Overnight we heard heartbreaking news on the plight of the families living in the area known as Group 78 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. As you recently took action for these families, we wanted to alert you to their final struggle for justice.
Late last night, after three years of government harassment and intimidation, 60 families living in the area finally felt they had no choice but to accept inadequate compensation and dismantle their own homes, rather than see them destroyed by force.
This is a tragic development – these people have lost everything.
Before daybreak this morning at least 70 security forces, some armed with guns and electronic batons, moved in and fenced off the area where four remaining families were holding out. Within hours, the resisting families felt they had no choice but to leave.
We don’t yet know where people have gone or what has happened to their homes and community. Right now we’re tracking down a number of the families and will share their stories as information becomes available.
APYN strongly condemns this forced eviction and the deeply flawed process that led to it.
We’ll continue to keep you updated about the plight of Group 78 via our website.
Sadly, Group 78 are not alone in their struggle. In 2008 we received reports of about 27 forced evictions, impacting an estimated 23,000 people; but together – as a movement of 2.7 million supporters – we’ll continue to call for real, lasting change.