Video Captures Police Destroying Homes, Beating Locals in Phnom Penh

Riot police and security forces moved into the Boeung Kak area of Phnom Penh with batons and shields on Friday to forcibly evict families from their homes.  In all eight homes were destroyed. Our partner in Cambodia, LICADHO, and LICADHO Canada, captured the attack on video, including the violent beating with a brick by police of a local activist. This video contains graphic and violent content.

We reported earlier our cautious optimism when the government announced that the remaining 779 families would be granted formal ownership of land near the lake. And indeed 96 of these families have been arbitrarily excluded from this resettlement plan and the government moved on Friday to force them out. Before Friday, the development company began to more aggressively flood the homes of the remaining 96 families.

Earlier last week, the Housing Rights Task Force, of which LICADHO is a member, issued a statement demanding that all remaining lake families receive land titles within the land allocated, financial support be given to the remaining families and that the harassment, intimidation and purposeful flooding of homes should stop immediately.

Chris Kelly, director of the documentary, The Cause of Progress about forced evictions in Cambodia, took these images and this video from Friday:

• Read more about our global campaign on forced evictions and help us map cases of forced evictions around the world.

• For the most current information on the Boeung Kak residents, follow the blog: Save Boeung Kak Campaign and join the Facebook page: Cambodia Evictions Update.

• More Video? Amnesty International profiled Boeung Kak Lake residents and the Australian TV program, Dateline, produced an exposé.