By Yun Samean and Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The controversial new law scrapping lawmakers' right to speak freely in parliament has sparked concerns among rights workers and the US Embassy that Cambodia has taken a step backward from democracy.
The US Embassy Thursday called the passage of the law an "historic event" that has emasculated the National Assembly.
"Historically there have been isolated instances of individuals being castrated, but this may be the first instance of collective self-castration," US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli said in an e-mailed statement. "That they are freely giving up their freedom is stunning," he continued.
Mussomeli said there are virtually no other countries enacting similar legislation. "It clearly sets the Cambodian Assembly apart from virtually all others," he added.
The law, which CPP and Funcinpec parliamentarians voted in favor of Wednesday, opens the way for lawmakers to be charged with criminal offenses without their parliamentary immunity first being removed.
It states that lawmakers cannot use their immunity to abuse an individual's dignity, public order, social customs or national security.
Lawmakers can also be arrested immediately if they commit a "serious crime," which the law does not attempt to define.
Several parliamentarians who voted for the law said that they did so because an additional chapter that gave them a lifelong pension and funeral expenses attracted them.
"Some lawmakers were happy about the pension and their funeral services," Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Keo Remy said Thursday. "But they didn't realize that the law hid some articles that force the lawmakers into difficulties in doing their work," he said, adding that the law reflected poorly on the country. "This regime is a fake democratic regime," he said.
The UN Development Program, which funds a parliamentary strengthening project in Cambodia, reacted cautiously, stating that it wants to see the Assembly permit its members the freedom to do their jobs.
"We do not have a legal opinion on the virtue of the law since we have not seen it yet," UNDP spokesman Men Kimseng said in an e-mail. "However, we want to see that the Cambodian parliament follows democratic principles where its members shall enjoy the freedom of speech and immunity during the exercise of his/her functions as stipulated in Article 80 of the Cambodian Constitution.
Cambodian Center for Human Rights Director Kem Sokha, who was imprisoned earlier this year after being accused of defaming the government, said the law shows that the Assembly is "going backward."
"I don't know why the lawmakers made a law to tie themselves up," he said. "The ruling party might think that it is good but they will realize their error when the small parties control the government," he added.
Thun Saray, director of local rights group Adhoc, also said the law is an attempt to handicap the minority.
The problem is that those who voted for it may one day be in the minority and be at a disadvantage, he said. "The lawmakers only think of the short-term benefits, not the long term," he said.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the law is designed to stop the opposition from defaming the government. "They can criticize the government but not defame the government," he said.
British Embassy Deputy Head of Mission John Mitchell said that the embassy would need more time to study the law before commenting. The embassies of France and Australia both declined comment.
The US Embassy Thursday called the passage of the law an "historic event" that has emasculated the National Assembly.
"Historically there have been isolated instances of individuals being castrated, but this may be the first instance of collective self-castration," US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli said in an e-mailed statement. "That they are freely giving up their freedom is stunning," he continued.
Mussomeli said there are virtually no other countries enacting similar legislation. "It clearly sets the Cambodian Assembly apart from virtually all others," he added.
The law, which CPP and Funcinpec parliamentarians voted in favor of Wednesday, opens the way for lawmakers to be charged with criminal offenses without their parliamentary immunity first being removed.
It states that lawmakers cannot use their immunity to abuse an individual's dignity, public order, social customs or national security.
Lawmakers can also be arrested immediately if they commit a "serious crime," which the law does not attempt to define.
Several parliamentarians who voted for the law said that they did so because an additional chapter that gave them a lifelong pension and funeral expenses attracted them.
"Some lawmakers were happy about the pension and their funeral services," Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Keo Remy said Thursday. "But they didn't realize that the law hid some articles that force the lawmakers into difficulties in doing their work," he said, adding that the law reflected poorly on the country. "This regime is a fake democratic regime," he said.
The UN Development Program, which funds a parliamentary strengthening project in Cambodia, reacted cautiously, stating that it wants to see the Assembly permit its members the freedom to do their jobs.
"We do not have a legal opinion on the virtue of the law since we have not seen it yet," UNDP spokesman Men Kimseng said in an e-mail. "However, we want to see that the Cambodian parliament follows democratic principles where its members shall enjoy the freedom of speech and immunity during the exercise of his/her functions as stipulated in Article 80 of the Cambodian Constitution.
Cambodian Center for Human Rights Director Kem Sokha, who was imprisoned earlier this year after being accused of defaming the government, said the law shows that the Assembly is "going backward."
"I don't know why the lawmakers made a law to tie themselves up," he said. "The ruling party might think that it is good but they will realize their error when the small parties control the government," he added.
Thun Saray, director of local rights group Adhoc, also said the law is an attempt to handicap the minority.
The problem is that those who voted for it may one day be in the minority and be at a disadvantage, he said. "The lawmakers only think of the short-term benefits, not the long term," he said.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the law is designed to stop the opposition from defaming the government. "They can criticize the government but not defame the government," he said.
British Embassy Deputy Head of Mission John Mitchell said that the embassy would need more time to study the law before commenting. The embassies of France and Australia both declined comment.
4 comments:
NA such an embarassment to pass the law. What will they think up next?
Those people who voted for this law admitted that they accepted the bribery, pension/funeral. When will these idiots would want to make society progressing forward?
Your honorable Mussomeli, you shouldn't be suprised because the Cambodia government is equivalent to Kindergarten class. And most of them have their credential donated to them. They don't earned it in school.
More the next election approaches less the rotten HUN SEN feels comfortable especially with the disclosure of Heng Pov. The only way to win the election is to put legally the Opposion in prison.
Please, USA, Europe, Asean Countries help us
OH! COME ON YOU GUYS! WHY YOU ALL KEEP PLAYING GAME WITH US, IGNORANCED CAMBODIANS?
OUR COUNTRY IS RUNING BY DICTATORS!
THANK TO UNTAC AND PARIS SIGNATORS TO GIVE US FALL HOPE AND SLAVERY INSTEAD OF DEATH BY POL POT!
IF YOU REALIZE YOUR MISTAKE PLEASE REFORME THE ROYAL CAMBODIAN POLICE FORCE AND ARMY, NAVY ( THEY ARE THIEF, PIRAT, DRUG TRAFICKERS) EVEN THEIR BOSS, VIETNAME, SAID SO!
WITHN THE REFORM POLICE AND ARMY WE, CAMBODIANS CAN LIVE PEACEFULLY IN REAL DEMOCRACY, HELP US THE RIGHT ONE OR SHUT UP LET US DIE!
Khieu Kanharith said the law designed to stop the opposition from defame government. The opposition party can criticize government but not defamation; this is only trick to blind the world and Cambodia people but the real thing CPP can justify any time between defamation and criticize if they want to arrest opposition lawmaker, it is going backward the same Kem Sokha said, Hun Sen and CPP will do any thing to stay in power but what they did in the past just maneuvers to the time, the goal they have to eliminate all the opposition by force or illegal mean, look at Funcienpec party were devised by Hun Sen and Naranarith can not do any thing , they want to do the same to Sam Rainsy party ,
So you to fight to get your dignity in the future but if join them you will die like Oung Hout, CPP need you when you have some thing to serve them,
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