[THE FINANCIAL]
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its
development partners, including the Government of Cambodia, have agreed
to a detailed, time bound action plan to resolve resettlement problems
on a railway rehabilitation project.
ADB and the Government of Australia are providing over $100 million to
help rehabilitate the country’s national railroad stretching from
Sihanoukville in the south, through the capital Phnom Penh and up to the
northern border with Thailand. Hundreds of families are being asked to
move to make way for the line upgrade and many complaints and requests
have been made by affected households over compensation rates,
compensation payment and assistance, the readiness and adequacy of
relocation sites and other issues.
Officials from ADB, the Australian Agency for International Development
and the Government reviewed the progress of resettlement and concerns
raised by the affected households in early June. They have now drawn up
an agreement that sets out specific, tangible measures to be taken to
address each of the concerns.
The agreement provides a time-bound action plan for responding to
grievances and confirms that no affected households will be relocated
until their complaints or requests have been addressed and basic
facilities are provided at the resettlement site. An external monitoring
group has examined compensation concerns and ADB will consider the
findings and decide on further action by the end of July. A timetable
for the completion of electricity, water supply and other basic
facilities at relocation sites has been drawn up.
The parties have also agreed to an expansion of the income restoration
program to fund livelihood support for resettled families.
“ADB is fully committed to ensuring that its resettlement guidelines are
complied with so that families who relocate receive the appropriate
support and are not economically disadvantaged.” said Kunio Senga,
Director General of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department. “We will continue
our discussion and close cooperation with the Government to ensure that
the resettlement process complies with the agreed Resettlement Plan and
ADB’s resettlement policy.”
ADB will also provide additional resources to support the resettlement
program, including a communications specialist based in Cambodia to
strengthen the information flows between all stakeholders.
Decades of conflict have left the railway in serious disrepair and by
upgrading it into an international standard line the project will help
lower freight costs, including for staple foodstuffs for the poor, as
well as providing new investment and business opportunities. It will
also form an integral section of the Greater Mekong Subregion’s southern
economic corridor linking Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam, and make up
part of a broader Pan-Asian rail route.
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