UN rights envoy troubled by land, freedom of expression in Cambodia

Jun 3, 2011
DPA

Phnom Penh - The UN human rights envoy to Cambodia said Friday that land rights and freedom of expression dominated his concerns as he wrapped up a five-day visit.

Surya Subedi said he was also monitoring closely the tendency of parliament, which is dominated by the ruling Cambodian People's Party, to strip the immunity of opposition legislators who speak out.

'Democracy is about dialogue and debate on all issues of national importance, and this is especially so in the case of parliament, which by definition is a chamber where members of parliament can debate freely any issues of national importance,' he said.

'It is for this reason that they have been accorded parliamentary immunity,' Subedi said, adding that some legislators who had been prosecuted were unable even to represent themselves.

'[That] goes against the basic principles of natural justice, let alone international human rights standards,' he said.

Subedi applauded the government's work in some areas, including consulting with civil society and trade unions on pending laws that would regulate them.

But his major concerns revolved around land and housing rights, an issue he said had been 'at the top of my agenda' since he took up the post in March 2009.

'The problem has not gone away,' he said. 'Land grabbing by the rich and powerful has been a problem, and economic and other forms of land concessions have affected the rights of the indigenous people living in rural areas.'

He said much work was still needed to strengthen the independence and capacity of the judiciary.

Phnom Penh has long had a rocky relationship with human rights groups. This year, the head of the UN human rights office in Cambodia, Christophe Peschoux, left the country for Geneva.

His departure came months after Prime Minister Hun Sen said he wanted the UN human rights office shut and Peschoux fired. The United Nations denied Peschoux's departure was linked to Hun Sen's comments.

A native of Nepal and a British-trained lawyer, Subedi is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report on human rights in Cambodia. He is to submit his next report to the body in September.