Hundreds of families living in homes perched precariously on the banks of the Siem Reap River in Siem Reap town are to be relocated in a bid to “beautify” the town. The land belongs to the government and the squatters must leave officials said. Provincial officials have concluded a survey of families living along a 2-kilometre stretch of the riverbank in preparation to truck the families to a relocation site between 30 and 40 kilometers away in Banteay Srey district. No money will be offered to the villagers if they reject the social land concession. This community is living here since the early 1980s. Sometimes 3 generation living together in the old metal or wooden shack houses. The youngest just was born a week ago while the oldest almost 90 years old survived Pol Pot, the notorious leader of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime and barely can walk. hat makes the people most worried? They lose there homes and jobs in the same time and most of the children have no chance to continue the studies at the same school. Tailor, hairdresser, bicycle repairer, TV and radio mechanic, dentist, psychologist all of them are small business owner and running businesses in the slum and make a bit of earning. How long………?
