> By Prak Chan Thul > PHNOM PENH, April 21 | Thu Apr 21, 2011 4:08am EDT > > PHNOM PENH, April 21 (Reuters) - Cambodian police clashed on Thursday with > protesters who have refused to make way for a Chinese-Cambodian housing > project in the country's capital. > > Police armed with riot shields, wooden sticks and batons tried to disperse > about 100 people demonstrating in front of city hall against plans by > authorities to evict 1,500 families from areas around Boeng Kak Lake. > > Tens of thousands of Cambodians are being ejected from farms or city homes to > make way for development projects, many led by Chinese firms such as Inner > Mongolia Erdos Hongjun Investment Corp > > , which is building a luxury housing estate next to Boeng Kak Lake in a joint > venture with a Cambodian tycoon. > > The firm has pledged to spend $3 billion on Cambodian real estate, metal > processing and power generation, one of dozens of Chinese companies pumping > money into the impoverished country's energy, agriculture, property, mining > and transport sectors. > > "Police hit me two times," said Nget Kun, 71, whose head was bleeding. "We > protest over our homes and there is no reason for police to beat us up." > > A total of 2,752 families have already been driven from homes around Boeng > Kak. Remaining families have rejected the developer's compensation of $8,500 > per family or relocation to a small flat on the fringes of the city. > > Phnom Penh Police Chief Touch Naruth said police acted within the law and > excessive force was not used. > > He said nine protesters had been detained for attacking police with > umbrellas, bricks and for throwing urine. A Reuters witness said protesters > threw only sugar cane juice and shoes. (Additional reporting by Lach Peou; > Editing by Martin Petty and Robert Birsel) >
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