A Boeng Tamok resident received a summons to appear in a Phnom Penh court on Monday following a clash with district authorities over a community bridge.
The Phnom Penh deputy prosecutor summoned Am Phoeun in response to a criminal complaint that she had illegally appropriated private property and used violence against rightful real estate owners. The court names the plaintiffs as Thai Ouy, Tang Kim and Ngoun Mong — whom Phoeun said she did not know.
Phoeun said she believed the summons was a response to a May altercation with authorities. Phoeun said she and her neighbors blocked dozens of Prek Pnov district government-employed security guards when they came to dismantle a small bridge Boeng Tamok residents had built to improve their access to fishing locations.
The residents successfully prevented the security guards from destroying the bridge by gathering around 100 people to block them, Phoeun said, claiming no violence had been used by protestors.
“I am not guilty of anything, but they came to sue me for using violence on their property, even though I was the owner of the land,” she said.
She said after the incident she did not file any complaint to the police or higher authorities as she thought there was no one who wanted to help her community.
The summons was delivered to Phoeun on Sunday afternoon by a district police officer, Phoeun said. She requested a delay because did not yet have a lawyer to represent her.
Phoeun, a 54-year-old mother of four, said this was the third court summons she had received.
In February, nine other Boeng Tamok residents faced charges for protesting when authorities allegedly prevented them from repairing their homes.
The areas’ current residents like Phoeun lack nationally-recognized land titles and are slated for eviction as the development projects spread out around the Boeng Tamok lake.
Residents of Phoeun’s village of Samrong Tbong in Prek Pnov district support themselves by fishing, even as the lake around them is being filled in as numerous plots of land given to well-connected individuals.
There are around 200 families and 77 houses at Boeng Tamok lake, Phoeun said. They have been seeking land titles or alternative places to live and 31 families have been resettled by the government.
“As a victim, I propose [to the court] to drop all charges [against me] and I ask [the government] for living and development on the spot,” Phoeun said.
Court spokespersons Plang Sophal could not be reached and Y Rin declined to comment. Deputy prosecutor Sorn Mony could not be reached.
Licadho operations director Am Sam Ath urged for authorities to handle the matter peacefully and with empathy towards the residents at Boeng Tamok.
“I feel that there is still no solution for the people living in Boeng Tamok,” he said. “Therefore, as a civil society organization, we want to insist and ask for a peaceful and sustainable settlement.”
