Three families living behind the site where the new Council of Ministers building is being erected have been told to leave their homes without compensation, residents said Thursday.
While the Council is negotiating compensation for 23 families, it says the three families are not included because their homes are located on a public road.
“Your homes are constructed on Road 118…so the district would like you to move your homes within 10 days,” according to a letter signed by Prampi Makara district Governor Sun Srun and dated Aug 31.
“If you disagree, the district will use force to destroy your homes,” it added.
The three families and 23 neighboring families had been negotiating compensation with the district, municipality and Council of Ministers since June, said villager Meas Saravuth, who received the letter.
“I didn’t know they cut the three of us out of this,” he said, noting his house is aligned with other homes on the street. Regarding the location of his home Meas Saravuth added: “If we are illegal, the Ministry of Rural Development is too.” That ministry is located close by.
Nearby residents said they were also worried that the government may be singling out the three families first and will do the same to them later in an attempt to keep the 26 families from banding together in a bid to negotiate better compensation.
“They might be trying to break us up,” said one 47-year-old civil servant who asked not to give her name, adding the three families have lived in the area a long time and also deserve compensation.
Prampi Makara District Governor Sun Srun refused to comment Thursday.
