An aerial view of Run Ta Ek village. Facebook
The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, alongside the APSARA National Authority (ANA), has released a statement addressing the recent controversy surrounding the relocation of residents from the Angkor archaeological site to Run Ta Ek.
This comes in response to the recommendations made by the World Heritage Committee during its 46th session held in New Delhi, India.
“The World Heritage Committee recommends that Cambodia, as a State Party, invite experts from the World Heritage Center, the International Council on Monuments and Sites [ICOMOS] and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property [ICCROM] to collaboratively study the overall situation of conservation and development,” said a ministry statement.
“This study aims to integrate the protection of both tangible and intangible heritage of the local people in the Angkor resort, as well as the new urban planning in the city of Run Ta Ek Techo Sen.”
The committee's recommendation aligns with broader concerns regarding the forced evictions and relocations of families from Angkor, which have been flagged as significant human rights issues.
Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns over the potential forced displacements, urging Cambodia to host a joint Reactive Monitoring Mission to assess the state of conservation and the living conditions of the relocated communities.
Amnesty’s acting deputy regional director for research Kate Schuetze called for an unequivocal condemnation of the alleged human rights violations by the Cambodian government.
Following Amnesty’s 2023 report, UNESCO's World Heritage Centre requested a comprehensive report from Cambodia addressing allegations of forced evictions and detailing the processes for distinguishing legal residents from illegal encroachers.
The report is also expected to respond to Amnesty's allegations.
Similar concerns have been raised in other countries, such as Laos, where UNESCO recommended a monitoring mission to Luang Prabang due to the potential impact of a nearby dam.
This indicates a broader trend of UNESCO's proactive measures to preserve cultural heritage sites while ensuring the well-being of local communities.
“The decision, which UNESCO said was adopted on Wednesday [July 31] without discussion, was criticised as too little by Save Cambodia, a human rights group based in the US,” according to The Washington Post.
At a press conference held on August 1, ANA director-general Hang Peou shared insights into the government's stand and future vision for the site.
He highlighted the government's prioritisation of the safety and well-being of the people, which necessitated the establishment of an orderly area.
"Currently, the government has developed the Run Ta Ek area with proper infrastructure, including roads, water, electricity, schools, hospitals and other public services. The new city of Run Ta Ek has been adequately structured," Peou explained.
He emphasised that the relocated people received plots of land measuring 20 by 30 metres and a 10-year subsidy from the government.
Peou stated that the country adheres to UNESCO's legal standards through the World Heritage Committee (WHC), a professional organisation based on genuine principles of heritage conservation and protection.
"We have received a series of letters from UNESCO in 2015 regarding irregular construction in the Angkor area, urging the government to take action. We received another letter in 2017," he said.
Peou noted that the president of UNESCO and the Prime Minister of India highlighted Angkor as a model and the largest World Heritage Site, spanning 401 square kilometres, which includes the ancient Angkor area inhabitants.
He added that the permanent member states of UNESCO had not objected to the decision to disregard demands from any third party, which he claimed were unfounded.
Peou acknowledged that relocation is challenging but believes it will gradually lead to improved well-being and happiness.
On July 24, Al Jazeera aired a 45-minute documentary investigating the mass evictions at Angkor Wat.
The documentary depicted Angkor as a deeply revered site in Cambodia, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992.
The UN agency affirmed it as a "living" site, valuing its traditional communities as much as its historic structures.
“However, locals accuse the Cambodian government of mass forced evictions, while the government maintains that the relocations were voluntary and compliant with UNESCO's guidelines,” the documentary states.
