Forced Evictions

Amnesty International's report and an earlier piece by the Phnom Penh Post.

This quote is particularly telling from one government official:

"Now, they have a health centre ... because we have provided a room for the [Centre of] Hope, who have helped the people with their health since they lived in Borei Keila," he said, adding, "We are also thinking about installing a clean water system because right now the water can be used to wash clothes but not to cook."

Relying on an NGO to provide essential social services, and not including drinking water as a basic human right, because why bother? These families have no money, no influence, often not even a legal existence - they don't count in Phnom Penh's rush for property wealth.

The Bassac slum being cleared is very near to the slum where my children were born. That slum was wiped out a while ago, and I've visited the Borei Keila "resettlement" and seen the misery there.

The community Alexandra serves have been given resettlement notices. We have no dates for when they will be evicted, what kind of compensation they will get - yet another uncertainty in their chaotic lives.

But Riverkids will follow them to wherever they go. That's our commitment.