Thursday, 11 September 2008

Vendors Seeks Hun Sen's Help in Eviction

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
10 September 2008

More than 100 market vendors held a demonstration in front of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Kandal province residence Wednesday, appealing to the premier to intervene in their forced removal from an old market in the province's Takmao district to a new one nearby.

Protesters say the new market is in a quiet part of the district, far from the bustle of the old market, and is surrounded by buildings that make it difficult to set up shop.

The new market was completed in January, under the management of a company owned by Phnom Penh tycoon Mong Reththy, but management of the old market told vendors last week they would have to move.

Protesters said the old market is being emptied so that it can be sold.

On Wednesday morning, an adviser to Hun Sen told vendors he would take their complaint to the prime minister, and by Wednesday afternoon the protesters had returned to their stalls at the old market.

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