An Interview granted by H.E KEP CHUK TEMA, Governor of Phnom Penh with
National and International Medias

Question 1:
According to the present situation and Samdech Prime Minister HUN SEN decleared on site upgrading in poor communities on May 2003, the Municipality of Phnom Penh has developed many places, mostly related to illegal construction sites in Phnom Penh. Recently, there is a problem with removal of settlements at Sambok Chab communities. Please, His Excellency makes comment?

Answer:
Since the Prime Minister gave precious recommendation to develop 100 poor communities in Phnom Penh, the Municipality has tried its best to carry out some tasks as follows:
    - We are seeking development partners, technical and financial assistance as well as human resources from donor countries and certain organizations because the government and the Municipality of Phnom Penh are lack of the above-mentioned resources and we also have some priority tasks to be carried out urgently.
    - We are also seeking development partners from private sectors with whom we has and are cooperating. For instance, we have carried out development project at Borei Keila poor community.
    - We win support of UN-HABITAT for improving settlements for poor people living in Phnom Penh. We allowed UN-HABITAT office to be based in the City Hall in a bid to make it easy to deal with any issues which is related to illegal settlements.
    -I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Premier’s recommendation for improving 100 settlements a year in order to avoid misunderstanding. The goal of the recommendations is to provide the poor with safety, without threatening and dignity in society which make them possible to improve their living condition. These are the goal of the head of government for the poor in line with the poverty alleviation strategy. So the premier’s recommendation isn’t intended to encourage anyone or any group to take advantage of this.
    - We have carried out two strategies to address illegal settlements – on site upgrading through land sharing and voluntarily relocation or resettlement. The procedure of two above-mentioned strategy are all participation strategy. It means that poor communities participated directly in deciding on project implementation. The both methods are also participated by all parties involved such as private development partners, land owners, international organizations and NGOs as well as institutes concerned. - I learned that the interview this time made by national and international media want to know the main causes of relocation at village 14 or Sambok Chab, Bassac commune, Chamkamon district to the new location at Dangkor district, Phnom Penh city.

   First, I would like all of us to see the causes of the problems. There are three parties involved- Owners, talents, and opportunists. The owners and the talents agreed with voluntarily relocation policy without force eviction unlike certain media was released. But, only opportunists provoked instability while we are seeking solution to the poor and owners. They used in all forms , both violence and incitement, especially they used poor people as a shield to cover up their own interest. Moreover, they sent their cronies to register at illegal settlement. When there was a solution, the total of poor families are further than the real total families that we had counted before. Those are beyond to the government ability to solve these issues. To summarize, these people use the recommendation of the premier as an exploitation and distort the fact for their own interest. These are the main points leading to the problems.

Question 2:
What does the City Hall plan to do to deal with illegal construction sites with efficiency and effectiveness ways through past experiences?

Answer:
There is a huge lesson we have learnt from it to handle illegal construction sites as follows: First: We will continue to work together well with the people in poor communities. Because it is a key factor resulting in a proper solution for all parties involved. We have good work relation with the poor communities. Moreover, we prevent opportunists from entering into the communities. And we will continue to cooperate well with organizations that help the living standard of the poor to compile the real number to the poor families in a bid to seek proper solution. An cooperation with the organizations help the City Hall and the government with resources of which we lack.
Second: Experiences, success and failure we gained from the implementation of on site upgrading throw land sharing and voluntarily relocation or resettlement are cornerstone for another illegal construction site projects.
Third: The City Hall will continue to release Law on people rights to property ownerships and penalties and we hope that they will know more clear about the law. Through this, they will soften their attitude to our solution which can be accepted both sides- the owners and illegal shelters.

Question 3:
What are the long-term plan for pro-poor in Phnom Penh?

Answer:
Illegal constructions are huge and complicated problems to be resolve by all parties involved such as authorities ranging from municipality, district, commune levels in close cooperation with communities, people and expert institutions along with international organization, NGOs. We also need financial support from donor countries . The Municipality of Phnom Penh and local authorities drew up plans and measurements as follows:
    - We continue to seek aid assistance both financial and technical from various organizations and donor countries in order to carry out the premier’s recommendation - to develop 100 poor communities with effective way. We have great success in land sharing and resettlement policies at Borei Keila and Sen Sok community, respectively.
    - We continue to disseminate Land Law especial in any articles that stipulate people rights to poverty ownership and its penalties. .