Phnom Penh Thursday, 16 September 2010
“I take this opportunity to call [on the government] not to impose restrictions over democracy.”Civic leaders called for “more space” for democracy, as well as judicial reform, on Wednesday, as they marked World Democracy Day.
Leaders from civil society called for more tolerance between the political majority and minorities. Political freedoms that were won in the 1980s, following the ouster of the Khmer Rouge, have been in decline, the leaders said.
“I take this opportunity to call [on the government] not to impose restrictions over democracy,” said Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc and chairman of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee.
“In Cambodia,” he said, “the acceptance of criticism is limited.”
Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the Cambodian People's Party, said freedom of expression in Cambodia has been “developed and reinforced.” He agreed with calls for tolerance between the parties, but added, “the minority party must do things based on law.”
The ruling government has come under increasing criticism for restrictions on freedoms in recent years. Last month, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders issued a report that found union leaders, rights activists and journalists facing rights violations and legal restrictions.
Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, a legal organization, said the government must urgently reform the judiciary with the help of the international community.
Cheam Yiep said the government is already doing that.
8 comments:
criticism of gov't is one thing, but do the hates, the looking downs, the name-callings, the rants, the personal character attacks, the bias, etc is not right in the name of democracy, freedom, etc, you know! because it served nothing good for cambodia nor for anybody but self-satisfaction, egotistism and so on. now, that's called unruly when you have no respect for the law, the authority, etc. i mean to demand changes, reforms, and given constructive criticism is one thing, but do not condone ranting and personal attack such as libel and slandering and so forth, really! got to keep them separate, period! and so class or status attack either, hey this is not the stone ages, you know. cambodia should move along with the world as we progressed in development, etc! get educated already!
I'm ready! How much is the jobs paying
the world had been calling for Cambodian democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, etc. but Xen was too busy in Hanoi cannot hear and see anything about the Cambodian situations. All Xen cares is Preah Vihear I needs more money, troops, tanks but no foods for people. I must done this job takeover Preah Vihear from Thai now and don't worry about Cambodia-Viet border because there is no border.
10:34 PM,
To whom are you trying to preach your messages?
Hun Sen and the CPP? If so, then it is alright since they are the ones who need to hear your messages more than anybody else!
10.34PM,
It is you who can't tell the difference between freedom of expression, democratic politics and slander/ranting.
What do you call when union leaders get sued by the government for agitating for increased wages for the poor workers ?
What kind of development and country is that ?
We have got the POWER, do khmers remember this word? use it please.
10.34PM
you know! really! you know! really!
EOM
Cheam yieb orders that "the minority must do things based on the laws"?
As a law maker,he should know that Power is NOT laws.In fact,power is there to exercise the laws.
These are two separate entity.
Does he mean that majority always do things based on the laws?.
In short,Laws is preventitive mechanism to STOP abuses.Power is used to decrease the abuses, and NOT other way around, it is NOT used to increase abuses.
To fairly understand the abuses, we ought to look into the context of Human rights, RIHGTS to live as human non-discriminately.
And may be Cheam Yieb should have a firm understanding on it too.
Angkor K Man
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