Forced Evictions and Resettlement in Phnom Penh: A Case for Internally Displaced Persons
Authors
Cioraru, Ana-Maria ; d'Amboise, Elizabeth Ann
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2016
Submitted on
2016-08-01
Pages
70
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger tvangsudsættelser i forbindelse med byudvikling og genhusning i Phnom Penh, Cambodja. Det spørger, om de mennesker, der fordrives af sådanne projekter, kan anerkendes som internt fordrevne (IDP’er) — personer, der er tvunget til at flytte inden for deres eget land. Udviklingsbetinget fordrivelse får ofte mindre opmærksomhed end fordrivelse forårsaget af konflikt eller vold. Selv når hjælpeorganisationer medtager udviklingsrelaterede sager i deres overvågning, prioriteres de store, profilerede projekter, mens mindre projekter som mange i Phnom Penh overses. Konsekvensen er, at tusindvis af familier falder mellem stolene i forhold til støtte. En medvirkende årsag er, efter vores vurdering, begrebslig uklarhed: Tvangsudsatte cambodjanere er ikke tydeligt omfattet af en internationalt anerkendt betegnelse som “IDP”, som kan give synlighed og legitimitet. Vi anvender kvalitative, induktive metoder — med fokus på erfaringer og mønstre frem for tal — for at vurdere, om IDP-betegnelsen kan bruges, og hvilke fordele det kan have. Vi finder en dobbelt fordel ved at bruge denne betegnelse for de tvangsudsatte i Phnom Penh. For det første kan den øge den internationale opmærksomhed på deres situation og behov for hjælp. For det andet kan den give internationale NGO’er og donorer større gennemslagskraft til at lægge pres på Cambodjas regering for at sikre menneskerettigheder, herunder rimelig kompensation og tilstrækkelig genhusning.
This thesis examines forced evictions linked to urban development and resettlement in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It asks whether people displaced by these projects could be recognized as internally displaced persons (IDPs)—people forced to move within their own country. Displacement caused by development often receives less attention than displacement caused by conflict or violence. Even when aid organizations include development-related cases in their monitoring, large, high-profile projects tend to be prioritized, while smaller projects like many in Phnom Penh are overlooked. As a result, thousands of affected families fall through gaps in assistance. One reason, we argue, is conceptual ambiguity: Cambodians who are forcibly evicted are not clearly covered by an internationally recognized label like “IDP,” which can bring visibility and legitimacy. We use qualitative, inductive research—focusing on experiences and patterns rather than statistics—to assess whether the IDP label could apply and what benefits it might bring. We find a double advantage to using this label for people forcibly evicted in Phnom Penh. First, it can raise international awareness of their situation and their need for support. Second, it can give international NGOs and donor agencies more leverage to press the Royal Government of Cambodia to uphold human rights, including fair compensation and adequate resettlement.
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