Development Shadowed the Key buildings

Photo taken by Sopheap:
Standardized buildings surround the old stadium

“The gun’s cannon is broken” is a good sign of peace initiative. As we have already known, Cambodia had suffered from the two decades of the Khmer Rouge dictatorship, genocide and civil war. Therefore, this broken-gun sign will be a reminder to leaders and citizen to avoid violent conflict. What is more interesting about this sign, it is located at the center of the main roads to reach the Japan-Cambodia Relation Bridge (called Spean Chroy Chanva); the Monivong Boulevard; and Toul Kork Athena, where people pass by everyday. Across that sign, we can see standardized apartments built around the Old Stadium. Similarly, we can see the same image at the New Olympic Stadium where it is surrounded by business buildings.

At a glance, government and people claim it as a city development after peace exists. However, it reveals of unsustainable development. A development can be sustainable unless it gives equal value to economic, political and social-environmental arena; especially, the value to the next generation.

I myself witnessed the beauty of the Old and New Stadiums once there were no any buildings blocked the view. Even we did not enter into the stadiums we still could see athletes, football players, and both young and old people did exercise, and other sport activities. Such views provided us externality benefit. On the contrary, we can no longer see this view, but the tall buildings that shadow the whole stadiums. It is very unfortunate for the young and national image.

Raising this issue is not to against city development, but to suggest for a sound sustainable development from which our young generation will also benefit and national interest is taken into consideration at the first stage.