across Borders backgrounder. For those who want to spread the word, I would suggest [...]

  8. Travino says:

    Is God your blog!

  9. nabejero says:

    [...] More info and updates with Webbed Feet Web Log. [...]

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