Some NGOs See Gov't Control in Proposed Law
By Kay Kimsong
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Although the drafting of a law governing local associations and NGOs has been in the works for a decade, NGOs said this week they are preparing for a fight over the legislation that could soon be passed that could jeopardize their independence from the government.
The Interior Ministry, with the assistance of the World Bank, has begun a process of consulting NGOs with the intent of redrafting the NGO law, and has proposed setting up consultations between organizations and the government to address concerns.
Last week, the NGO Star Kampuchea organized a meeting of 114 local organizations to discuss the law, and several participants said this week they were fearful it would empower the government to control their activities and their funding.
"What we are worried about is that the law can limit the rights of NGOs and financially control them," said Nhek Sarin, executive director of Star Kampuchea.
"We need a law but it must be a good law," he said.
Proponents of a new law point to the need to open NGOs to scrutiny to weed out fakes, charlatans and businesses masquerading as humanitarian organizations.
World Bank Country Manager Nisha Agrawal said Friday that genuine NGOs should have nothing to fear.
"I am not suggesting NGOs should be made accountable to government, with laws to ensure this. But NGOs should surely be accountable to the citizens they exist to serve," Agrawal said.
"For example, we can see no reason why NGOs, perhaps above a certain income threshold, shouldn't be asked to disclose how their funds are raised and used," she said.
Heng Samrin, National Assembly president and honorary president of the ruling CPP, said Thursday that the government wants the NGO law and wants to rein in the non-governmental sector.
"We are waiting for that law," Heng Samrin said.
"Today, so many NGOs are too freely speaking and do things without a framework. When we have a law, we will direct them," he said.
The last draft of the NGO law in circulation called for NGOs to report financing and work activities to the government regularly.
It also states that NGOs are forbidden to "conduct activities for any political interests" or "provide non-material, material, financial means and human resources in support of any political party, or act against its statute."
Heng Samrin, who is also the national council president of the CPP’s own self-styled NGO, the Solidarity Front for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland, said that all organizations, including his own, will follow the NGO law.
Ouk Vandeth, executive director of Legal Aid of Cambodia, said the government should concentrate on passing far more important and pressing laws before embarking on the NGO law.
"I think the law … is not an important law compared to the eight priority laws that the government promised during the [Consultative Group] meeting," he said.
At the last CG meeting earlier this year, the government promised to prioritize and pass the long-awaited anti-corruption law, and new penal and civil codes among others.
Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, said NGOs want a signed memorandum with the government that their rights and funding will not be restricted by the impending legislation.
"We do not want a law to control and limit our rights," Licadho President Kek Galabru added.
"We can do our job smoothly without that law," she said.
Seng Limnov, secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said the law was needed because some 20 NGOs, which he did not name, are currently operating outside their mandate and are neither helping poor people nor the government
"NGOs practice outside their duties, such as NGOs getting involved in politics by leading demonstrations...and so on," he said. "We welcome it if NGOs can educate people on human rights, democracy or work skills."
Sak Setha, director-general of the Interior Ministry's General Department of Administration, said there are 1,800 local NGOs and associations registered in Cambodia as well as 300 international NGOs, employing around 25,000 people.
He denied that the government will use the proposed NGO law to limit their activities.
Youth Star Cambodia, however, an NGO with strong government links, said it looked forward to the new legislation and wondered why some groups were reluctant about the new rules.
"I don't understand why some NGOs said that now is not the time to have the law," said Youth Star's Co-Director Outh Renne.
"I think the law is necessary as soon as possible.... If we don't have a law we don't know what rules to play by," Outh Renne added.
Prime Minister Hun Sen's son Hun Manet sits on Youth Star's board, which is chaired by Ministry of Land Management Secretary of State Chea Sophara.
The Interior Ministry, with the assistance of the World Bank, has begun a process of consulting NGOs with the intent of redrafting the NGO law, and has proposed setting up consultations between organizations and the government to address concerns.
Last week, the NGO Star Kampuchea organized a meeting of 114 local organizations to discuss the law, and several participants said this week they were fearful it would empower the government to control their activities and their funding.
"What we are worried about is that the law can limit the rights of NGOs and financially control them," said Nhek Sarin, executive director of Star Kampuchea.
"We need a law but it must be a good law," he said.
Proponents of a new law point to the need to open NGOs to scrutiny to weed out fakes, charlatans and businesses masquerading as humanitarian organizations.
World Bank Country Manager Nisha Agrawal said Friday that genuine NGOs should have nothing to fear.
"I am not suggesting NGOs should be made accountable to government, with laws to ensure this. But NGOs should surely be accountable to the citizens they exist to serve," Agrawal said.
"For example, we can see no reason why NGOs, perhaps above a certain income threshold, shouldn't be asked to disclose how their funds are raised and used," she said.
Heng Samrin, National Assembly president and honorary president of the ruling CPP, said Thursday that the government wants the NGO law and wants to rein in the non-governmental sector.
"We are waiting for that law," Heng Samrin said.
"Today, so many NGOs are too freely speaking and do things without a framework. When we have a law, we will direct them," he said.
The last draft of the NGO law in circulation called for NGOs to report financing and work activities to the government regularly.
It also states that NGOs are forbidden to "conduct activities for any political interests" or "provide non-material, material, financial means and human resources in support of any political party, or act against its statute."
Heng Samrin, who is also the national council president of the CPP’s own self-styled NGO, the Solidarity Front for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland, said that all organizations, including his own, will follow the NGO law.
Ouk Vandeth, executive director of Legal Aid of Cambodia, said the government should concentrate on passing far more important and pressing laws before embarking on the NGO law.
"I think the law … is not an important law compared to the eight priority laws that the government promised during the [Consultative Group] meeting," he said.
At the last CG meeting earlier this year, the government promised to prioritize and pass the long-awaited anti-corruption law, and new penal and civil codes among others.
Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, said NGOs want a signed memorandum with the government that their rights and funding will not be restricted by the impending legislation.
"We do not want a law to control and limit our rights," Licadho President Kek Galabru added.
"We can do our job smoothly without that law," she said.
Seng Limnov, secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said the law was needed because some 20 NGOs, which he did not name, are currently operating outside their mandate and are neither helping poor people nor the government
"NGOs practice outside their duties, such as NGOs getting involved in politics by leading demonstrations...and so on," he said. "We welcome it if NGOs can educate people on human rights, democracy or work skills."
Sak Setha, director-general of the Interior Ministry's General Department of Administration, said there are 1,800 local NGOs and associations registered in Cambodia as well as 300 international NGOs, employing around 25,000 people.
He denied that the government will use the proposed NGO law to limit their activities.
Youth Star Cambodia, however, an NGO with strong government links, said it looked forward to the new legislation and wondered why some groups were reluctant about the new rules.
"I don't understand why some NGOs said that now is not the time to have the law," said Youth Star's Co-Director Outh Renne.
"I think the law is necessary as soon as possible.... If we don't have a law we don't know what rules to play by," Outh Renne added.
Prime Minister Hun Sen's son Hun Manet sits on Youth Star's board, which is chaired by Ministry of Land Management Secretary of State Chea Sophara.
7 comments:
We must know when the PRIME MINISTER introduce any law, it will
always favour his BRIGAND BAND.
AH HENG SAMRIN has his own NGO! His NGO can follow and directed by AH HUN SEN government and for the rest of the NGO, they don't need to!
AH HENG SAMKIS should tell AH HUN SEN to control his children to stop stealing Cambodian land(Sambok Chap)from poor Cambodian people! Cambodian people don't need AH HUN SEN to control the NGO which are there to help Cambodian people!
AH HUN SEN should control
AH HENG SAMKIS NGO is good enough!
NGO mean None Government Organization can you know any thing dumb leader?
How can you take and live with this stupid King Kong!(Kong = grand father in chinese)
Hi 2:49,
You make me laught,
Can anyone explains to two dumb ministers(Seng Limnov and Sak Setha)about N-G-O?
The donors are supposed to know what those NGO activities, spendings, the operations. And also let Ah Outh Renne know NGO should not associate with Government. It's NGO, not GO.
Only stypid people want more government control!
Fool!111111Booooooooooooooo!
I beleive what Achar Srasar Heng Samrin said that there is no NGOs to be controlled by Govt because the Govt led by Hun sen will not want to controll them (NGOs) any more but just threaten or assassinate their leaders. It is easier.
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