Kampot / Kep: End of day one

This evening we met Ling and Luc who live next to the Vanna bungalows
and have an amazing 180 degree panoramic view of the Kep seascape.
Astounding!

They have a partnership of some kind with OMF but are not
missionaries. They are building a retreat centre on the mountain /
hill behind their house.

Not that we are looking to move to Kep, but they gave us the low down
on the local church, which is that it is minimal. There is one 'home
group' of about 20 older farming folk, who we will visit tomorrow
afternoon. And a smattering of Christian families near their house.
There are only a Dey foreigners in Kep. Their was at one stage a
Quaker couple but it sounds as though they are gone now. Most of the
Christian community is based in Kampot and Chuuk.

There are several Cham fishing villages along the coast and according
to Ling are doing pretty well. No resource conflicts that she is aware
of.

At dinner there was a young foreign woman, seemingly on her own, but
later joined by an eager looking group of young khmer men, all
drinking beer. She spoke reasonable khmer and i couldn't tell if she
was a journalist or tourist or someone practising her khmer with the
locals. Don't know why I mention this. It just looked a little
strange, is all.

Well, i'm looking forward to a good night's sleep with no
interruptions from young kids early in the morning.

--
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Kampot survey trip

Heap and I are sitting on the bus waiting to leave the station - it's
taking quite a while for some reason.

We have a good trip planned now. As is usual it's come together at the
last minute. And we're still trying to arrange meetings.

Our plan is to meet two couples in the sea-side resort town of Kep.
Both run retreat centers and can hopefully explain some of the
situation in the church. We will then go on to Kampot town itself and
meet NGO contacts there. Hallam and Katie from STT and possibly staff
from CLEC and Licadho. On monday or tuesday we will meet two community
leaders from a Cham (muslim) community. Following that we will meet a
pastor in Chuuk, which is kind of the Christian Mecca of Cambodia.
Although not without it's problems and scandals. This pastor
supposedly knows a lot of people and is well connected to the pulse of
the Christian community.

Both Heap and I are starting this journey tired. I confess to coming
close to postponing it for when i feel more energetic. But when will
that ever be? Both Heap and I have attended to several crises this
week - me with the Dey Krahom eviction, and Heap with staff in
Treasures.

But leaving now i feel more energized and expectant.

Trying to decide where we'll move as a team is getting hard. Each
place has great merits to them. It will come down to a choice between
three good options I feel. Though I'm thinking Snuol in Kratie
province would be most strategic in that there are few NGO's there,
but a number of healthy communities that would be great to partner
with. Kampot is beautiful and the whole team would be happy to move
there tomorrow. But already is well served by NGO's. Mondulkiri also
has NGO's and is less interesting given it's population is so small.
Each area has opportunities for working with ethnic minority groups,
so that is a plus.

I will also visit Chenda on wednesday on the way home, who just had a baby girl.

If you are reading this, take some time to pray for Heap and I on this
trip, as well as the whole team in these decisions.

--
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Peace-and-justice-cambodia website

I'm been encouraged a lot this week over the
peace-and-justice-cambodia website where i'm collecting news articles
on land, natural resources, evictions and investment related issues
here in Cambodia. I then map these on a monthly basis using google
earth and google maps. Its a visually effective way to describe how
all-pervasive these issues are.

I want to expand this project to include more information coming
directly from communities themselves. I don't expect this to be a
complete covering of all that is being done, but an attempt at
real-time mapping of actions taken by communities in response to the
effects of investment, land concessions and encroachment.

--
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Dey Krahorm

Dear friends,

 

Please find attached recent photos, statements and briefing paper about the violent eviction that took place in Dey Krahorm on Saturday at 6:00 AM. The series of photos attached was compiled by one of my Cambodian colleagues who found a way to express his sorrow and sadness. More information, DVD, photos are also posted at www.licadho-cambodia.org

 

Let me know if you do not wish to receive any more information about DK as I understand you receive many other emails and documents too.

 

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your friends who have dropped off used clothing, toys, shoes and money to our office in the past few days. The response from individuals, families, schools, churches and NGOs has been overwhelming, we have received thousands of much needed items for babies, children and adults from DK and a few offers to house villagers temporarily. Many thanks to those who have dropped by to see DK villagers in our office to listen to their stories, comfort their pains and sorrows with kindness and try to assist individual families cope from day to day. Also, thank you to individuals and ICF in enabling NGO workers and volunteers to obtain professional counseling to cope with their own pains and sorrows. Many thanks to individuals who are working in different ways to continue lobbying for justice to DK families who are still fighting for justice and compensation and to the hundreds of DK families who are living in misery in the new dumping site.

 

Humanitarian distribution in this new dumping site (Dangkao district which is located about 16-20 km from PP) will take place this Sunday, email me or text me at 012 803 650 if you wish to join groups of NGOs and volunteers to distribute items, I will know more details including time of distribution by noon today.

 

All your support, caring, efforts, work and generosity is giving back the dignity and hope to DK families who were stripped of their possession and identity. We are committed to continue helping people who have been violated but it is the support of all of you that gives us the strength and clarity to continue working in such a violent and uncertain environment. Thank you again!

 

Naly/LICADHO

Engaging and Integrating Faith and Justice

It's not as easy as I thought. And this week I've experienced a good
amount of dislocation as well as integration.

Often i'm living in one world or the other. But occasionally the two
come together. A lunch appointment had me discussing possible justice
oriented actions by Christians. And my own organisation has been very
responsive to the situation at Dey Krahom. But i still desire a more
integrated vocabulary for myself where faith meets justice more
harmoniously. To talk of prayer in a human rights meeting may seem
crazy, but is a fundamentally human act, as well as inviting the Human
One into the process.

The peace-building world seems most conducive to integrating these,
but I'm yet to collaborate closely with peace builders on a day to day
basis. I'd like that to change and I want my own perception of myself
and work to be more influenced and nuanced by peacebuilding concepts
and practices.

A year ago I sought to apprentice myself to a human rights group. I've
done that, not quite as I expected, but through partnership. I now
want to complement that with the peace movement. Why? Because it is
more wholistic and open to faith expression, as well as looking for
interventions in conflict systems that are less finger-pointing and
blaming and more about facilitating connections between currently
warring or fighting factions. And this is what I see as a gap in
Cambodia. There is little space for communities, authorities and
companies to dialogue. Often for obvious reasons, such as companies
seem and act so insular, having little vision for mutually bendicial
arrangements with a community.

--
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Dey Krahom - reflections

After talking with friends from Dey Krahom tonight I realise I have
been disengaged from my feelings quite a bit since Saturday - the day
of the eviction. Each day the eviction kind of fades a little, even as
Dey Krahom members continue to be homeless - or worse. I heard tonight
that 7NG do food distributions to the people dumped on the side of the
road. Yet some still miss out. Those who get food and those who don't
is based entirely of the say-so of the original community leaders -
the ones who originally sold out Dey Krahom to 7NG in the first place.
Talk about re-traumatizing victims.

So i am feeling my anger and sadness and desire to support other
communities who are at risk of the same fate, yet have much less
support.

The family, Heap and I are going to Kampot on Saturday to meet
community leaders and survey the area for a potential Innerchange team
there. But I have done little preparation for it. It's been
over-shadowed by Dey Krahom's eviction.

DK is fighting on, however. Despite this huge loss, leaders are
determined to fight for compensation. I hope that they will help
prepare other communities, too.

--
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The perks of being relocated (evicted) by 7NG - take note Boueng Kak

Whoever thought being evicted from their homes of 20 years or so was
hard luck should think again. The privatisation of the eviction
industry has taken the next step by offering a multi-layered
compensation package for the privileged few.

Those lucky enough to be evicted by 7NG will find themselves happily
housed in the privately owned 7NG village a mere 20 kilometers, or 40
minute, drive from central Phnom Penh.

This location is highly sought after by clientele hankering for a
simpler age, devoid of unnecessary mod-cons such as fresh running
water, electricity, sanitation, health care, education facilities and
work opportunities.

Did I say work opportunities? I speak amiss. For 7NG will kindly let
you rent a spacious market stall at the privately owned 7NG market.
And if you don't want to work there you can pay for the luxurious bus
service now in operation, and privately owned by, 7NG to Phnom Penh.

For those eager to know what promotional opportunities there are
within the 7NG philanthropic enterprise, a lucky few (hundred) may
well be chosen for the next community eviction as demolition experts,
recieving a generous daily stipend and all travel expenses paid.

If anyone thought that being evicted by 7NG was a dead-end they can be
sure that 7NG has their long-term future well taken care of.

That no community has ever asked to be evicted - nor even agree to
sell their land - be dislocated from family, friends, work, and school
should not matter. Nor even the mob-ish identity, or lack there of, of
7NG and company officers. Nor even that there is no street address to
send correspondence to, or protest in front of. We should not be
concerned that no reasonable attempt was made by the company or city
officials to sit down and listen to residents concern, nor accept
reasonable compensation demands. Any mediation and negotiations
efforts were top-down one-way affairs. And the rash of arrests,
intimidations, threats, court cases against residents. Not one case
brought by residents against 7NG has ever been heard.

--
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Counterpoint: New life

After a week of bad news and destruction of people's lives, I was
heartened to hear of our friend, Chenda, who gave birth to her fourth
child today, at 8am, to a healthy 3.3kg baby girl named Donna.

As we are planning to visit Kampot this weekend as part of the team
survey, we will be able to visit on the way home. Chhuk is on the road
to Kampot.

Sadly, this is a bitter sweat celebration for Chenda and her family of
four kids as her husband recently left her for another woman. A whole
nother story of it's own.

But it is worth celebrating times such as these. And new life brings
with it so much hope, possibility and newness. Who can't be happy?

--
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Jan 27 update

Dear all, please find links to updated headlines and newspaper scans to Tuesday Jan 27.

Articles:
http://picasaweb.google.com/peaceandjustice.cambodia/January262009#

Land Event Map:
http://peace-and-justice-cambodia.awardspace.com/2009_01January_Map.html

Land in the Headlines:

Tuesday, Jan 27

click here to view articles
Bassac residents fear further relocations. PPP (1-2) | Dey Krahom
FMs agree to scale back troops. PPP (1) | Border Dispute
Real estate market gets lift. PPP (1) | Investment
Evictees, city official meet after relocation. PPP (2) | Evictions
Fears mount for future of iconic Bassac apartments. PPP (2) | Evictions
Koh Puos chairman gives date for bridge. PPP (3) | Investment
Police release fishermen, detain employers in raid on illegal nets. PPP (4) | KChhnang
The grand theft of Dey Krahorm. PPP (6) | Letters
Real estate sector applauds lifting of 15pc loan cap. PPP (13) | Investment
RCAF Chief Fired Over Land: F'pec Official. CD (1-2) | Land Disputes
Few Results, but Minsitry Probe To Continue. CD (26) | Land Titles; Prey Veng; Kandal
Dey Krahorm Evictees File Complaint With NA. CD (26) | Dey Krahom
M'kiri Villagers Clash With Developers in Dispute. CD (26) | Land Grab
R'kiri Judge Summons 5 Over Burning Incident. CD (28) | Solidarity Groups

Monday, Jan 26

Relocated residents find homes, water lacking. PPP (1) | Dey Krahom; Evictions
Evictees request 7NG money. PPP (1) | Dey Krahom; Evictions
We have no homes, say evictees. PPP (2) | Dey Krahom; Evictions
Developing old battlefields key to national security: PM. PPP (4) | Investment; Defence
Villagers fight villagers, district chief, over farms. PPP (4) | Land Dispute; Siem Reap - Chi Kraeng & Anlong Samnor
Officials Forcibley Evict Dey Krahorm Holdouts. CD (1-2;34-35) | Dey Krahom
2008 Human Rights Violations Increase by 25%, Group Says. CD (33) | Licadho
Council of Ministers OKs Kuwait Agreement. CD (36) | Investment

Saturday-Sunday, Jan 24-25

Hundreds Released After Arrests Over Alleged Illegal Fishing. CD (11) | Tonle Sap; KChhnang

Peace,
Chris Baker Evens
InnerCHANGE Cambodia

Fwd: strength

A quote sent from Canada to DK, LICADHO and LC:
 
Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.
 
- Dorothy Thompson

 Keep on keeping on.