Media Statement

Sep. 5, 2011
Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) is a local urban NGO founded in 2005 and registered with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) in 2006. STTs mission is to provide pro-poor technical assistance for housing and infrastructure and to inform dialogue and raise awareness about urban issues. STTs vision is a society in which urban inhabitants enjoy adequate housing within a sustainably developing city. The organisation is based in Phnom Penh and has a small field office in Kampot province. STT wishes to confirm that it submitted its amended bylaws and organisational structure to the Ministry of Interior (MoI) today. This is the second time that STT has submitted its revised bylaws and organisational structure to MoI. STT originally submitted the documents on July 28, following a request from MoI on July 14. After reviewing the documents, MoI requested further amendments on August 30. STT is submitting these amended documents today. STT would also like to address the following accusations made against it in the public domain:

Accusation
"STT has not modified its leadership structure and made a revision to its statute. MoI Suspension Letter to STT Aug. 2, 2011 STT has changed its leadership three times without informing the competent Ministry. MoI Public Statement Aug. 13, 2011 STT has opened its branch office and carried out its activities in Kampot province without an authorization from the local authority. MoI Public Statement Aug. 13, 2011 STT has carried out its activities by inciting people to go against the governments national development projects in Kampot province and in Phnom Penh City, and with their intention, at any cost, to make the governments development partners to suspend or to cease completely the nations railroad restoration projects. MoI Public Statement Aug. 13, 2011

Fact
On Jul. 28, STT submitted all required documents related to its leadership structure and internal statutes (i.e. bylaws and organisational structure), as previously requested by MoI. STT has only had two directors in its history and has submitted all relevant documentation to MoI. STT has all relevant documentation and authorisations for its Kampot office.

STT has conducted technical research on the resettlement impacts of the railways rehabilitation project. STTs report on the topic can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/o2mL9n. STT has called for a suspension of resettlement activities pending a review of resettlement plans and processes to ensure people affected by the project are not harmed.

Sahmakum Teang Tnaut Mail: PO Box 174, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Email: info@teangtnaut.org Web: www.teangtnaut.org a Cambodian organisation linking community architects and designers to projects with informal and marginalised communities

STT believes its suspension is directly related to its work monitoring the rehabilitation of Cambodias railways. This is evident not only in MoIs public statement on August 13, but has also been made clear by MoI during meetings with STT. Together with its community and NGO partners, STT has over the past 18 months conducted robust research on the resettlement impacts of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and AusAID-financed railways project, and has documented a number of potential violations of the ADBs Involuntary Resettlement Policy. The organisation has been working with the ADB and AusAID to ensure these issues are addressed, and has released a report on the subject (available here: http://bit.ly/o2mL9n). STT has never called for the railways rehabilitation project to be cancelled. Its work has been solely focused on ensuring that affected households are not harmed by the project and that those affected receive the compensation to which they are entitled. Media enquiries: Please direct all media enquiries to Nora Lindstrom, Programme Development Manager, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut, e-mail nora@teangtnaut.org. Enquiries will only be taken in writing.

Sahmakum Teang Tnaut Mail: PO Box 174, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Email: info@teangtnaut.org Web: www.teangtnaut.org a Cambodian organisation linking community architects and designers to projects with informal and marginalised communities