Anniversary Marked With Fiery Demonstration
Resident of Phnom Penh’s Boeng Kak neighborhood burned straw effigies symbolizing corrupt government officials yesterday to make the one-year anniversary of demolition of eight homes at the contest site. Roughly 100 protesters gathered at the site of the demolitions and set fire to eight scarecrow-like effigies one for each home demolished by excavators in a violent eviction in September 2011. The scarecrows were dress in black shirts and trousers and blue karma scarves to make them look like Khmer Rouge soldiers. … The eight homeowners are among nearly 100 families who believe they were unfairly excluded from a government plan to give Boeng Kak resident land titles following an initiative launched in August 2011 in the hope of settling the community’s years-long land ownership dispute with Shukaku Inc., a private development firm belonging to CPP Senator Lao Meng Khin. …
