US Warns Cambodia Over Land Disputes

[george]

US warns Cambodia over land disputes

PHNOM PENH, January 5, 2012 (AFP) - The United States on Thursday warned Cambodia about potential "instability" over land disputes, after a violent forced eviction this week sparked a series of protests and arrests.

Villagers threw bricks, logs and Molotov cocktails at police who fired back with tear gas, rubber bullets and stones during a clash on Tuesday when authorities demolished some 200 homes in a community in capital Phnom Penh.

At least 10 villagers have been detained following the violence, which saw at least 40 villagers and police injured, according to rights activists.

Dozens of villagers gathered outside the United States, French and British embassies on Thursday to seek their intervention.

"US remains concerned about potential for unresolved land disputes to lead to instability in Cambodia," the US embassy posted on its Twitter following the protestors' appearance outside the embassy.

"The United States urges protesters to refrain from violence and calls on security forces to exercise maximum restraint."

Cambodia has faced mounting criticism in recent years from rights groups and the United Nations over a spate of forced evictions around the country that have displaced tens of thousands of mostly poor people.

Land ownership was abolished during the 1975-1979 rule of the communist Khmer Rouge and many legal documents were lost during that time.

Last August, the World Bank froze new lending to the impoverished nation over a high-profile dispute about a mass eviction from a lakeside area in the capital.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-01-05

[PoodMaiDai]

Tragic. They have been running people from their lands for a while now. Good to see the World Bank froze lending.

[toenail]

All I know is that Cambodian government is "prostituting" itself to China by allowing them to cut down their virgin forests; dig up their minerals, lease out their farm land..even set up casinos in their country for the Chinese. What happens to their own people doesn't matter.

[Siripon]

Hun Sen has never been known for caring about the common man. one reason Thaksin's cosying up to him was so sickening and hypocritical.

[DP25]

Tough position for Cambodia. Last year when there were riots in Phnom Phen over forced evictions of the poor, Cambodia started shelling Thai villages to distract, which also helps out their buddy Thaksin. Unfortunately can't do that this time around.

[garrfeild]

Tough position for Cambodia. Last year when there were riots in Phnom Phen over forced evictions of the poor, Cambodia started shelling Thai villages to distract, which also helps out their buddy Thaksin. Unfortunately can't do that this time around.

It's such a shame! Unfortunately they can't attack a neighbouring country to distract from domestic problems, Unfortunately a few soldiers won't die! Unfortunately the attacked country can't even use it as a distraction from their problems either! Quite fortunate if you ask me.

[Rathai]

dam_n, that's harsh. Makes Myanmar seem tame.

[dominique355]

Don't forget, the Cambodian government and in particular Hun Sen, are mostly Khmer Rouge. And we all now how much they value people's rights.

Sad part of the story is the US' support for them (at that time). Hopefully Washington has learned their lesson, which cannot be said of Hun Sen.

[phiphidon]

Tragic. They have been running people from their lands for a while now. Good to see the World Bank froze lending.

Did you know why they froze lending to Cambodia eventually in August 2011? They weren't being altruistic by any means.

World Bank project tied to forced evictions in Cambodia

Inspection Panel findings confirm breaches of World Bank policies

On all counts, the World Bank’s Inspection Panel found that the Bank breached its operational policies by failing to properly design and supervise the Cambodia Land Management and Administration Project (LMAP). These failures contributed to the forced eviction of some 4,250 families living around Phnom Penh’s iconic Boeung Kak Lake.

Today, the Bank Board of Executive Directors are meeting to decide what action to take in light of the findings of the Bank’s Inspection Panel that a $28.8 million land titling project in Cambodia flagrantly disregarded Bank policies, leaving more than 20,000 people facing forced eviction from their homes in central Phnom Penh.

http://www.bicusa.or...icle.12373.aspx

[blackthorn2005]

Hun Sen has never been known for caring about the common man. one reason Thaksin's cosying up to him was so sickening and hypocritical.

They should look into his Khmer Rouge days, and some of his subsequent actions, not a nice person.

[abcz9]

they got some cheak what about all the countys they have invaided

[geriatrickid]

US policy is consistent with the policies of other foreign governments. It is intended to distance itself from the protests and to remind the Cambodia government that if it wants foreign aid/assistance it has to behave responsibly. However, as previously noted, China is there to fill in the gap. The downside of dealing with the Chinese is that when you shake hands on a deal, usually you hand comes back minus some of the gold jewellery and a finger or two.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Scott
formatting

[Moruya]

US policy is consistent with the policies of other foreign governments. It is intended to distance itself from the protests and to remind the Cambodia government that if it wants foreign aid/assistance it has to behave responsibly. However, as previously noted, China is there to fill in the gap. The downside of dealing with the Chinese is that when you shake hands on a deal, usually you hand comes back minus some of the gold jewellery and a finger or two.

One can only assume that you shook heads with them.

[nikster]

they got some cheak what about all the countys they have invaided

Because they have invaded countries, they can't say anything about forced evictions? I don't follow...

I fear the situation in Cambodia has to get much worse before it can get better.. Hun Sen seems to be hell bent to make that happen...