Two residents of Boeng Tamok protesting the filling-in of the lake were questioned by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday, with five others expected in court over the next week.
The government has in a piecemeal manner divvied out most of Boeng Tamok, one of the capital’s last major lakes, to influential businesspersons, government institutions and well-connected individuals. The lake is being filled-in with residents living around the lake complaining of the impacts on their livelihoods.
Following protests, Prek Pnov district security chief Meas Sambo filed a complaint against seven residents for “obstruction and incitement to cause chaos on a public road.”
Prak Sophea and Phorn Sokhom were present in court on Tuesday. Sophea said she asked the prosecutor to drop the charges against the group, who only want to live their lives without being evicted.
“We didn’t say anything rude to any officials of the district. I reject this lawsuit from the authorities. Please don’t demolish our home because we have lived here since 1999,” she told reporters outside the court.
The prosecutor said in court that 16 people had been summoned in the case and that seven had accepted their invitations to court, Sophea said.
The remaining five people are expected in court on August 3, 4 and 9.
