Story of Change

Background

Steung Kambot is an urban poor community located in Lor Kam Bour village, Svay Pak commune, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh. There are 210 households, 244 families, and 847 community members (437 females). They have lived there since 1979 and continue to live there to this day.

Problem/ Challenge

Because some of the community’s houses were located along Street 1003, Russey Keo authorities did not provide land titles, nor did they recognize their land tenure. Furthermore, authorities referred to the community as a community living on public state roads. Despite having lived there since 1979, the community never obtained any official documentation to act as proof for their settlement and land titling. The community members lack confidence to advocate for their livelihoods and land tenure. From 2020 to 2021, the community suffered from the widening of the 30-meter road, and they still live under fear of imminent eviction, which could potentially have them relocate far from their original settlement.

Intervention by STT

Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) went to observe and discuss the community’s challenges. After hearing their problems, STT implemented a project with the community. The project included training on the Land Law, Circular 03/06, Human Rights Principles, Advocacy and ICT skills. Now the community understands such issues better and have developed more confidence and courage. People in the community have become united and advocate very seriously about their land issues to find a solution.

More recently, the community members organized a public march to an event at the building of the Ministry of Land Management, and Urban Planning and Construction, where the Prime Minister presided. The community members just wanted to raise two points: on-site development, and land titling. The Khan authorities said that the campaign was illegal since the community residents had not submitted requests to relevant local authorities.

Result/ Outcome/ Change

As a result of STT’s intervention, the community members now have the capacity to lead community and advocacy activities more independently, with confidence. From September 2020 until now, the community has submitted five petitions to four ministries and one letter to the Prime Minister’s cabinet seeking intervention in their land settlement. In addition, on 29 October 2021, they submitted their letter to the Ministry of Justice and the relevant Anti-Corruption Unit to request intervention on their land issue. Mr. Makara received an invitation from the Russey Keo district administration to discuss the community’s land situation.

However, Mr. Sar Makara refused to attend the meeting with Mr. Prach Seiha, Deputy Governor of Russey Keo District, because Mr. Sar Makara stated that this meeting could take place only with the participation of at least 10 to 12 members of the community’s committee.

Community representatives went to the Ministry of Justice and Anti-Corruption Unit for following up the petition

In October 2021, Community members (244 families) of Steung Kambot community conducted a campaign to request the government to look at their land issue. The community blocked the street to force the authority to consider their land problem. One of the community leaders, Mrs Long Poch said “SuSu (keeping fighting for land rights)! I will die on the land”.

Authorities of Russey Keo district finally conducted a meeting with the community on the 11 November, 2021 to discuss with the community on the issues and to find solutions. More than 200 Community members of Steung Kambot community met with Mr. Ek Khun Doeun, the governor of Khan Russey Keo, to discuss and find a solution for their land issue.

Another community representative, Mrs. Reoung Oun said that “We, the community members have been living here for 30 years without a land title, but the Borey (gated-community) company has only been developing for 3 to 5 years, and getting the land title, this is very unfair for the communities.”

The community members will continue to advocate by conducting advocacy events at both local and national levels, including the follow-up of submitted petitions to relevant government’s ministries and institutions.

Background

Russey Sros Community is located in a residential area at Group 7 and 8, Russey Sros Village, Sangkat Niroth, Khan Chbar Ampov, in Phnom Penh. It was originally settled in 1979. There are 465 people living in the area, consisting of 100 families, occupying 100 houses. All residents are ethnically Khmer, and include eight individuals who are disabled. In 2010, the community met to re-select a new representative under supervision by Urban Poor Women Development (UPWD), World Vision Cambodia, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) and local authorities. At a June meeting in 2015, the Sangkat recognized that the Russey Sros community lives on private land that they themselves own. However, the community has not undergone the Systematic Land Registration process, without which no family can obtain a formal land title.

Despite the fact that they live on private land, residents may still face pressure to relocate. During an informal discussion with the Municipality of Phnom Penh (MPP), residents were made aware that the MPP plans to build a bridge from Koh Pich across the River, through their community. However, families have yet to receive any official notifications regarding these plans.

Problems/ Challenges

The community has lived under continuous fear of eviction, ever since they first heard of the MPP’s plan to build a bridge across the river which would force them to relocate. The community has access to electricity provided by the state and buys water from the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority. There is no communal street lighting, nor are there any drainage systems. Some residents have a private toilet, while others use a “flight toilet” – wherein they relieve themselves in a plastic bag and then throw the bag away. There is no rubbish collection. Flooding has also been an issue throughout the three preceding rainy seasons, sometimes lasting more than four weeks.

The community comprises a number of challenges. These include water and air pollution, domestic violence, rampant drug and alcohol abuse; not to mention infrastructure challenges such as the lack of a proper drainage system, hygienic toilets, and the dilapidated state of homes in the area. Families living there are also concerned about the threat of eviction, and flooding problems.

Intervention by STT

Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) has monitored the situation and collected information in the area since 2012. STT has also attempted to map the community, but this has yet to happen. The community empowerment project invited community representatives to attend community exchange visits both in Phnom Penh and in the province. These visits enabled them to witness real urban situations and provided great opportunities for communities to share knowledge. The communities notably demanded land tenure security through the implementation of systematic land registration. Additionally, community representatives and members were

invited to participate in the quarterly meetings that were conducted four times per year. It was a great opportunity for urban communities to meet each other, and to share challenges, experiences, and knowledge. This helped mobilize networks of communities to support each other through social activities with the aim of protecting their land and housing rights from the government and private companies. Exchange Learning visits helped increase capacity for community representatives to be able to exercise leadership within their community. Moreover, community members or representatives were able to gain from the project’s training. Training topics included the land law, secular 03, human rights, non-violence strategies, the basics of ICT, social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Citizen Journalism, Digital Security, Photo and Video making, and so on). The purpose of these trainings was to strengthen community capacity to protect their land and housing rights, and to be able to claim land title and security.

STT’s projects always teach how to produce community plans, monthly meetings, and ways to engage with local authorities for Sangkat Development action plans. Projects also teach advocacy and ICT skills, and how to monitor and reflect, once the activities are underway. Participants were also encouraged by the project to participate in a national forum on housing policy that was held by the Ministry of Land Management Urban Planning and Construction.

Result/ Outcome/ Change

After the projects, the Russey Sros community has become stronger and has developed good relationships with other urban land communities as well as local authorities. They now have the capacity to lead community and advocacy activities more independently, and with confidence. After the community’s struggles which lasted about 18 years, community residents are now waiting for the official land title from Khan Chbar Ampov, as the measuring process of each household is underway. The community members hope that they will get the land title in early 2022.

Since the community representatives and members have joined the trainings, quarterly meetings, workshops, forums, exchange learning visits, NGO advocacy, and Facebook live shows, they have learned about human rights, about land and housing rights, how to protect themselves from forced eviction, and what the main legal documents are, for demanding land and housing rights.

Community representatives and members have understood their rights and now have the capacity to conduct any activity both within the community and outside the community in order to discuss issues and to seek solutions from local authorities. Moreover, they have been submitting petitions to relevant government institutions which enables them to demand interventions on their land dispute. Furthermore, community members joined other communities and civil societies to participate in international events that promote human rights such as World Habitat Day, and International Human Rights Day. In addition, community members always conduct monthly meetings among themselves if they have urgent tasks to be discussed or need to mobilize support from NGOs like STT.

Throughout their monthly meetings, the community members have gained strength and empowerment by promoting discussion and sharing knowledge, experiences, and new approaches for claiming land titles for many years.

In October 2021, the authorities set up a committee for measuring the GPS of each household. They were informed that all households submitted their documents to relevant authorities to provide land titles where they are located.

The community leader of the community Mrs. Sek Saly, 53 years old, living with her husband and one daughter, told STT: “I am so happy to work for my community members and I want to help lift them out of poverty, I put my heart and soul into helping them to get Equity Cards and am waiting to see the result of land titles in the near future”.

Saly added: “Thanks to STT for supporting our community and training us to engage with local authorities in difficult times to achieve the recent changes in the community. STT helped me and other community members to know human rights, land rights, housing rights, communicating with community networks, NGO partners, and how to advocate for a proper solution. I suggest that STT provide more training to them to be able to share in the community.”