AKP Phnom Penh, January 06, 2026 --

The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) has officially submitted an urgent appeal to United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms over the grave violations of the right to adequate housing and right to own property resulting from Thailand’s military invasion, pillaging, and destruction of civilian homes in Cambodia. 

The appeal was sent separately on Jan. 5 to H.E. Volker Türk, High Commissioner of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and Mr. Balakrishnan Rajagopal, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing.

According to its press release AKP received this morning, in this urgent appeal, the CHRC called upon the United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms to:

“1. Examine and address the impact of Thailand's violations and demolitions on the right to adequate housing and right to own property in Cambodia;
2. Engage with relevant UN mechanisms and States to seek immediate cessation of forced evictions, destruction of homes, and denial of return;
3. Call upon Thailand to withdraw its forces from Cambodian territory, halt all demolition of civilian housing, and ensure a safe and dignified return of displaced Cambodian civilians;
4. Highlight this situation in your communications and reports as a serious case of conflict-related housing rights violations involving forced displacement, land dispossession, and homelessness;
5. Urge Thailand to provide reparations, including compensation and guarantees of non-repetition, for the affected Cambodian victims.”

The CHRC also reiterated that the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right, not a military target. The destruction of civilian homes and forced evictions constitute serious human rights violations that require timely and effective responses from the international community.

“The absence and delays of timely and effective international intervention regarding Thailand's acts of aggression are exacerbating humanitarian suffering and undermining confidence in international law,” CHRC said. “Amid escalating violence, silence is not neutrality but rather an enabling factor of impunity and double standards, thereby eroding the meaning of international law and threatening international peace, security, and order.

In addition, the CHRC urgently called on the international community to take immediate, firm, and effective measures to protect the lives and dignity of Cambodian civilians, halt acts of aggression from Thai armed forces, and ensure accountability under international law.

Credible and consistent information from competent national authorities, foreign journalists, and displaced civilians confirms that, despite the ceasefire agreement on Dec. 27, 2025, Thai armed forces have forcibly entered civilian villages, pillaged and confiscated private property, seized land, and carried out illegal demolition operations including destroying civilian housing and dismantling cultural property in Prey Chan, Chouk Chey, and Boeung Trakuon villages in Banteay Meanchey province, as well as in other areas of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Pursat provinces. 

By C. Nika