Internatio​nal Human Rights Day - CAHRAD Press Release

Press Release

December 10, 2011

Today, December 10th, is the International Human Rights Day. It is the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations General Assembly adopted it on December 10, 1948. Cambodian Americans for Human Rights and Democracy (CAHRAD), which is a non-profit, non-political organization, observes and celebrates this important day, which is a very meaningful day for Cambodian people. This year marks 20th year anniversary of the Paris Peace Accord sponsored by the United Nations. The Accord signed by 19 countries, pledged to guarantee and respect Cambodia Peace, Independence, Territorial Integrity, Sovereignty, Human Rights and Democracy and to prevent the return of the suffering and misery from regime such as the Khmer Rouge.

The General Assembly proclaimed that this Universal Declaration of Human Rights "as a common standard of achievement for all peoples of all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration in mind, shall strive by teaching and educating to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under jurisdiction. The Declaration consists of 30 articles".

Each member State pledged to respect and abide by these 30 articles in which comprise of "all beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights to...everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person, the right to own a property alone, freedom of thought, freedom of opinion and expression, hold opinion without interference, freedom of peaceful assembly and association ….…"

On September, 2010, Professor Surya P. Subedi, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia expressed concerns over freedom of expression, issues related to land and housing rights and the narrowing of political space for members of the opposition parties. Recently, the victims of shelter destruction and land grabbing in Phnom-Penh city, such as Boeng Kak and Borey Keila and other remote villages, have demonstrated in seeking for justice and rights to their property, whose have encountered police brutalities and abuses.

Cambodian Americans for Human Rights and Democracy would like to appeal to the Cambodian Government, a party that had signed the Accord and as a member State of the United Nations, to exercise and apply the 30 articles of the Charter and the terms and conditions of the Accord so that the Cambodian citizen can experience dignity, equality, justice and freedom- the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration.

Mong Heng

President, Cambodian Americans for Human Rights and Democracy

Email: mong@CAHRAD.org

Website: www.CAHRAD.org