Cambodian Government, UNESCO Implicated in Mass Displacement at Angkor Wat

Indonesian vice-presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Picture: Bagus Indahono/EPA

In an article by Global Voices, Sydney Allen writes the concerns raised on the population relocation program in Angkor Wat temple complex by the Cambodian government.

The relocations are part of a years-long “preservation” plan where the Cambodian government has been dismantling settlements throughout the archeological park — a site that stretches over 400 acres, houses thousands of temple ruins, and hosts at least 112 villages. Authorities said they are trying to protect the ruins by removing “squatters” and informal settlements, claiming they are harming the environment and overusing water resources.

For decades, there have been communities living in settlements in the areas surrounding Angkor Wat. Most of these do not have official permission from the state and have been deemed “illegal” by the authorities because the land around Angkor Wat is a protected zone, so new development is technically prohibited.

However, in 2005, UNESCO conducted a survey investigating whether the residences and development projects in the park were a threat to the World Heritage site and found the protections were “satisfactory” — though it did recommend the Cambodian authority clarify its legal infrastructure regarding property rights in the park. This did not happen, and now the UNESCO mandates are being used to justify the ongoing displacement of Angkor Wat residents.