Land Evictions in Cambodia Forced evictions in Cambodia are affecting a growing number of neighbourhoods in Phnom Penh and communities in the rural areas. Amnesty International estimates that over 150.000 Cambodians are threatened with forced evictions throughout the country (2007). The organization has expressed its feeling that forced evictions “are fast becoming one of the most widespread and systematic human rights violations affecting Cambodians”.
The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) considers this problem as a threat to the country’s stability. The capital so far as the rural areas both affected by this problem. The sharp rise of land value seems to be quite simultaneous to the expansion of the landgrabbing problem.
The new Cambodian land law was adopted in 2001. Despite the clear provisions included therein, less than 20% of Cambodians were estimated to hold a land title in 2006. The failure of the law relies mainly in its lack of implementation, coupled with a corrupted and inefficient judiciary system at the country level. Landgrabbing is more than often perpetrated by entities close to political personalities.
This situation makes it hard for Cambodian citizens have their claims addressed, and this leaves them with a more than often insufficient compensation for their lost land. Moreover, citizens are reticent to claiming their rights due to the growing threats enounced towards, among others, community representatives and human rights defenders. (G.K.R)