10,000 families, some of whom have been living at the historic and famous Angkor World Heritage site for generations, are being evicted from their houses. We need your help today to prevent more families from losing their homes and to support those who have been forced to move.
“Nobody wants to leave their home.”
A woman who had lived at Angkor for more than 70 years
WHY PEOPLE ARE BEING KICKED OUT
Angkor, home of Angkor Wat temple, in Cambodia, is identified as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Angkor is also home to over 100,000 people, many of whom have lived in the area for several generations and have a special connection to the land. They rely on the site for their livelihoods and bury their loved ones who have passed away in the nearby forests, cemeteries and on their farms.
“We never caused harm to the temples. When I was a child, we played games and climbed and cleaned at Angkor Wat.” – Devi*, a resident at Angkor.
In the name of conserving the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Cambodian authorities have been forcibly evicting a large number of people from Angkor since 2022. More than 10,000 families, around 40,000 people, are being moved. However, UNESCO told Amnesty International that it has never called for “population displacements.”
Many people were harassed, threatened, and forced to leave without any genuine consultation. Almost no one wants to go.
“They asked us to stand on one side for those who agree [to give up their rice fields], and those who don’t to stand on the other side – then they said that anyone who protests will go straight to prison.” – Yey*, a farmer.
The Run Ta Ek resettlement site is far away and the lack of housing has meant thousands of families are risking their health by living under tarpaulins or in exposed weather conditions, are lacking access to clean water, adequate toilet facilities, electricity, proper roads and livelihood opportunities.
THESE FAMILIES NEED YOUR SUPPORT TODAY
Ask the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, and UNESCO to stop the forced evictions at Angkor and adequately support those who have been forced to leave.
*Names are pseudonyms to protect people from possible reprisals by the Cambodian authorities.