National Rail Project Heralded by Eviction Notices in Poipet
Poipet City authorities have given dozens of families living along a section of railway slated for renovation 10 days to move or face forcible eviction. Poipet City Deputy Governor An Vanak said that the eviction notice was sent Monday to about 40 families, only eight of whom have agreed to the government’s compensation terms for relocating. “After the deadline, if those families haven’t removed their homes, the authorities will take legal action against them and will not be held responsible for any damage [to property],” said Mr. Vanak. Resettlement of residents resulting from the $142 million national railway rehabilitation plan has been plagued with controversy, with NGOs and residents criticizing both the government and the funders—the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and AusAID—over inadequate compensation and badly managed relocation sites. …
