Cambodia

The forced evictions of tens of thousands of Cambodia's poor constitute a "grave breach" of human rights, a United Nations independent expert said Jan. 30, calling for damages to be paid for lost homes and the provision of alternative housing. In the middle of the night last week, over 130 families were forced to leave their homes without prior notice in the capital, Phnom Penh, so that a private company could redevelop the site. The shelters in the poor community were destroyed, and there have been reports that before the eviction, the community suffered intimidation and that the area's representatives were subject to criminal charges. (UN News Service)