Dey Krahorm villagers outside the National Assembly demanding to meet law makers

On September 27, 2007 the Dey Krahorm community, in Phnom Penh organized a peaceful media conference which was attended by 200 villagers and 20 7NG security guards. The media conference was meant to bring attention to the situation of the Dey Krahorm community who are at risk of being evicted from their homes by 7NG. During the conference, community representative, Touch Raotha was involved in a scuffle with a 7NG security guard. Police are alleging that Touch Raotha damaged the security guard's camera phone when he attempted to take a photo of her.

Police took Touch Raotha to Sangkat Tonle Basaac police station for questioning, which prompted a large crowd of Dey Krahorm villagers to gather outside demanding her release. At one point, the police instructed the woman to go outside the police station and to tell the gathered villagers to leave the area. The woman left the police station and, surrounded by villagers, fell as she became unconscious from shock and the heat. She was carried back to her home by villagers.

Police later stated that the woman had fled the police station without their permission and that they would be seeking a warrant from Phnom Penh Court for her arrest on charges relating to the security guard's mobile phone.

Previous eviction attempt

Villagers fighting with police as they try to protect their homesOn August 29, 2007, over 100 military police and an equal number of construction workers employed by 7NG, were sent to evict over 350 families from their homes at Dey Krahorm. Authorities used force to disperse a well organized community that attempted to block access to their houses. Several houses were destroyed during the confrontation and villagers alleged that personal belongings such as cooking utensils, clothes and furniture were also destroyed along with the homes.

Community representative, Long Srey Leak was also handcuffed by a 7NG security guard while attempting to protect her home. A group of villagers surrounded her and marched towards the National Assembly 500 meters away, demanding to speak with the parliamentarians. No one met with the group but Long Srey Leak was later released.

Over the next two days, military police and construction workers returned to the Dey Krahorm community, but remained at a distance on the edge of the land. Several small scuffles took place as construction workers attempted to persuade the villagers to leave the land.

Additional legal struggles
On June 30, 2007, one community representative was charged with physical assault and five others were charged with property destruction by the Phnom Penh Court, in relation to a previous confrontation with police and 7NG earlier that month. Rous Pov, who was charged with physical assault, failed to appear at a court hearing and was subsequently arrested and sent to the prison on August 31.

On September 1, residents filed two complaints to the Phnom Penh Court, citing destruction and violation of private property as well as physical assault during the August 28 failed eviction; and claiming land ownership over Dey Krahorm as a social land concession given to the community in 2003.

Land dispute history
Dey Krahorm was one of three Phnom Penh communities nominated for a social land concession in the lead-up to the national election in 2003. The two other communities were the Borei Keila and the Railway Site communities. These social land concessions were meant to grant ownership of the land partly to poor communities living on the land and partly to construction companies in exchange for their development of the entire land site.

Community representatives have been alleging that in 2004, village chiefs Kim Yen and Pan Narith, signed an agreement with 7NG, stating that villagers would relocate to Damnak Trayeung commune in Dangkor district, in exchange for 7NG's full rights to develop the entire Dey Krahorm area. Community representatives claim that the village chiefs had no authority to make the agreement as they did not have prior approval. However over the past year the majority of Dey Krahorm's residents have relocated and only the 350 families remain.

The use of dubious legal charges against community representatives is often used by authorities in an attempt to weaken communities facing land disputes. The Dey Krahorm community has been subjected to repeated acts of intimidation and violence in the past month and this most recent attempt to arrest a community representative is only the continuation of this terrorism.