Cambodians displaced by border conflict start over, but most want to go home

More than 3,000 new houses have been constructed in a village in Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia, but the majority of the residents are still longing to return to their homes. The government built this "waiting village" for families displaced by the border clashes with Thailand last year. Despite the provision of new homes, residents express a strong desire to go back to their previous communities.

Keo Sotheary, a 39-year-old resident, laments her loss, stating, "Every day, I dream of going back home." Her family has lived in the Boeung Trakuon village about 20 km away since 1992, but the conflict forced them to flee on December 8. The Thai soldiers took her home, and she has not been back since, shedding tears when discussing the matter.

The majority of displaced families have returned to their homes, but over 20,000 cannot due to the control of Thai soldiers over their former lands. Bangkok claims it has merely reclaimed Thai land that Cambodians had been occupying for years. The village residents have established businesses, including coffee shops, salons, grocery stores, a health center, and several schools to help them rebuild their lives.

Ang Sophat, a 42-year-old resident, acknowledges the challenges of selling vegetables in the village due to its location but is optimistic about the future. She and her husband run a small grocery shop while she sells sugarcane juice from a cart.

Communities like Boeung Trakuon, Chouk Chey, and Prey Chan remain under Thai control, with damaged homes and abandoned toys scattered throughout. Licadho, a rights group, reports that Thai forces destroyed over 600 homes and other structures in these villages after the ceasefire. However, Thailand maintains that the area is Thai, not Cambodian.

The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, Tom Andrews, emphasizes that the displaced families have the right to return home. For now, residents rely on government subsidies for electricity, water, and free school meals, but long-term solutions for their future remain uncertain.