Cambodia: Group 78

I have just put together a letter of appeal to send off to the Governor of Phnom Penh Municipality, Cambodia. This is part of Amnesty International's, UK branch, campaign for a group of people they are referring to as Group 78.

According to Amnesty International, Group 78 is a group of some 150 families, who are being evicted from a piece of land from which, by law, they have entitlement to. The reasons for their eviction range from the beautifying of the area, to needing a bridge built.

Having lived and worked in Cambodia, I can imagine the lack of processes and confusion around a situation like this. Amnesty International state that the families have the documentation to make their claim on the land, but are being rejected.

My experience just to get a working visa over there led to visits to window after window at Government department to department, and a small fee here and there to get things moving. Corruption and fear for higher powered figures there remains a strong influence on how anything is done, on a day to day basis.

I have also emailed my interest in being part of the Australians for Cambodian Education group, here in Melbourne, in a quest to get involved.