The residents of Phnom Penh are becoming increasingly frustrated by the chaotic and largely unplanned construction in this 'jewel' of an Asian city. While welcoming sustainable and inspired development the latest and largest 'development' is the filling of Boeung Kok. The loss of this iconic open space is nothing short of tragic particularly in the light that the 133 hecatres of public property will be developed for private business gain (estimated at US$2 billion +).

The Lake may well be lost but there is still time to support the thousands of families living around the lake who are negotiating for fair compensation (their case for possession is considerably stronger than the the Government's Lease to Shukaku which is illegal on a number of counts). With enough support the Government may be persuaded to retain 30, 40, 50 hectares as a public park for public use. With enough support from all the city's residents, whether you are Khmer or foreign it may be possible to still change the future of Boeung Kok. Put up a sticker, buy a T-shirt and show your support.

The Campaign was established by the Housing Rights Task Force, a coalition of NGOs working for housing rights in Phnom Penh.

In February the Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) hosted the student workshop on 'Smart City: Design with People'. It was attended by 8 international students from Helsinki University of Technology and 35 local studenst from The royal Faculties of Agriculture and Architecture as well as from Norton University. In the 3 day event students visited resettlement sites and communities under threat of eviction. The event was sponsored by DED and the Japan Housing Association. In the coming years STT hopes to create a regional workshop and link with CASE in Thailand and Japan and with TAO in the Phillipines.

Amnesty International's latest report on Cambodia's land issues 'Rights Razed' was met with suspicion by the Royal Government of Cambodia who questioned whether Amnesty really knew the situation on the ground. The report states that at least 150,000 Cambodians are under threat of eviction and follows on Global Witness's damning report 'Family Trees' which reported on alleged endemic corruption within Cambodia's elite families . For more information click here...

STT's work at Sensok Community, a resettlement site outside Phnom Penh, shows that communities with initiative can get things changed. click here for more..