A handful of western rights monitors and documentary filmmakers have embedded themselves within a community facing eviction on the doorstep of the national assembly, as Cambodia's epidemic of land grabbing enters its fourth year.
German filmmaker Nana Yuriko started sleeping at Dey Krahorm village as an act of 'pure solidarity'. 'If they can sleep here, why can't I? The families feel protected while we're here,' she said.
Australian Chris BakerEvens said he was moved to act by 'the escalation of intimidation' against residents before Christmas. 'Rumours circulated through the community that the company [7NG] would come at night to demolish their houses, so we decided to stay overnight in case the company did something.'
Canadian Lee Robinson said after 14 months of documenting 'the day-by-day, home-by-home destruction' she began linking arms with residents in near daily standoffs with police and men they identify as 7NG staff. She said she was frustrated that appeals to NGOs, embassies and the media had been ignored.
The 21/2-year dispute between Dey Krahorm and 7NG turned violent in December, six days after activists marked Human Rights Day by linking arms with residents facing eviction from parcels of land that have become among the most valuable in the city.
During a seven-day confrontation, residents and monitors - most of whom are women in their 20s - were pelted with rocks and bags of urine by police and the alleged 7NG staff. Since then the westerners say they have been photographed, followed and threatened by police. Ten of them are sleeping in the community in shifts of two to four and they travel in groups to ensure safety.
Residents say they are helping. 'When they are here we are safe. If they go, 7NG attacks,' said 61-year-old Lee Luleng.