Forced eviction in Russei Keo (Photo: Koh Santepheap)By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
01 December 2009
As Cambodia undergoes a review at the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday member states should be concerned over recent deteriorations of basic freedoms.
Under the Human Rights Council, member states are reviewed every four years. In a submission to the council, Human Rights Watch underscored political violence, impunity for senior government officials in serious rights abuses, forced evictions and land confiscation, among others.
In the past year there’s been a sharp regression in Cambodia’s respect for basic rights, with major setbacks in press freedom and a harsh crackdown on government critics,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Countries should ask Cambodia why it uses repressive tactics to silence peaceful dissent, while thrusting the poor even further into poverty by condoning illegal land grabbing.”
The government increasingly uses the judicial system to muzzle journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition party members, who face charges of criminal defamation and disinformation, Human Rights Watch said.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith denied the group’s assertions, claiming Cambodia has 3,000 local non-governmental organizations, as well as media outlets that do not suffer attacks on their freedoms.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, meanwhile, said it supported the review process, a new rights monitoring mechanism.
The coalition of 21 NGOs appealed to the government to “pay more attention in order to ensure full compliance of all international covenants and conventions in relation to human rights of which Cambodia is a party to and has ratified.”
The coalition urged the government to take considerations of the Human Rights Council’s recommendations to promote freedoms and the respect of human rights.
Under the Human Rights Council, member states are reviewed every four years. In a submission to the council, Human Rights Watch underscored political violence, impunity for senior government officials in serious rights abuses, forced evictions and land confiscation, among others.
In the past year there’s been a sharp regression in Cambodia’s respect for basic rights, with major setbacks in press freedom and a harsh crackdown on government critics,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Countries should ask Cambodia why it uses repressive tactics to silence peaceful dissent, while thrusting the poor even further into poverty by condoning illegal land grabbing.”
The government increasingly uses the judicial system to muzzle journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition party members, who face charges of criminal defamation and disinformation, Human Rights Watch said.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith denied the group’s assertions, claiming Cambodia has 3,000 local non-governmental organizations, as well as media outlets that do not suffer attacks on their freedoms.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, meanwhile, said it supported the review process, a new rights monitoring mechanism.
The coalition of 21 NGOs appealed to the government to “pay more attention in order to ensure full compliance of all international covenants and conventions in relation to human rights of which Cambodia is a party to and has ratified.”
The coalition urged the government to take considerations of the Human Rights Council’s recommendations to promote freedoms and the respect of human rights.
3 comments:
Have you seen anything works when you forced? Do you like being forced?
what do you think ? and how do khmer alive in futuer?
We all knew that Pol Pot regime was the most cruelty regime in the world, and it was already over. But this CPP Hun Sen government is worst regime in this century. No respect to human life, force civilian people out of their homes, no mercy to poor people. Land eviction to the defenseless civilians is the most cruelty activity in the world these days.
The CPP Hun Sen government do this without shame.
Death to Hun Sen and his CPP regime.
God bless all Cambodian people!
Khmer in WA, USA
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