AFP
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia has banned a public rally to mark International Women's Day, organisers have said, amid growing concern about a crackdown on freedom of expression in the country.
Phnom Penh municipal authorities rejected a request by trade unions and non-governmental organisations to mark the day's 100th anniversary with a large gathering in the capital, the Cambodian Women's Movement Organisation said.
No reason was given for the refusal, organisers said.
"It's a sad commentary on the current state of human rights in Cambodia," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).
"It says that the government is not committed to permitting a free exercise of the right to associate and the right to assemble. Women have to organise to assert their rights in countries like Cambodia," he told AFP.
Cambodian Women's Movement Organisation president Meas Morokot said the decision to ban the public event was "regrettable".
"Our planned rally does not serve any political party. We all just want to celebrate women," she said.
Organisers will instead hold a gathering for some 1,800 people on private property on the outskirts of the city, she added.
Phnom Penh governor Kep Chuk Tema, whose signature was on the letter banning the rally, said he was too busy to comment.
The Cambodian government has come under fire from rights groups in recent months for stifling free speech and cracking down on critics.
Late last year the government opened a so-called Freedom Park in the capital, a designated protest area that rights groups said was an attempt to keep protesters out of sight and would be used to deny requests for rallies to be staged elsewhere in the city.
"It's clear that the government has an almost knee-jerk reaction against any sort of rally, for whatever purpose, in central Phnom Penh," Robertson said.
International Women's Day is a public holiday in Cambodia and celebratory banners have been erected in the capital to draw attention to the occasion.
11 comments:
We respect real human rights but we refuse to be manipulated by some
politicized NGOs human and women refuse to be a pawn of Brad Adam.
we must protect women and prevent the day of woman is exploited and manipulated by political parties.
No public demonstration and procession unnecessary for that day.
HUN CENT is afraid of women.
HUN CENT manipulates elections, justice...
Hey! that the day I make love to my wife in public, OK?
11:19PM ! good ah Kwack should not celebrate Bon Om Touk see how many people death?
The goshes will come for motherfucker!soon!
AH 12:26AM
AH KWACK HUN CENT OR AH HUN XEN SHOULD BE AFRAID OF HIS WIFE TOO ESPECIALLY WHEN MEE NGOB NUNG GOT THOSE MAKE-UP ON...MEE PAKACH LOBOL YO
I'm afraid of Hun Sen's wife. She looks like Chinese doll. Dracula sucks all blood from her body.
Hey 11.09!
It's sounds like you are one those Hun sen gov spokerspeople or embassy staff.
Good that you guys follow KI becoz you know much your gov is not so popular as you think.
International woman in Cambodia?
To those all old bald head CPP, Cambodian women are just a piece of meat or sex toys to them.
Just go to the restaurants at the east of the river of the river at night.
They afraid of women..this strong dejo hen houj only strong to people who'd tied on their back. ah yuon told them that if these khmer women organized to big in the city, the CPEEPEE will collapse. Yuon, CPEEPEE hun kwak go back home to vietnam!!!!
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