James O’toole and Chrann Chamroeun
The Phnom Penh Post
FOUR American lawmakers have submitted a resolution in the United States Congress condemning the “pervasive corruption” of the Cambodian government following a hearing in Washington last month that assessed the Kingdom’s human rights situation.
On September 10, three Cambodians – Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Mu Sochua, Licadho rights group president Kek Galabru and Community Legal Education Centre labour programme head Moeun Tola – testified in front of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a US congressional body that monitors international human rights norms. All three offered pointed criticisms of the Cambodian government, with Mu Sochua testifying that democracy in Cambodia is currently experiencing “an alarming free fall”.
On Thursday, California congressman Ed Royce submitted a three-page resolution on behalf of himself, Tom Lantos Commission co-chairman Frank Wolf and congressmen Jim Moran and Joseph Cao, accusing the Cambodian government of a litany of human rights abuses.
The resolution registered particular concern over the July 2008 murder of opposition journalist Khim Sambo and the August defamation conviction of Mu Sochua, and cited the Global Witness rights group’s description of Cambodia as a state “run by a kleptocratic elite that generates much of its wealth via the seizure of public assets”.
Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) lawmaker Cheam Yeap called the resolution “slander”, and reiterated the CPP complaint that the American hearing was biased because representatives of the Cambodian government were not invited to testify.
“The US House of Representatives should focus on its own work rather than interfering with Cambodia’s Assembly,” Cheam Yeap said, adding that the resolution had “damaged [Cambodia’s] reputation”.
Witnesses voice approval
Moeun Tola said he welcomed the resolution and hoped that its focus on corruption would spur speedy passage of the long-promised anticorruption law.
“One of the biggest problems for business in Cambodia is corruption,” he said, adding: “If we have full respect of investment laws and [other] existing laws, we can have full trust from foreign investors.”
Though the Congressional motion lacks legal force, Mu Sochua noted, it is a sign of the success of last month’s hearing in raising awareness of the challenges facing Cambodia.
“Although the resolution is not binding, it is an acknowledgement by the signatories that the situation of human rights, corruption, rule of law and human trafficking is of grave concern,” she said.
On September 10, three Cambodians – Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Mu Sochua, Licadho rights group president Kek Galabru and Community Legal Education Centre labour programme head Moeun Tola – testified in front of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a US congressional body that monitors international human rights norms. All three offered pointed criticisms of the Cambodian government, with Mu Sochua testifying that democracy in Cambodia is currently experiencing “an alarming free fall”.
On Thursday, California congressman Ed Royce submitted a three-page resolution on behalf of himself, Tom Lantos Commission co-chairman Frank Wolf and congressmen Jim Moran and Joseph Cao, accusing the Cambodian government of a litany of human rights abuses.
The resolution registered particular concern over the July 2008 murder of opposition journalist Khim Sambo and the August defamation conviction of Mu Sochua, and cited the Global Witness rights group’s description of Cambodia as a state “run by a kleptocratic elite that generates much of its wealth via the seizure of public assets”.
Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) lawmaker Cheam Yeap called the resolution “slander”, and reiterated the CPP complaint that the American hearing was biased because representatives of the Cambodian government were not invited to testify.
“The US House of Representatives should focus on its own work rather than interfering with Cambodia’s Assembly,” Cheam Yeap said, adding that the resolution had “damaged [Cambodia’s] reputation”.
Witnesses voice approval
Moeun Tola said he welcomed the resolution and hoped that its focus on corruption would spur speedy passage of the long-promised anticorruption law.
“One of the biggest problems for business in Cambodia is corruption,” he said, adding: “If we have full respect of investment laws and [other] existing laws, we can have full trust from foreign investors.”
Though the Congressional motion lacks legal force, Mu Sochua noted, it is a sign of the success of last month’s hearing in raising awareness of the challenges facing Cambodia.
“Although the resolution is not binding, it is an acknowledgement by the signatories that the situation of human rights, corruption, rule of law and human trafficking is of grave concern,” she said.
United States of America or Americ, please stop harassing Cambodia, if you want to help then help Cambodia, but don't create problems against my government. I hope you would understand my point. Ah AhChukrupot Americ?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
AngkorianMan Krama Man
8:51pm.
ReplyDeleteHelping the weak and poor people whose voice are not heard by the Gov't is not harassment. You have to let this goes if you want to get rid of some real crooks in Cambodia.
US Govt. must deport those like "New Pally and his cliques" back to Cambodia where they came from and put them to live with new democracy in Cambodia. Because in our country (USA) has not place such people who eat our bread and serve for the other.
ReplyDeleteKhmers in Long Beach
8:51 Pm,
ReplyDeleteIf you want the US to stop harassing your government, you need to tell them to stop begging for donation. Once you are corrupted and receiving assitence, you must be complying with international policy of human right.
To 9:22
ReplyDeleteI am very much disappointed at what you said. You look down to the entire Cambodian, to your own race. Is that really bad or ashamed to live in Cambodia? I could understand that you dont like Cambodian government, but i just cant understand why you hate Cambodia that much.
For 30 years now that Cambodia has got out of the Pol Pot regime and since then all kinds of aid from all over the world has been flowed into Cambodia endlessly, just like a big flood overflow a river's bank, but Cambodia don't seem to get enough. Why? Everyone knows the anwser.
ReplyDeleteThank to the US lawmakers who have great concern about corruption of the Hun Sen government, the government of human leeches. If the US ignore what has happened in Cambodia, Cambodian people will continue to suffer far worse than they are now.
Who care about New Phally, if he believe there is a true Democracy in Cambodia, he would not be in the US. He is nobody, so stop bring him into the conversation.
ReplyDeleteThe Righteous people inside Cambodia now -- have the Responsibility for the whole country. If anyone want to be a good and responsible citizens, one must rid of the corruption and provide equality to every citizens.
ReplyDeleteMost importantly, khmers needs to be more educated, what I meant, ONE SHOULD NOT BUY A JOB TO GET INTO THE POSITION. IT ONLY PRODUCE THE INCOMPETENT INGROUP, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CPP.
The ruling party needed to take criticism proactively, and make a goal to improve the image. If it not the Truth, Khmers everywhere would not complaint about it. Then, again if it's NOT the Truth, the CPP SHOULDN'T be bother with what people says. It just makes the CPP more incredible and very incompetent.
By the way, Congressman Joseph Cao is a Vietnamese American.
ReplyDeleteYes, he is Vietnamese, but Democratic fairly elected not done CPP style.
ReplyDeletecriticize is one thing, making a real difference is another. think about it!
ReplyDeleteCheam Yeap said, the resolution had “damaged [Cambodia’s] reputation”.
ReplyDeleteThe Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime and the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime responsible for murders almost two million innocent Khmer peoples and couting, but it did not damage Cambodia's reputation?
A terrorist organization call Brigade 70 attack innocent Khmer peoples with grenades, but it did not damage Cambodia's reputation?
This show that Cheam Yeap is one of the most stupidest and dumbest politician from the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime.
So-called corruption is a global problem. It exists in every country and in all countries neighboring Cambodia. It is a legal definition and varies country to country. In VN, for example, a simple broker fee for setting up a transaction is corruption and is enforced by jail terms. Cambodia is a free market system and so-called corruption is simply one person helping or doing something for another and getting a fee. Where it affects society in a negative way, is if large contracts are given to cronies rather then the best and lowest bids. In Cambodia the grants from foreign governments are supervised closely by those governments so sweet-heart deals are difficult if not impossible. So, branding the government for not cracking down on so-called corruption is misplaced since the vast majority of corrupt transactions are among simple people giving something for getting something.
ReplyDeleteTo Cheam Yeap
ReplyDeleteIf you are really concern about Cambodia's reputation, you should;
stop killing your own peoples,
pass corruption law and include back date, so we can prosecute crimes that occurred before the law is pass,
stop illegal mass eviction that you guys make million of dollar from selling poor Khmer people's lands, and
shut down the child sex businesses that you guys continue to keep them open.
There are many more.
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
ReplyDeleteTortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Executions
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
re: 5:55- For your information, there has always been an anti-corruption law contained within UNTAC Criminal Law.
ReplyDeleteSecond, the Land Law was followed- the problem is with people who occupy land that was owned by another.
Third, Cambodia is probably the most severe in prosecuting so-called sex crimes of all its neighboring countries.
Lastly, the notion that the RGC is killing its people is blatant mis-information.
There is much to constructively criticize, but it must be based on the reality of Cambodia as it exists today.
AngkorianMan Krama Man,
ReplyDeleteI need your Krama to wipe my ass...you stupid fuck!
American must help killed ah kwack Hun Sen and ah Krama man....burn in hell asshole!