Mostly failed promises mark Phnom Penh governor’s 1st year

18 March 2014
The Cambodia Daily
Cities / Civil society / Concessions / Crime and law enforcement / Government / Human rights / Infrastructure / Land / Land policy and administration / Land tenure and land titling / Law and judiciary / Ministries and other national bodies / Phnom Penh / Public land lease / Social development / Urban administration and development
Boeng Kak / Borei Keila / Kep Chuktema / NGO Housing Rights Task Force / Pa Socheatvong / Phnom Penh City Hall / Phnom Penh Municipality / Thma Korl community / Thma Korl reservoirs

When he assumed leadership of Phnom Penh municipality in May 2013, Pa Socheatvong vowed to be a governor who would get things done. His predecessor, Kep Chuktema, oversaw the filling in of Boeng Kak lake and the mass eviction of its residents. A similar scenario unfolded in the Borei Keila area of Prampi Makara district and several other areas of the city during Mr. Chuktema’s 10-year tenure as municipal governor. … During his tenure, blue-uniformed, extra-legal security guards and plainclothes, civilian thugs have violently beaten workers, unionists, rights activists, opposition party supporters and journalists. They attacked participants during a candlelit vigil at Wat Phnom in September and violently emptied Freedom Park of monks and peaceful opposition party supporters in January. … City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche said the city had done its best to handle eviction issues. “We started to solve the Boeng Kak lake issue step by step and our working group has already finished surveying the areas for them and measuring the land—we have solved the problem for 17 families in the past week and we continue to solve it,” he said

 Lauren Crothers and Mech Dara
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/mostly-failed-promises-mark-phnom-penh-governors-1st-year-54423/