[RE: UA-148-2006: CAMBODIA: Poor tenants brutally forced out of homes; UP-108-2006: CAMBODIA: Inhumane treatment of poor tenants forcibly displaced; UP-116-2006: CAMBODIA: Misery of homeless tenants continues unabated]
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CAMBODIA: Forced eviction; denial of right to housing; inhumane treatment
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the Cambodian authorities are going to evict poor homeless tenants and move them to an undisclosed location for the sake of beautifying the city of Phnom Penh (to see our previous appeals on this issue please refer to: , UA-148-2006, UP-108-2006 and UP-116-2006).
Since the demolition on May 3 of their homes in the village nicknamed bird’s nest village on the bank of the Bassac River, not far from the centre of Phnom Penh, the poor homeless tenants have been subjected to cruel and degrading treatment by the Cambodian authorities. These authorities have prevented them from rebuilding any form of shelters and have forced them to camp out in the mud in the hot sun and the pouring monsoon rains. They have prevented them from receiving any humanitarian assistance and have cut off running water and electricity. As a result, many of the homeless, especially children, have suffered from diarrhea and flu due to bad sanitary conditions, lack of food and insoluble water.
Recently, a security guard physically assaulted a pregnant woman and the authorities pulled down a home causing its timber to fall onto a 12-year-old girl rendering her unconscious. These acts of brutality sparked off a riot against the authorities on May 31, when hundreds of poor tenants, armed with metal bars and farm tools, attacked and chased away the security guard who had beaten the pregnant woman. The rioters also torched several buildings, including an administrative office, and tore apart the corrugated metal fence built to shut out this man-made blight from the public view.
The Cambodian government and the Municipality of Phnom Penh have ignored and defied the calls made by the Secretary-General Kofi Annans Special Representative on human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, Miloon Kothari, and by other local and international organisations for a halt to the eviction of those homeless and respect for their rights. The AHRC has also now learned that Kep Chuktema, the governor of Phnom Penh, has ordered the eviction of those homeless and their relocation to an undisclosed location next week. He has accused the homeless of having done many bad things and will not allow their shelters to pollute the city’s beauty.
The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the comments made by Kep Chuktema and his attempt to divert the appalling conduct of the authorities by blaming the defenseless homeless persons for their plight. That these people have been treated in the manner that they have is truly shocking. That the authorities justify their actions by stating that the beautification of their city is more important than the lives of these people is entirely unacceptable and is a matter that the authorities should be highly ashamed of.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the Prime Minister of Cambodia requesting that the planned relocation for the homeless does not go ahead. Please also remind the authorities that these people should be treated in a way that honours their human rights.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Suggested letter to the Prime Minister:
Dear Prime Minister Hun Sen
CAMBODIA: Lives of homeless people destroyed in order to beautify the city of Phnom Penh
I am appalled to learn of the authorities decision in Cambodia to forcibly relocate a group of homeless people to an undisclosed location next week. I am aware that the governor of Phnom Penh, Kep Chuktema made this announcement while accusing the homeless of having done many bad things and polluting the citys beauty.
Following their forced displacement and the destruction of their homes on May 3, these people have been subjected to atrocious conditions and have had many of their rights denied. Making the matter even worse, they are now to be forcibly relocated to an alternative location, which may prove even harsher than where they are currently situated. Furthermore, this relocation adds further instability to these peoples lives and subjects them to further uncertainty about their future.
I therefore urge your government to refrain from forcibly relocating these people and from treating them in the cruel and degrading manner that you are. Your government must first and foremost ensure that all residents are given new premises with appropriate social amenities, including a school, health centre, electricity, running water and access roads. This should be done in consultation with the residents and outside experts to ensure that--unlike in previous relocation projects--the people do not abandon the resettlement area and again drift back into Phnom Penh. I ask that your intervention be forthcoming to reduce the amount of time that these people are subjected to such inhumane conditions.
I am aware that your government has ignored calls made by the Secretary-General Kofi Annans Special Representative on human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, Miloon Kothari, and by other local and international organisations for a halt to the eviction of those homeless and respect for their rights. I ask that you ignore these pleas no longer.
In no way can the Government of Cambodia justify their treatment of these people as a means of beautifying your capital city. To do so would be to show the international community the complete disregard you hold towards the rights of your people.
Yours sincerely
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
Mr. Samdech Hun Sen
Prime Minister
Office of the Council of Ministers
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Fax: + 855 23 426 054
PLEASE SEND COPIES TO:
1. Mr. Ang Vong Vathna
Minster of Justice
No 240, Sothearos Blvd.
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Fax: + 855 23 364119
Email: moj@cambodia.gov.kh
2. Mr. Hor Namhong
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
No 161, Preah Sisowath Quay
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Fax: + 855 23 216144/ 216939
Email: mfaicasean@bigpond.com.kh
3. Mr. Douglas Gardner
UNDP Resident Representative in Cambodia
53, Pasteur Street
Boeung Keng Kang
P.O. Box 877
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Fax: + 855 23 216 257
E-mail: douglas.gardner@undp.org
4. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Cambodia
N° 10, Street 302
Sangkat Boeng Keng Kang I
Khan Chamcar Mon
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Tel: +855 23 987 671 / 987 672, 993 590 / 993 591 or +855 23 216 342
Fax: +855 23 212 579, 213 587
Email: cohchr@online.com.kh
5. Prof. Yash Ghai
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for human rights in Cambodia
Attn: Ms. Afarin Shahidzadeh
Room 3-080
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 91 79214
Fax: +41 22 91 79018 (ATTENTION: SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE CAMBODIA)
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org
6. Mr. Miloon Kothari
Special Rapporteur on adequate housing
Attn: Ms. Cecilia Moller
Room 4-066/010
UNOG-OHCHR
CH-1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9265
Fax: +41 22 917 9010 (ATTENTION: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ADEQUATE HOUSING)
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
