Democracy must be protect basic necessity of access to housing

(Given permission from Chak Sopheap to repost this article published on the Cambodia Daily, on February 13, 2008)

A democracy government refers to a political system in which the majority’s concern is seriously taken into account, but it does not mean that minority voices or concerns are to be ignored. However, I am skeptical about how the Cambodian government perceives the nature of democracy and their treatment regarding citizen’s human rights after reading the government spokesman’s response to Amnesty International’s call on eviction cases (“Group: Gov’t Obliged to Protect Evictees,” on the Daily).

The spokesman claimed that “There might be some abuse, but it is not always abuse” and said only a small portion of the population is affected by forced evictions and many of those were illegal squatters.

Consider ourselves to be among that affected portion of the population- we would be miserable.

Beyond that, I am concerned that land grabbing and evictions have become one of the most widespread and pressing human rights problems in Cambodia.

Most of the time, city development and illegal squatting have been used as rational to back the government’s actions to forcibly evict people. It is not that I do not support the government’s plans to develop the country, but the government also has the obligation to protect and guarantee the right of citizens to make a living and have access to housing.

People categorized as illegal squatters are not to be blamed. It is the government’s responsibility to reinforce the Land Law, hand land titles to legitimate citizens without delay, and display a commitment to anti-corruption efforts. 

Finally, I appeal to the Cambodian government to comply with the instruments of housing rights and to extend these rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution and international covenants, to every citizen regardless of their limited voice or status.