09 December 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The royal government of Cambodia authorized human rights activists to organize a non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, to mark the 10 December International Human Rights Day and to express their opinion.
General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told RFA on Sunday that this MoI and the city of Phnom Penh authorized this parade because civil society representatives and the authority met to negotiate, and the authority allowed the parade by maintaining a proper schedule, avoiding any demonstration that disturbs the public order, that was why the authority agreed to the request.
Regarding this authorization, Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization, told RFA that he is not satisfied with it yet because this authorization came only after interventions from foreign embassy personnel in Cambodia.
Chan Soveth said: “When there are foreign protests, such as those which came from the various embassies, then they were able to talk to those high-ranking (Cambodian) officials who softened their attitudes and allow us to hold this parade. For us Khmer, who abide (by the law), who are sovereign (in our country), we cannot negotiate with them to hold this celebration.”
A source indicated that the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), in cooperation with several Cambodian organizations and associations, have decided to hold a parade with the participation of about 500 people, starting from the public park in Phsar Chas to the Wat Phnom park. At that location, another 4,000 participants will greet the marchers.
Regarding the holding of this non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, a source from the UN Human Rights office in Cambodia indicated that the UN Special Envoy on Human Rigths in Cambodia, Prof. Yash Ghai, who is currently visiting Cambodia, plans to participate in this parade also.
Earlier, the Phnom Penh city hall refused to give the authorization for the parade, but it allowed the participants to stay in one area, because of its concerns about public order and safety.
Delegates of the US-based Freedom House organization who recently completed their visit to Cambodia, issued an evaluation report on human rights and democracy in Cambodia. In this report, Freedom House criticized that the rights to gather to protest and to express opinion, the rule of law, and the quality of justice in Cambodia still suffer significantly.
Freedom House representatives also criticized the draft law on peaceful demonstration which is currently being submitted for approval by the National Assembly in the near future. Freedom House said that this draft law will further drag down Cambodia score (on this issue).
General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told RFA on Sunday that this MoI and the city of Phnom Penh authorized this parade because civil society representatives and the authority met to negotiate, and the authority allowed the parade by maintaining a proper schedule, avoiding any demonstration that disturbs the public order, that was why the authority agreed to the request.
Regarding this authorization, Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization, told RFA that he is not satisfied with it yet because this authorization came only after interventions from foreign embassy personnel in Cambodia.
Chan Soveth said: “When there are foreign protests, such as those which came from the various embassies, then they were able to talk to those high-ranking (Cambodian) officials who softened their attitudes and allow us to hold this parade. For us Khmer, who abide (by the law), who are sovereign (in our country), we cannot negotiate with them to hold this celebration.”
A source indicated that the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), in cooperation with several Cambodian organizations and associations, have decided to hold a parade with the participation of about 500 people, starting from the public park in Phsar Chas to the Wat Phnom park. At that location, another 4,000 participants will greet the marchers.
Regarding the holding of this non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, a source from the UN Human Rights office in Cambodia indicated that the UN Special Envoy on Human Rigths in Cambodia, Prof. Yash Ghai, who is currently visiting Cambodia, plans to participate in this parade also.
Earlier, the Phnom Penh city hall refused to give the authorization for the parade, but it allowed the participants to stay in one area, because of its concerns about public order and safety.
Delegates of the US-based Freedom House organization who recently completed their visit to Cambodia, issued an evaluation report on human rights and democracy in Cambodia. In this report, Freedom House criticized that the rights to gather to protest and to express opinion, the rule of law, and the quality of justice in Cambodia still suffer significantly.
Freedom House representatives also criticized the draft law on peaceful demonstration which is currently being submitted for approval by the National Assembly in the near future. Freedom House said that this draft law will further drag down Cambodia score (on this issue).
2 comments:
As always, Cambodians have tendency to listen to everyone except Cambodians. Cambodians are always feared or scare when foreign intervention especially “white People”. I never understand that.
Cambodians shall have our own dignity to talk and work together. Cambodians do not westernized the country but why listen to them. They are not any thing better than us.
The parade on Monday was the pride of the Cambodians who are willing to show the important of human Right.
Cambodians must keep up with this good work again and again.
Long live democracy
Well, let's hope we are talking Khmer's democracy, not westerner's.
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