By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
29 August 2008
When John Negroponte, a senior US State Department official, arrives in Cambodia for an official visit next month, he will encounter human rights groups unhappy with a host of problems and tension between the ruling party and opposition still battling over July's election.
Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State, is one of the highest-ranking US officials to travel to Cambodia in recent years.
Over three days starting Sept. 14, he will meet with government officials, opposition leaders and representatives of civil society, the embassy said.
"I really think that the fact that the Secretary is coming is a sign that our relationship is strengthening," US Embassy spokesman John Johnson said. The visit "will serve to deepen the ties between our two countries."
Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho, said Thursday civic organizations hoped to raise a number of issues with Negroponte, including irregularities in July's election.
"The NGOs would raise the issues of land disputes, freedom of information, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, for example, the killing of journalist Khim Sambor, domestic violence, rape and human trafficking," she said.
Negroponte's visit will come ahead of a scheduled swearing-in ceremony for newly elected National Assembly members that the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties have threatened to boycott, potentially deadlocking the formation of the government.
Both parties maintain the elections were fraudulent, with a high number of irregularities occurring ahead of the polls and on Election Day.
Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State, is one of the highest-ranking US officials to travel to Cambodia in recent years.
Over three days starting Sept. 14, he will meet with government officials, opposition leaders and representatives of civil society, the embassy said.
"I really think that the fact that the Secretary is coming is a sign that our relationship is strengthening," US Embassy spokesman John Johnson said. The visit "will serve to deepen the ties between our two countries."
Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho, said Thursday civic organizations hoped to raise a number of issues with Negroponte, including irregularities in July's election.
"The NGOs would raise the issues of land disputes, freedom of information, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, for example, the killing of journalist Khim Sambor, domestic violence, rape and human trafficking," she said.
Negroponte's visit will come ahead of a scheduled swearing-in ceremony for newly elected National Assembly members that the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties have threatened to boycott, potentially deadlocking the formation of the government.
Both parties maintain the elections were fraudulent, with a high number of irregularities occurring ahead of the polls and on Election Day.
2 comments:
Talking about political democracy, changes is so important because the longer people in power, the longer they abuse.
Even the Mobile Phone companies, if you call to help line of 016, 011, and 012, you will here a lot of abusive voice of those help line after they only in Cambodia for around 10 years.
I suffer too many times already every time, I call 016, 011 and 012.
We need change!
The democracy is not working. Please DON'T force us to live and bear with the disrespected democracy one more day.
The US knows very well that the people Cambodia bear a lot trials and tribulations. Again, please no more suffering for these people; they've suffered too much in the past and now, and they need to live free from suffering in the future. And, again, don't force us to live under this fake democracy.
The US is smart enough to discern what real and what's not.
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