By Taing Sarada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
30 May 2008
Cambodians continue to suffer under a poor human rights situation and government repression, a Washington-based representative of Amnesty International said.
“It is a pathetic situation for Cambodian people, who can not exercise their rights through peaceful demonstration and their own opinion,” she said.
Meanwhile, more than 150,000 people are in danger of homelessness, the group said, in an annual report.
“The Cambodian situation is very tense, regarding the culture of impunity, land-grabbing, the restriction of the public’s campaign to express their own opinions and political discrimination,” the representative said.
Such issues are “chronic” in Cambodia, said Lao Monghay, a senior researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission.
“It is an injustice that they send people to live on the side of the street, children have no time to go to school, no clean water, no house, and they are living poorly in an area of poor conditions,” he said.
“It is a pathetic situation for Cambodian people, who can not exercise their rights through peaceful demonstration and their own opinion,” she said.
Meanwhile, more than 150,000 people are in danger of homelessness, the group said, in an annual report.
“The Cambodian situation is very tense, regarding the culture of impunity, land-grabbing, the restriction of the public’s campaign to express their own opinions and political discrimination,” the representative said.
Such issues are “chronic” in Cambodia, said Lao Monghay, a senior researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission.
“It is an injustice that they send people to live on the side of the street, children have no time to go to school, no clean water, no house, and they are living poorly in an area of poor conditions,” he said.
16 comments:
Dear Dr. Lao;
Appreciate your organization and in particular your good self tremendous efforts for the plight of Cambodian people and nurtuting human rights there.
There are a few point here concerning your statement [It is an injustice that they send people to live on the side of the street, children have no time to go to school, no clean water, no house, and they are living poorly in an area of poor conditions,” he said]
need to be adressed and please by all mean correct me should my point of views are unrealistic.
As a Khmer who was born in late the 50's, having lived through the then peaceful era during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, the overtrown of Sihanouk, at the rough time during the ensuing civil war between the Lon Nol and Pol Pot, at the genocide regime of Pol Pot and briefly under the state of Cambodia.
I still can remeber the old day as young a student in primary school, in unform, stood along side the street and waived both flags [Cambodia and distinguished state who visited Cambodia - during Sangkum], and strongly beleived that public schools were there for every young kids to attend and learn [not disputing that certain schools in Phnom Penh then reserved for elite people children] but again not many young kids were at school.
There were also public schools during the Republic, but not much of schooling activities tehen due to the facts that the war was driven people out of their native homeland and in search of refuge in the capital city or the city in other provinces.
Nowadays, public schools and private are on almost every corner of the street, but children are still having no time[s] or not enough time[s] at school. Understand that some kids [unclear of the %] are not going to school completely because of their family can't afford to let them go and this doesn't constitute that state has imposed a ban on them if they can't afford to go but simply it's a responsible of parent to make sure that their child shall be at school and therfore finger shall not be pointing to RGC.
Issue of cleaned water, this issue is always there as ones could remeber even if during the peaceful time, cleaned water supplies were mainly for people who were living in the cities and thatis applied to electricity supplies too.
Issue of housing, unlikely in the west such as Canada where you are calling home, Australia, USA, France, UK just to name a few where there are state housing complex to accommodate those in need. it's again even during the peaceful time back in 50's and 60's, there were not many state housing available to accomodate all its citizen. My family moved numerous times within area around capital city then finally we settled in our home house in Battambang; can't see that Cambodia is at a stage now that RGC shall come up with state housing for everyone. And by the way, most of homeless in Phnom Penh [you mentioned] may be volunteer migrants rather than genuine displaced people effected by land grabbing. For instant, believeing that in the past city hall had relocated people from the streets of Phnom Penh, and the current disputed area of Dey Krahoam to the outskirt of Phnom Penh, with guaranteed land title and ownership of the land, however, many of them sold the land and came back to Phnom Penh again citing the condition there are too harsh and unable to make a living.
My conclusion are:
1] RGC shall do much more if they are in the postion of doing so to help its citizens to live an appropriate and a decent life
2] Cambodia people shall have also responsible for its own well being, living conditions, sending children to school as Cambodia is yet have the kind of money to create a welfare state such as those industrial or developed countries.
Who is talking about 100% of the people? What we are talking about is over 90% of the people are moving in the right direction under PM Hun Sen leadership, and that is a lot better than most countries can do on this planet.
This comment gonna make AH SWARE QUACK jumping like crazy a gain..gentle men you will see the next couple day.
90% + of Khmer people is moving in the right direction under PM Hun Sen leadership.
90%of Yuon r satisfaction B/cuz Cpp serves them.+ yuon secret agent will arrest Cpp's member who is favor to khmers's nationlist.
8:42am u know shit abot cambodia 's issue.properly, u r yuon..tro lork.
Yeah but Khmer preferred Yuon over Zimbabwean like you, stupid.
Cambodia has it's issues but it also has allowed by law trade unions who demonistrate peacefully with RGC approval- this unlike many SE Asia countries. It also has freedom of religion, press-for the most part and freedom of expression. It's not perfect but for a govenment that's around 15 years starting from nothing, it has done allot.
12:08
My thoughts exactly. Nothing is ever perfect, and countries like Cambodia need time. 15 years is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Just compare it to some African countries that have been independent a lot longer. People always expect things to be similar to European countries and the U. S., and those are far from perfect. Just look at the U. S., what's going on there - with all the slums, the 15% poor people, etc. Sometime people should just use their brains.
Nearly 30 years under ah kwack rules,Cambodia become a International bagger ,survive only on foreign donation and charity ...........
May lightning strikes ah kwack forehead at noon time.
Go to HELL ah kwack and his scum bag gang of ourang otang .
Power to the powerless people of Cambodia
10:34 Exactly!
Yep! No doubt about it.
Nope, Jay Rupert/Free-thinker in disguise @5:22 AM Viet cash cow/slave and gangs like the Viet/Yuon-born parasite @10:08 AM, and KJR et al that pretend to be Khmer thinking that Yuon/Viet is Khmer master and Khmer is Viet/Yuon slave must be castrated and have their dick fed to the Viet cancerous black dog!
Viet/Yuon go home!
You viet must learn by heart the universal language by now:
"The world sees and knows you Viet true color already"!
KJR should read KJE (Klaus Englehart)!
Some stupid Cambodian people dare to compare Cambodia to some African country? This is insane!
Cambodia is endowed with everything to become a very successful country! Cambodia got perfect weather and sunny for most part of the year! Cambodia got arable land and natural resources and plenty of water resources that most Cambodian people can depend on for drinking, bathing, and cooking and of course such as the Tonle Sap river that has the potential to support variety of fish population to support Cambodian population and the rich farmland in many part of Cambodia to grow rice that can yield million and million of tons each year!
But what Cambodia doesn't have are good Cambodian leaders! Stupid Cambodian leaders continue to fail Cambodian people again and again! And now Cambodia is just another African country in Asia! For crying out loud, Africa is mostly desert and arid land that can grow nothing and the African people were able to survive against all odds!
Cambodia has been cursed for more than 30 years for having bad Cambodian leaders and now it has become a traditional curse! Dirt poor Cambodian people can expect more of the same old bad Cambodian leaders many more years to come! This is so fucken predictable!
Well, tell it to KI (Spam Rainxy's Media) because they have been using Zimbabwe as a role model for Cambodia. They even have cartoon and all.
To 1:56AM
What? What did you just say Vietcong bitch?
Hey! Zimbabwe has a dictator called Robert Mugabe and Cambodia has a dictator called Hun Sen! So tell me who is copying who?
You and your fucken Vietcong theory and logic won't cut in the real world and I suggest that you shut the fuck up!
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