Sam Rainsy leading a garment worker demonstrationBy Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
21 October 2009
“They don’t want large-scale demonstrations in Cambodia because the government fears people power ... The Cambodian government today thinks about destroying critics and [strengthening its] power” - Opposition leader Sam RainsyThe National Assembly on Wednesday passed a controversial law on demonstrations that limits the number of people allowed to gather and gives wide authority for the government to ban a protest altogether.
The law passed with a vote of 76 to 25, with voting split between the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, in favor, and the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties against.
The opposition parties voiced strong criticism of the section of the law that limits demonstrations to 200 people.
“They don’t want large-scale demonstrations in Cambodia because the government fears people power,” opposition leader Sam Rainsy told reporters outside the National Assembly after the session. “The Cambodian government today thinks about destroying critics and [strengthening its] power.”
The new law will oppress freedom of speech and serves policies of the current administration, he said.
Kem Sokha, president of the Human Rights Party, said the government can now use the pretexts of national security and public order to bar demonstrations.
Nuth Sa An, secretary of state for the Ministry of Interior, told the Assembly the law was crucial to prevent unrest and act in the interest of the people.
12 comments:
There is a limit of peaceful demonstration because the government is afraid of the power of the people . It makes no sense to me because if there are more than 200 people want to protest to express their feelling , how are the ygoing to do it ?
The RGC has to be more open to crtitic for constructive force and ideas, in cathing up with global world.
One and only strategy is not good enough to meet relevent demands and challenges of this changing world.
Cambodian people can't rest when neglect from the governmeny still persists.Thus it will force to resorting to international supports in order to satisfy fair demand for disavantaged cambodians.
When the applied pressure is unbearable, then the likelihood of social unrest will be boiling.
Remember that the iron claws of KR was unimaginable, but the breakout had erupted.
Listening to people as electorats and flexible strategies applicable is imperative.
And that is true democracy.
Neang SA
You know how to walk and make strike everyday,You do like that get nothing for you,if you want khmer people need you,you have to do for people.they will needing you.
6:04am like Viet people did for kmer?
looting like toilets ,recycle things(et jai)polluting all khmer water,steal khmer fish and spread all spike and cross mixed khmer viet oh boy you like some thing that pure breed khmer do not like.
God bless Caaambodia
all spies not spike 6:23AM
6:24AM
Big fucking deal, now you are a master of English spelling. Give me a fucking break!
but the Hun Sen government doesn't limit the numbers of Yuons flowing into Cambodia. Why?
Except communist countries which are banning demonstrations. Demonstration is an event where people are very angry to the authority for creating an unfair and injustice society. Therefore no democratic country in the world can make any such law to ban demonstration. Even China in 1989, people were still demonstrating against their government. So even the CPP members have made this law to protect themselves, they cannotstop people from demonstration at all. People freedom has already clearly spelt out in the Constitution. Why they create this law to contradict to their own constitution?
To many idiots make idiots laws.
Areak Prey
Sam Rainsy leading a garment worker domonstration. He is may be no job and he has free time a lot. I think he should have more understand for now on and futuer.why always make many mistake with people are work at factory ? why you like a person who molester abuse and people is a victim by him . what is cooperation andwhat is assemble to know the problem? he should have study again in some area and to know society and hunmant right uniersal.
Why Not ban on human right violations,why not ban on government corruptions, why not ban on police and army cracks down on innocent civilians, why not ban on illegals logging,why not ban on stealing people vote in national election, why not stop illegal immigration,why not ban on opposition, journalist,ngo oppression. Why Hun Sen and cpp national assembly commit so many treason. Why why why.
Hey ass fucker(law make maker)
There are too many law need to be pass like land title,corruption,etc.
Why protest law now??????
Hmmm...
Cambodian blogosphere tuned in as usual.....
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