The Cambodian government has begun to relocate residents near the Preah Vihear site in an effort to develop the area for tourism. While the land they have been relocated to has been provided by the government, some villagers have said that they have no choice in the matter.
Preah Vihear families making way for development
Phnom Penh Post, 27 May 2010
Hundred of families living at the bottom of the ridge on which Preah Vihear temple sits began moving last week to a government-provided relocation site some 30 kilometres away, and only about 100 remain, officials said Wednesday.
“Most people are leaving the old village, and have been settling in the new village since last week,†said Hang Soth, director of the Preah Vihear National Authority. “There are about 100 families still at that place.â€
Plans for the move date back to July 2008, when fighting first broke out near Preah Vihear temple after its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Officials said at the time that the 473 families living in Kor Muoy village would need to be moved because of safety concerns, and because they wanted to develop the area as a “cultural heritage siteâ€.
