Phnom Penh (dpa) - Cambodia's poor face a judicial system that favours the rich and educated, and major donors should lobby for change, the UN special envoy for human rights to Cambodia said Monday.
Yash Ghai ended a 10-day fact-finding trip not facilitated by the government, due to his critical reports.
"Here I have found people very muted. People seem to be very reluctant to take on Hun Sen and the government," he said.
"I am puzzled by why people seem to be so frightened of this government - but maybe they are not frightened. Maybe I am just a tourist, as I have often been called by this man," he said, referring to Prime Minister Hun Sen.
But Ghai did not reserve his criticism for the government alone, saying those who gave aid to the country must also take some responsibility "because they are such large donors." Around half of Cambodia's budget is based on donor aid.
Ghai said he was distressed that some embassies and foreign governments had "publicly disowned what I have said."
He said was most concerned about reforming the justice system.
"We need to look at the whole structure of laws - for people who don't understand modern economies, who don't read and write," he said.
Yash Ghai ended a 10-day fact-finding trip not facilitated by the government, due to his critical reports.
"Here I have found people very muted. People seem to be very reluctant to take on Hun Sen and the government," he said.
"I am puzzled by why people seem to be so frightened of this government - but maybe they are not frightened. Maybe I am just a tourist, as I have often been called by this man," he said, referring to Prime Minister Hun Sen.
But Ghai did not reserve his criticism for the government alone, saying those who gave aid to the country must also take some responsibility "because they are such large donors." Around half of Cambodia's budget is based on donor aid.
Ghai said he was distressed that some embassies and foreign governments had "publicly disowned what I have said."
He said was most concerned about reforming the justice system.
"We need to look at the whole structure of laws - for people who don't understand modern economies, who don't read and write," he said.
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