One Bumpy Highway Ride
Interview with Ek Vendara
Mr. Ek Vandara, earlier a Romok Motto (motorcycle carrier who drove passengers across long distances) has now become one of the silent activists. His family includes two daughters and a wife, who makes and sells clothing. Ek had lots of unanswered question when he was asked to move out of his house, but now he finds answers while helping to educate his people.
By rejecting the meager compensation for dislocation from the ADB-funded Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minn City High Way Improvement Project (better known as High Way One in Cambodia), he taught others about quiet dignity even as he remained within the embrace of his community. With Ek's refusal, 37 families from his community also refused to accept the compensation offered by the ADB. He now dedicates his time to educating and empowering affected communities to know their rights and to act on their demands. Avilash Roul talks to Mr. Ek on a rainy evening on the long stretch of National Road-1 connecting Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh while coming from Banchey village (Sway Rieng Province) to Phnom Penh.
Avilash: How you feel about this ADB-funded road project which once displaced you?
Ek: It’s a good project. However, this project is for rich people as they are using most of their vehicles on this road. But, it directly affects the poor. I have been experiencing this since 1999 and today you also document those problems. During the implementation of this project in 1999, there was no regulation, guidelines and rules and laws that could facilitate obligatory compensation for the affected communities. ADB assured people in the beginning of this project that ‘no one's situation should be worse off due to this project’. During the detail measurement survey (DMS), the government officials after calculation of estimates kept silent, never made public the fact about the impacts. Even if the project is good, the compensation is very little.
Avilash: Why didn’t you accept the compensation even though you were directly affected by the project?
Ek: As I said just now, I knew the impacts and its value in monetary terms. I was totally disagreeing with the compensation offered by the government and ADB. The offer was too less from the actual value for my relocation. There was a small water body adjacent to my house, which should be in the compensation items. The officials didn’t include the water body in the compensation amount. Instead officials threatened me to move out from the house in a stipulated time. They even forced me to sign an illegal agreement that says that the land belong to the government.
Avilash: What’s the difference you can see in the ADB project in 1999 and now?
Ek: In 1999, we were not aware of many things including our rights and how to demand or file complaints to concerned authorities. We even did not know what development projects or process in existed. Due to the Conservation and Development on Cambodia (CDCam), a Phnom Penh-based NGO, now communities and affected people are very much aware of the development projects and processes and the development partners like ADB. The communities now are aware of the process to file complaint and to demand their rights. Now, the affected people can say no to any compensation related to their displacement with more ease if they are not happy. The advocacy level has improved among the communities now.
Avilash: What is your opinion about the ADB and its one of the safeguard policies involuntary resettlement Plan?
Ek: Although there are awareness about the development partner like ADB, but still people are lacking common knowledge of how the Bank functions. Its very important community should know the policies of ADB, even at least the involuntary resettlement plan here in Cambodia. It will be more helpful if these documents would be translated into the local language for the benefit of communities and also the documents could be available at the earliest period. I hope, the development partner understand the needs of the communities besides economic agenda only.
This interview was conducted on 26 June 2008, Cambodia National Highway One.