Reuters
PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA has set up a 'Freedom Park' designated for political demonstrations in a move critics say is another attempt to protect the government and silence dissenting voices.
The site, which is located far from government buildings and parliament, will be the only space made available to any group wanting to stage a demonstration. Protests at other locations in the capital Phnom Penh will be outlawed.
'This is the place to express opinions,' said the city's police chief, Touch Naruth. 'I toured the site this morning. This is a public place where up to 5,000 people can gather,' he said, noting that the law only allows a maximum of 200 people to protest and larger gatherings required written permission from the authorities.
That law was passed in October last year, sparking condemnation from rights groups and opposition lawmakers, who accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of abusing its parliamentary majority to curtail freedom of expression.
Cambodia's defamation laws were also tightened last year after a series of court cases brought against lawmakers and journalists critical of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen and his powerful associates.
The idea for the 'Freedom Park' appears to follow that of Singapore, where protests were made legal in 2008, but only in a designated 'Speakers' Corner'. The Singaporean idea is modelled on a similar place in London's Hyde Park, although Britain's laws do not restrict demonstrations to a single location.
The site, which is located far from government buildings and parliament, will be the only space made available to any group wanting to stage a demonstration. Protests at other locations in the capital Phnom Penh will be outlawed.
'This is the place to express opinions,' said the city's police chief, Touch Naruth. 'I toured the site this morning. This is a public place where up to 5,000 people can gather,' he said, noting that the law only allows a maximum of 200 people to protest and larger gatherings required written permission from the authorities.
That law was passed in October last year, sparking condemnation from rights groups and opposition lawmakers, who accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of abusing its parliamentary majority to curtail freedom of expression.
Cambodia's defamation laws were also tightened last year after a series of court cases brought against lawmakers and journalists critical of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen and his powerful associates.
The idea for the 'Freedom Park' appears to follow that of Singapore, where protests were made legal in 2008, but only in a designated 'Speakers' Corner'. The Singaporean idea is modelled on a similar place in London's Hyde Park, although Britain's laws do not restrict demonstrations to a single location.
40 comments:
that's critics job. good for cambodia to make people aware of their rights to demonstration, etc...
These so-called critics sound more like cynics to me. The fact that the city hall decides to set up a proper place for demonstration and voicing concern and you call this silencing? What do these people want? Chaotic parading around like the Thai Red?
Before they said they are oppressed to cast any voice, now they are given a platform, they call it silencing. I like transparency and criticism because it makes for progress but the people that call this a silencing, I need to meet them and kick their teeth out because that is what they deserve for being a fucking ignorant self-absorbing idiot. I guess these people like it better when they have bullets sprayed upon them then being given the mic to speak.
not to mention choatic demonstration can block traffic make traffic jam, etc... good for authority to designate an area by law. yes, there are more to cambodia than just a handful of demonstrators, alright! good job for cambodia.
The only way to find out (or test)if this is a real and true "Freedom Park" is screen the recent barred film at the park.
War is peace
that's your extreme view. cambodia don't need extremist in gov't, ok! that's why we have law and enforcement, to keep extremist at bay before they block traffic and disobey the law.
i say another one of those critics' illogical brain fart here! what they mean by "silencing" freedom? what! go back to la la land, ok!
8:26 PM
Do you even know the reason why they block that film from being screened? They don't have license to do it. All public broadcasting needs license whether it's TV or public place. Apparently, this film has no such legal frame work to be shown. Try to show a movie in public place anywhere even in the USA, freedom land, without obtaining license, you'll see how free you'll be when you're slapped with a lawsuit.
Yes, there could be political implication but the damn opposition or whatever they want to call themselves need to go through the legal work to obtain the right to show the work but I guess these people don't practice what they preach. All talk about upholding legality but they never apply the same thing they preach to others to themselves.
Practice what you preach so people would stop resenting you for your hypocrisy and maybe your voice can be received more.
it is not Freedom Park. it's round up park
9:37 PM
My voice cannot be received; however, my "voice" can be heard.
Question: what are the chances if they seek permission or license to show the film? Not great! Therefore, please stop barking!
War is peace
THIS IS PATHETIC! DEMOCRATIC MENTALITY DO NOT LIMITED ON EXPRESSION RIGHTS.
CAMBODIA GOVERNMENT ARE DISGRACEFUL! CITIZENS HAVE TO EXPRESS THEIR RIGHTS IN THE CAGE, FENCING LOT (IF PERMITTED).
ALSO PEOPLE SHOULD NOT NEED PERMISSION TO EXPRESS THEIR RIGTS.
In democracy, the majority rule, you like it or not. So if you oppose, you can speak all you want, but you can't do a dang thing about it.
It is good that Cambodia setup a place for people to speak their opinions. This would allow police authority to protect them and allow the city to go on their business orderly.
The Chaotic demonstration like those in Thailand create a lot of problem, not just for the government but for the all people in the city, the economic and tourism also suffer.
There needs to be a balance of freedom and control for any state. Too much freedom you end up with anarchy. Too much control, you end up with fascism.
The state would always put your freedom aside when it comes to preserving the livelihood of the system. Look into any constitution. Your right and freedom is suspended in order to save the state. Look at the US Patriot Act, very conflicting with the American constitution in regard to privacy but majority of the people are willing to give up their freedom for safety. It contradicts how America was founded though with that saying like those who put their freedom and liberty aside for safety deserves none. So there you can see how a state shifts its belief structure as it goes forward.
America was founded by overturning the dominant system ruled by the British but once they established their state independence, they are now about preserving the system instead.
Sure, safety, prosperity, orderly society is proffered over everything else. Sure you can speak, you have freedom to speak, but make sure it is not violate other people's right, do not cause public safety.
Thank you 10:02 pm you hit the nail on head. Watch out opposition team .croo
Shall people test the Freedom Park now and see how it would goes?
opposition is too extreme . i think they prefer to topple the gov't than asking for reforms, etc... that is wrong on their side as they are a minority group and want to fight the legitimate overwhelmingly majority. something is not right in their mind there! when given an inch, they want a mile. they are carefree people, i think. they don't care much about people's safety parading in the streets, block traffic, getting ran over by traffic, disturbing public peace, etc... glad to see authority designate an area for them to voice their freedom or whatever.
opposition will sure to lose supporters and sympathizers alike if they don't watch the way they are hypocritical. they are anarchic alright. that's why it is good for authority to have some control over their radical behavior. who wants to be like siem yellow shirt pad thugs against red shirt or whatever in cambodia. it is so chaotic e.g. blocking traffic, disturbing peace, scare away tourists, and so forth. glad majority of people don't have to think in radical terms like opposition. i mean freedom is one thing, but radical behavior by disobey the law, etc for something trivial is ignorant and something else. you don't topple the gov't, instead yous demand reforms, demand changes, demand justice, demand peace and orderly, etc... that is better than trying to fight gov't even after losing the election, etc. look to win in election, you must have won majority, if you are a minority, how can your win a majority? you do it by getting people to listen to you, by getting people to sympathize with your cause, getting people to see your cause is just and that you deserve their votes, etc... but if you trick them once, they will stop believing in you, then you are in deep prahok or deep kim chee. that was the case of srp and company, i think! be careful, these opposition people like to exploit innocent people and exploit people's ignorance for their own radical way of thinking. before we buy into that, we must do all we can to educate, to learn, to hear both sides of stories, etc. othewise, opposition will trick or fool you for your weak point. please be wary of them. god bless.
always the same face people like sam rainsy and his handful of radical people protesting and demonstrating against authority all the time. i think people, both locally and internationally, are no longer buying it. sam rainsy will forever be opposition, but people will never vote to put him in office for his radical view is too dangerous for khmer society. i mean this guy will always fight authority to no end, no matter what any say and do, really! it's his nature; that's why people don't want him. when he gets older, he will be one lonely old man and old woman for that matter. wake up, people!
yes, opposition is hypocrite! they are not much different in their dirty trick and exploiting the innocent and the poor for their own political ambition, really. i mean, yes, if they talk reforms, however, when they talk about topple gov't etc..., people lost interest in them. shame on them for trying to use force to grap power without holding or winning election, really!
These pro-CPP bloggers always use the unfound security risk and absurd permit to justify their arguments. Too often these stupid pro-CPP bloggers knowingly left out the fact that the dictatorship of the Cambodia government would not allow a demonstration when its opinions are against the government. The government always put out security risk to the general citizens if the demonstration is allowed, but the government has no prove the demonstrators would cause any violence. These demonstrators are only speaking against corruptions, voicing their concerns, and expressing their rights. These pro-CPP bloggers are so ignorant and stupid, and they fail to see the evil of Hun Sen and CPP destroying Cambodia. These pro-CPP bloggers are fortunate enough to write, and have the opportunity to access a computer, but they fail to see the misery upon many poor Cambodia. Do these stupid pro-CPP know the meaning of freedom?
Don't forget that CPP has not win the last lection, its excluded its opponent and raced alone, it was not fair and dishonest.
CPP was honest once and only once, at the beginning, it lost the election.
Now, again, CPP excludes Sam Rainsy from race and vaunts.
If CPP is a honest party, its members are real men, race for real.
No, CPP members are coward, never and never they will allow that.
Seriously,where the freedom park locate?.is it close to Tropaing Kroloeung? or Prey Sor?.
Making an excuse when you lose makes you a sore loser. A real person can admit when he or she loses. I see lot of people living in denial in the opposition. A winner never makes an excuse. That is why he or she would eventually win because he or she makes no excuse and overcome the obstacle. SRP followers are sore losers that never accept reality. That is why you would never win. The day you self-denial cynics accept your reality is the first step to win the majority. Accept your mistakes and find solution. Don't be the way you are right now, always blaming things for your own short coming.
Freedom Park!! Why don't we have it in the forest or on mountain's top, so that both god and ghost hear better what people want?
democracy in cambodia? dream on baby,as the day go by Communist,china or vietnam,is the way to go ,why? because CPP regime was communist regime,THAI,people they can express their freedom any where they want.because their leader graduated from western country.while HUN SEN gratuated in jungle from east side.
i like this concept of "freedom park". good job cambodia. please keep up the improvement and good job. good people in the world will see for themselves your reforms, etc. opposition reserve their rights to their bitching and whine, and cambodia reserves our rights to improvements and reforms in many ways. god bless cambodia and all our beautiful khmer people and citizens.
go voice you discontent, whining, complaints and bitching at freedom park,ok! you have your freedom there. stop being hypocrite, really! keep on bitching from the comfort of your overseas home, ok! life indeed goes on in cambodia, believe it or not. god bless cambodia.
Hun Sen's regime is a dictatorship and corruption. Most of natural resource in Cambodia are destroyed and they careless about it. What Khmers need to do in order to kick Hun Sen out from power. They must use the people of power to remove him from ruling in Cambodia. That is the only way to teach Khmer leadership from oppression of Cambodian. 14 millions population but we need only a few millions to stand up and call him to leave office or get impeach. I doubt if he is going to use military against the Khmers people.
Hun Sen's regime is a dictatorship and corruption. Most of natural resource in Cambodia are destroyed and they careless about it. What Khmers need to do in order to kick Hun Sen out from power. They must use the people of power to remove him from ruling in Cambodia. That is the only way to teach Khmer leadership from oppression of Cambodian. 14 millions population but we need only a few millions to stand up and call him to leave office or get impeach. I doubt if he is going to use military against the Khmers people.
Why freedom park?
If the government think it is free or democracy, they wouldn't be bothered in the first place.
People have the rights to match, protest, demonstration or assemble to protest..
They have the rights to assemble group to stage a protest.
Joe Richardson,
USA
That freedom park in Cambodia will be like a Tianamen Square in China.
Hun Sen is afraid of People's Power in the future..
For once i would like these CPP supporters to come out and attach their real names to their postings. I mean, with all the backing of every institution in the land behind them, including the Police, the arm forces, the generals, the judges, and the sheep-like CPP parliamentarians, why are the supporters so afraid to reveal their true indentities? Who can give them any problem? What can hurt them or their families? And yet, time and again we see Anonymous postings by the CPP people. So I think that perhaps, deep down inside they know that what is happening in Cambodia, what they are supporting in Cambodia, what they try to cover up in Cambodia is wrong, is unethical, is inhumane, is shameful. And that one day, when Cambodia is set right again, they the CPP supporters who colluded to suppress the people, will be judged and punished? Are they afraid that their time to reap what they sow will come soon? and they and their children and their grandchildren will not be able to hold their heads high?
As for 8.15PM, you are a very aggressive man. No wonder you fit in so well with the CPP. If you are in Sydney Australia, let me know and I'll try to organise a teeth-kicking session with you and we'll see who has more tetth at the end, me or you. or are you only willing to kick teeth out of the mouths of weaker people? Moron!
I'm glad it's not another "Hun Sen Park."
War is peace
freedom park is better than sam rainsy park, etc...
Fuck all ah stupids CPP supporters Mother fuckers. I whises some day the lightning will hides all ah CPP people supporters.
I don't what some of u guys out there want? Cambodia has come a long way. Doesn't matter who rules, as long as there is peace and stability in the country, that's all it counts. Right now, Cambodia is very peaceful. I know cuz i live here. We have lots of tourists and everything is flourishing. It may take time, but it's going somewhere. What do u guys want? Something like in Srok Siem? Where the country loses millions a day?
Some dogs are only good at barking behind the door. But when face to face with the real thing, they crawl away with their tails behind their legs.
Why measure the land for Cambodian democracy to walk? Why Cambodian democracy can only happen in certain place and why not all over Cambodia?
AH HUN SEN and AH Touch Naruth don't need to tell Cambodian people when or where they can express their freedom and they are old enough to do anything on their own! AH HUN SEN and AH Touch Naruth can tell their great grand father and mother, their wife and children, their cat and dog whatever but not to Cambodian people because they are not their children! So fuck off all you Vietcong slave mother fuckers!
some people seemed to miss the point, here. it's not about preventing democracy in cambodia, it's about keeping control from chaotic like blocking traffic, etc... it's smart for gov't to give an area for people to voice their discontent, etc. i think they are thinking about safety first, hello!
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