Demonstration in front of the Cambodian embassy in Washington DC on 28 November 2009

COMMUNIQUÉ

In United States of America, the founding father of democracy, our adopted home that we, as Cambodian-American, victims of past communist regimes, are able to gather to express our views freely as free men. Not in Cambodia, our former country where democracy has merely existed on paper, and in theory - NOT in real life. Freedom of speech and the press has been taken away to a larger extend , so did was our freedom to a peaceful assembly. Today’s demonstration would have landed all participants in prison, if it were held in Cambodia. As such, we could not be free in Cambodia and so the same can be said to an entire population of Cambodia who are currently waking up to a new reality of political oppression orchestrated under the criminalized defamation act.

As Cambodian-American, we come together on this November 28, 2009, to express our deepest concerns to the deterioration state of democracy in Cambodia once enjoyed under UNTAC. Furthermore, to call on our United States government and donors’ countries to put an end to the systemic violation of human rights and freedom orchestrated by the Cambodian authorities. It is the only way to ensure long term peace and stability of the country as well as the region as stipulated under the spirit of signed Paris Peace Accord 1991.

Since the Cambodian executive body has effective control over three branches of the government, it has used the courts to effectively criminalize anyone on defamation charges, placing strict restriction on freedom of speech, the press and expression. Several journalists and other critics of the government have been imprisoned as a result of such practices. These limits on freedoms are unconstitutional, in clear violation of the country’s main constitution.

The stripping immunity from elected members of parliament (MP), Mr. Sam Rainsy, Mrs. Mu Sochua, and Mr. Ho Vann, is a way to intimidate and silence opposition critics. It discourages people’s representatives from speaking out critical of government policies. Furthermore, it prevented them from fulfilling their elected roles and responsibilities.

These are the reasons which led to our gathering today:

1. Cambodia has no real separation of powers, only in theory.
2. Cambodian National Assembly functions merely as a rubber-stamp institution
3. Cambodian Courts are systematically biased - NOT an independent body.
4. Legal professionals are subjected to government intimidation as in the case of MP. Mu Sochua vs. PM Hun Sen.
5. Journalists and government critics have been jailed or killed while others remain outside the country, convicted in absentia on bogus defamation charges.
6. Cambodian government has aggressively acted to seal the mouths of its critics and its political oppositions through defamation law.
7. On-going land evictions have cause severe hardship on Cambodian victims across the country.
8. International Emergency aids were selectively and intentionally given to only the government’s party members and their families while denying others belonging to an opposition groups (reported on Radio Free Asia).
9. Stripping immunity from elected members of parliament without any regard for the rights or any concerns of the people whom they represented at their districts.
10. Political killing and persecution still remain part of the Cambodian government’s back-room policy. One opposition activist has been recently axed to death, while many have fled overseas to escape jail times convicted on defamation charges.
11. There is an issue with respect to the violation of Cambodian territorial integrity.

WITH ABOVE FORE-MENTIONED, WE SEEK OUR UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND DONORS’ COUNTRIES TO PROCEED WITH THE NINE -POINTS RESOLUTIONS BELOW :

1. Reconvene on the signed Paris Peace Accord of 1991.

2. Pressure Cambodian government to respect its international obligations signed under the Paris Peace Accord of 1991.

3. Pressure Cambodian government to end the erosion process of civil liberties by calling for an end to its authoritarian policy and practices.

4. Call for an immediate restoration of immunities to all elected members of the National Assembly: Mr. Sam Rainsy, Mrs. Mu Sochua and Mr. Ho Vann.

5. Take all necessary steps to force for an overhaul to the highly corrupted Cambodian judiciary system. It’s a must, since the court itself has been totally corrupted through a well managed patronage scheme - Reward and Punishment.

6. Call for releases of all imprisoned journalists and an end to political persecution.

7. Condemn the flawed defamation law which has been used unconstitutionally to suppress people’s rights and freedom on issues critical to corruption and government’s improper activities.

8. Call for an end to forced land evictions.

9. Revoke as well as NOT providing Visa entries into the country by any corrupted official, including any human rights violators.

On this day, November 28, 2009 in Washington, DC our nation’s capital, in front of the Royal Cambodian Embassy, we, as participants in this demonstration, with strong belief and conviction to the cause of human freedom and liberties in Cambodia, wish to submit this petition for your utmost attention and consideration.