Around 80 children and other
former Borei Keila residents protested on the street outside the Phnom Penh
Municipal Court on Monday morning (September 5), the day one of their
representatives appeared in the court for incitement allegation lodged by a
development company Phan Imex.
Approximately 100 Phan Imex
and authority forces including some armed police men forcibly relocated 133
families from Borei Keila on January 3.
“We need our homes. Court must be justice. Please give us justice and stop accusing and imprisoning our mothers,”
children sat shouting with loud speakers as their representative Mrs. Toem
Sakmony, 65, was appearing in the court.
The Phnom Penh Municipal
Court last month issued a letter for Mrs. Toem Sakmony, summoning her to appear
in the court for question on Wednesday morning (August 5) after Suy Sophan, owner
of Phan Imex, sued her for incitement [other persons] to commit crime.
The children sang a few songs
and poems recounting their grievances and pain, and they called for the
government to solve their problems. Meanwhile, the other protestors stood
holding banners that described the injustice and the actions of dismantling and
damaging their homes by the forces.
However, Mrs. Toem Sakmony
was placed under the pre-trial detention at Prey Sar prison for “incitement
charge”. Protestors felt panicked and terrible about the unexpected detention,
saying that it is unjust and they will continue their protest until the court
stops charging them unreasonably.
