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Happy (Chinese) New Year, You’re Evicted

Jan 24th, 2009 by Jinja

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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.