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| Surya Prasad Subedi, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Cambodia (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post) |
Source: UN News Centre
6 June 2011 – Significant challenges remain in the process towards full democratic governance in Cambodia, a United Nations independent human rights expert has said, while also recognizing the steps the country has taken towards democracy.
“Some of the current internal rules of procedure of the National Assembly are not conducive to enabling all members to enjoy freedom of speech in holding the executive to account and in defending the rights of the people they represent,” Surya Subedi, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, told reporters in Phnom Penh on Friday at the end of a fact-finding mission to the country.
“What is needed is the political will to accelerate the process of democratization. The institutions that are needed to implement the democratisation process are already in place, but the process of building these institutions as effective, independent and impartial State institutions has been frustratingly slow,” he said.
Mr. Subedi cited the recent cases in Parliament when members’ freedom to participate in debate was curtailed by the lifting of their parliamentary immunity on issues of national importance. Members were also denied the opportunity to make representations in their defence.
“A properly functioning democracy requires effective checks on the executive and the majority,” said Mr. Subedi. “The ability of Parliament in Cambodia to restrain the executive has been limited.”
He noted that while the general human rights situation in Cambodia had improved, the fear of legal action for alleged defamation, disinformation and incitement appeared to make journalists, human rights defenders and political activists resort to self-censorship.
“I am concerned by the use of such charges against land activists and individuals making claims on disputed land,” he said. “I am dismayed to hear about disproportionate use of force by law enforcement officials during peaceful protests by individuals involved in land disputes.”
He said he was encouraged by consultations on the draft laws on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and trade unions, expressing his hope that the final drafts would incorporate the suggestions made by the stakeholders.
4 comments:
he is going to get kicked out from Cambodia like his predecessors!
To 8:42AM
Oh really! There are many more UN representatives like Surya Subedi who want to promote true democracy in Cambodia! AH HUN SEN can't keep kicking the UN representative forever!
I am sickening tired of watching the fucken CTN and the fucken TVK and their favorable monologue of AH HUN SEN regime!
I like to see the opposition and the AH HUN SEN experts go at each other live on TV in discussion of the real issue of Cambodia and Cambodian people and now that is democracy!
As long as AH HUN SEN continue to have his monologue( one way communication) and the UN representative will keep coming and checking on Cambodia!
Khmer must joined together and stop being impulsive if we want to help our nation and our people so that they can live in a better life in the future, Please do something what ever you can, We all one khmer those people could be ours, we are luckily but for them they are less fortunate than us that they have to live under a dictatorship's regime.
Surya Prasad Subedi and Cambodians
need to kick Hun Sen along with
Vietnamese in Cambodia too.
Time can be changed,but it takes
time;so step by step can be done.
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