Cambodia: Release of 13 women a victory for their community

27 June 2012
Source: Amnesty International

Today’s decision by Cambodia’s Appeal Court to release 13 women imprisoned for peacefully protesting against a forced eviction is a victory for their community, but their convictions must now be overturned, Amnesty International said.

On 24 May, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced the 13 human rights defenders to two and a half years in prison after an unfair trial. Their arrest followed a peaceful demonstration against the destruction of homes and the forced eviction of thousands of families living around Boeung Kak Lake, in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.

“We are delighted that the 13 women will be released and reunited with their families and community,” said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Cambodia researcher.

“They should not have been arrested in the first place, and their imprisonment has caused unnecessary distress to both them and their families.”

Free Cambodians jailed after forced eviction protest-Amnesty

A Boeung Kak lake resident is detained by police officers during a violent clash over disputed land at the Boeung Kak site in Phnom Penh May 22, 2012. (REUTERS/Samrang Pring)

Tue, 26 Jun 2012

BANGKOK (TrustLaw) – A group of Cambodian women jailed after protesting in support of families whose homes were destroyed during a forced eviction should be freed and their convictions overturned, Amnesty International says.

On May 24, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court charged, tried, convicted and sentenced 13 women, including a grandmother, to 30 months in prison for illegal occupancy of public property among other charges, the rights group said.

The trial took place just 48 hours after the women - community representatives - were arrested following a peaceful protest at Boeung Kak Lake where thousands of people have been forcibly evicted from their homes since August 2008. The lake is in the capital Phnom Penh.

An appeal hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

"These women are prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for speaking out on behalf of their community and for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression," said Amnesty's Cambodia researcher Rupert Abbott in a statement.

ជម្លោះ​ដីធ្លី​កាន់​តែ​ធ្ងន់​ធ្ងរ​​អាច​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្តូរ​

នគរ​បាល​រាជ​ធានី​ ចាប់​ស្ត្រី​អ្នក​ភូមិ​បឹង​កក់ នៅ​ក្នុង​ការ​តវ៉ា​មួយ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ​​។ រូបថត ម៉េង គីម​ឡុង​

Thursday, 24 May 2012 12:24
Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post

ភ្នំពេញៈ ​បញ្ហា​ជម្លោះ​ដី​ធ្លី​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា មាន​លក្ខណៈ​កាន់​តែ​ធ្ងន់​ធ្ងរ​ទៅ​ ដោយ​សារ​តែ​ការ​កើន​ឡើង ​នៃ​ការ​ផ្តល់​ដី​សម្បទាន​សេដ្ឋ​កិច្ច របស់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល ដែល​កាន់​តែ​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​រំលោភ​បំពាន​​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​កាន់ខ្លាំងផង​ដែរ​ ខណៈ​ដែល​​ការ​តវ៉ា ​ក៏​កាន់​តែ​​កើន​ឡើង ហើយជាកត្តា​​អាច​នឹង​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ការ​ផ្លាស់​ប្តូរ។.នេះ​បើ​យោង​តាម​​​អង្គការ​លើក​លែង​ទោស​អន្តរ​ជាតិ​ (Amnesty International) ​នៅ​ក្នុង​របាយ​ការណ៍​មួយ ចេញ​កាល​ពី​ម្សិល​មិញ​។

របាយ​ការណ៍បាន​បង្ហាញ​ថា ​ប្រជា​ជន​កម្ពុជា​​ បាន​បន្ត​ប្រឈម​មុខ​នឹង​បញ្ហា​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​របស់​ខ្លួន ​​តាម​រយៈ​ការ​​​ដាក់​កំហិត ​នៃ​សេរី​ភាព​​សមា​គម និង​​ការ​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ និង​បញ្ហា​ជម្លោះ​ដី​ធ្លី​ ​ដែល​មាន​លក្ខណៈ​កាន់​តែ​ធ្ងន់​ធ្ងរ​ ដោយ​សារ​«​​ចំនួន​កើន​ឡើង​នៃ​​សម្បទាន​ដី​​សេដ្ឋ​កិច្ច​ដែល​ផ្តល់​​ សម្រាប់​​អត្ថ​ប្រយោជន៍​របស់​ក្រុម​ហ៊ុន​ដោយ​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល»។

Amnesty International Annual Report 2012 - Cambodia

Cambodia

• Head of state King Norodom Sihamoni
• Head of government Hun Sen
• Death penalty abolitionist for all crimes
• Population 14.3 million
• Life expectancy 63.1 years
• Under-5 mortality 87.5 per 1,000
• Adult literacy 77.6 per cent

Forced evictions, land disputes and land grabbing continued on a large scale, with thousands of people affected. An increase in the number of economic land concessions granted to business interests by the government exacerbated the situation. Impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses and lack of an independent judiciary remained serious problems. The authorities continued to restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly by threatening, harassing and taking legal action against human rights defenders in an effort to silence them. Grassroots communities and land and housing rights activists were particularly at risk. A controversial proposed law to regulate NGOs and associations met with widespread opposition from civil society and was postponed. Critical developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia threatened to derail proceedings and deny justice to the victims of Khmer Rouge atrocities.

Background

An ongoing border dispute with Thailand over ownership of the area surrounding Preah Vihear temple, a World Heritage Site, resulted in armed clashes between the two countries in early 2011. The International Court of Justice ruled in July that both sides should withdraw their troops from the area, but this was only partially adhered to.

In August, the World Bank stated that since December 2010 it had stopped granting new loans to Cambodia until an agreement could be reached with the remaining residents of Boeung Kak Lake in the capital, Phnom Penh. Almost 4,000 families have been forcibly evicted from the area since 2008.

In October, the government temporarily banned sending domestic workers to Malaysia, after a series of incidents involving the reported abuse of Cambodian women and girls recruited to work as maids. Recruitment agencies in Cambodia were also accused of unlawfully detaining women and girls for training prior to sending them abroad.

Cambodia formally assumed the chair of ASEAN in November, to begin in January 2012. The government announced its intention to seek a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2013-14.

Forced evictions

Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Tribunal at risk as second judge resigns

20 March 2012
Amnesty International

The latest resignation of a judge from the UN-backed tribunal investigating crimes dating from the Khmer Rouge era in Cambodia is a significant setback in the victims’ search for justice, Amnesty International said.

"The victims of the Khmer Rouge atrocities must be feeling utter despair," said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Cambodia researcher.

Judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet today announced his resignation as International Reserve Co-Investigating Judge, citing a ‘dysfunctional situation’ at the tribunal.

With support from the UN, Judge Kasper-Ansermet had resumed investigations into Cases 003 and 004, which involve five individuals suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Cambodian government does not want these cases to proceed, and the tribunal’s National Co-Investigating Judge, You Bunleng, refused to cooperate with him.

"The Cambodian government’s obstruction of Cases 003 and 004 is denying justice to the victims of the Khmer Rouge."

"The UN must demand that the Cambodian government desists from this political interference, and make clear the consequences should it continue," said Rupert Abbott.

Cambodia: Khmer Rouge judgment welcome, but raises human rights concerns

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE


3 February 2012

Cambodia: Khmer Rouge judgment welcome, but raises human rights concerns

The UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal’s final judgment against a former Khmer Rouge prison chief in Cambodia today is an important step towards accountability but raises human rights concerns, Amnesty International said.

The tribunal’s Supreme Court Chamber upheld an earlier conviction of Khmer Rouge jailer Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, for crimes against humanity and war crimes described as “amongst the worst in human history”, and increased his sentence from 35 years to life in prison.

Duch was held responsible for killing at least 12,272 men, women, and children from 1975 to 1979 while he was in charge of “S21”, a secret prison runby the Khmer Rouge in a former school in Phnom Penh.

The judgment included additional convictions against Duch, but also raised human rights concerns by overturning a legal remedy he was granted after a Cambodian military court illegally detained him, without investigation or trial, from May 1999 until July 2007.

“The closure of this first case represents an important step towards achieving accountability for the mass crimes of the Khmer Rouge, and helping the Cambodian people draw a line under this tragic chapter of their country’s history,” said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s researcher on Cambodia, who attended today’s judgment.

“But the decision to overturn the legal remedy for Duch’s unlawful detention and to provide no alternative may be perceived as a case of public opinion trumping human rights.”

Cambodia: Stop the use of excessive force against peaceful land activists

Cambodian authorities forcibly evicted more than 300 families from Phnom Penh's Borei Keila community last month (LICADHO)

2 February 2012
Source: Amnesty International

"The Cambodian government is saying one thing and authorities at the local level are doing another. Yesterday’s use of excessive force by police in Phnom Penh contradicts the Prime Minister’s call for peaceful resolutions to land disputes." - Donna Guest, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Programme (Thu, 02/02/2012)

Cambodian authorities must stop the use of excessive force against peaceful land and housing activists, Amnesty International said today, after police violently dispersed a group of around 150 women protesting forced evictions in the capital Phnom Penh.

Police yesterday beat and arrested several of the women, who were peacefully protesting against last month’s forced eviction of the Borei Keila community and the effects of past evictions at the capital’s Boeung Kak Lake.

“Communities all over Cambodia are peacefully resisting forced evictions and taking action to claim their rights,” said Donna Guest, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Programme.

“The Cambodian authorities must stop the use of excessive force against these communities, and bring to justice those responsible for such violence.”

As the chair of ASEAN for 2012, Cambodia should abide by its legal obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms

Rights groups call for end to forced evictions in Cambodia

Jan 24, 2012
DPA

Phnom Penh - Five international rights groups called Tuesday for Cambodia to end forced land evictions and deemed such action 'a blot on the country's reputation.'

Amnesty International, Witness, Human Rights Watch, International Federation for Human Rights and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development sent a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen urging action.

'As the chair of ASEAN for 2012, Cambodia should abide by its legal obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms,' the letter said, referring to the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

'One of the most dangerous places for an ordinary Cambodian to be is living on a piece of land that a rich man and his government cronies want,' said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division.

Rights groups urge Cambodia to end mass evictions

Cambodian police walk in line during the eviction of residents at a slum village in the centre of Phnom Penh, on January 4

Tuesday, January 24, 2012
AFP

Five leading human rights groups on Tuesday urged ASEAN chair Cambodia to end all forced evictions in the country and free seven people who were detained after a recent land protest turned violent.

"As the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2012, Cambodia should abide by its legal obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms... and end the practice of forced evictions that is a blot on the country's reputation internationally," the campaigners said in an open letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Cambodia recently took over the rotating chairmanship of the 10-member regional ASEAN bloc.

The signatories of the letter, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Witness, also called for the release, "pending further investigation", of seven residents who were arrested during an eviction of some 300 families from an area in the capital Phnom Penh on January 3.

Please sign Amnesty International's Petitio to "Free forced eviction protesters" in Borei Keila

Click the link below to sign the petition online:

http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/27577/#.TxUgO2kFl6E.facebook

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អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​បារម្ភ​អំពី​ការ​ចាប់​អ្នកភូមិ​បុរីកីឡា​៣៨​នាក់​ឃុំឃាំង

រូបថត៖ ហេង រស្មី វីអូអេ ខ្មែរ

ថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍, 12 ខែមករា 2012
ដោយ ជន​ សក្តា​ វីអូអេ ខ្មែរ | ភ្នំពេញ

«ខ្ញុំ​សូម​អំពាវនាវ​ដល់​សម្តេច​ហ៊ុន ​សែន ​សូម​ឲ្យ​ជួយ​ដោះលែង​អ្នក​ភូមិ​បុរីកីឡា​៣៨​នាក់​ ដែល​ត្រូ​វបាន​ចាប់​ឃុំ​ខ្លួន​ដោយ​គ្មាន​ទោស​កំហុស​អី្វ​ទេ​ ហើយ​ជួយ​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​ទាំង​អស់​គ្នា​ឲ្យ​បាន​ទីជម្រក​នៅ​កន្លែង​ក្នុង​បុរីកីឡា​នេះ»។​

នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ព្រហស្បតិ៍​នេះ ​អង្គការ​សិទិ្ធមនុស្ស​អន្តរជាតិ​ AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ​និង​សម្ព័ន្ធ​អង្គការ​សង្គមស៊ីវិល​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ បាន​អំពាវនាវ​ឲ្យ​អាជ្ញាធរ​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ​​ដោះលែង​អ្នក​ភូមិ​បុរីកីឡា​ចំនួន​៣៨​នាក់​ជា​បន្ទាន់​ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​អំពី​រឿង​ជម្លោះ​ដីធ្លី។

ការ​អំពាវនាវ​នេះ​បាន​ធើ្វឡើង ​បន្ទាប់​ពី​អ្នក​ភូមិ​បុរីកីឡា​៣០​នាក់​ ដែល​រួម​មាន​ស្រ្តី​២៤​នាក់​ និង​កុមារ​៦​រូប​ ត្រូវ​បាន​ឃុំខ្លួន​នៅ​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សង្គមកិច្ច​ព្រៃស្ពឺ​ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ព្រហស្បតិ៍​ ហើយ​៨​នាក់​ទៀត​កំពុង​ជាប់​ឃុំ​នៅ​ពន្ធនាគារ​ព្រៃស​ និង​នៅ​ពន្ធនាគារ​ PJ​ (ប៉ូលិសព្រហ្មទណ្ឌ)​ ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​កាល​ពី​សបា្តហ៍​មុន។

អង្គការ​ AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL​​ បាន​សម្តែង​ការព្រួយបារម្ភ​ចំពោះ​ការ​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​អ្នក​តវ៉ា​ដោយ​សន្តិភាព​ចំនួន​៣០​នាក់​ ដែល​ឥឡូវ​នេះ​ត្រូវ​បាន​ឃុំ​ខ្លួន​នៅ​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សង្គម​កិច្ច​ព្រៃស្ពឺ។

Cambodia: Release peaceful protesters detained over forced eviction

Some 300 families in Borei Keila had their homes destroyed on 3 January 2012 (LICADHO)

12 January 2012
Source: Amnesty International

"The women and children are some of Cambodia’s poorest, most vulnerable people – and when they’ve stood up for their legitimate rights they’ve been rounded up and locked away." - Donna Guest, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Asia Pacific

The Cambodian authorities must immediately release 24 women and six children detained yesterday while peacefully protesting their forced eviction.

The group of 30 were arrested while protesting last week’s violent forced eviction of some 300 families from the poor Borei Keila neighbourhood of Phnom Penh.

“These people never should have been arrested in the first place,” said Donna Guest, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Asia-Pacific.

“The women and children are some of Cambodia’s poorest, most vulnerable people – and when they’ve stood up for their legitimate rights they’ve been rounded up and locked away. This kind of heavy-handed intimidation must stop.”

អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ Amnesty អំពាវនាវ​ឲ្យ​បញ្ឈប់​ការបណ្តេញ​ពលរដ្ឋ​កម្ពុជា​​ចេញ​ពី​លំនៅដ្ឋាន​​ដោយ​ការ​បង្ខំ

បុរស​ម្នាក់​ឈរ​នៅ​ផ្ទះ​មួយ​ខ្នង​នៅ​តំបន់​បឹងកក់​ក្នុង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ កាល​ពី​ខែ​សីហា ២០១១។ ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​ប្រមាណ​១៥០០០នាក់​ត្រូវ​បាន​បណ្តេញ​ចេញ​ពី​ផ្ទះសម្បែង​របស់​ ពួកគេ ហើយ​៣៥០០នាក់​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់​នេះ​នៅឡើយ។ (រូបថត៖ Reuters)

ថ្ងៃពុធ, 30 ខែវិច្ឆិកា 2011 VOA
ដោយ Robert Carmichael | ភ្នំពេញ

Click here to read the article in English:

Amnesty Calls for Halt to Cambodian Forced Evictions

អ្នកស្រី​ចង់​ឲ្យ​អ្នកប្រើប្រាស់​ទំនិញ​នៅក្នុង​​សហភាព​អឺរ៉ុប​​​​ធ្វើ​ពហិកា​កុំទិញ​ស្ករ​របស់​​កម្ពុជា​ អ្នកស្រី​និយាយ​ថា​ ស្ករ​នោះ​​កើត​ចេញ​ពី​ដី​ ជីវិត​និង​ឈាម​របស់​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​ដែល​បាន​ត្រូវគេ​បណ្តេញ​ចេញ​ពី​ដី​របស់​ខ្លួន។

អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​ Amnesty​ International ​បាន​អំពាវនាវ​ដល់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​​កម្ពុជា​កាល​ពី​សប្តាហ៍​មុន​​ឲ្យ​បញ្ឈប់​ការបណ្តេញ​ចេញ​ពី​លំនៅដ្ឋាន​ដោយ​ការ​បង្ខិត​បង្ខំ​ដែល​កំពុង​ប៉ះពាល់​​ដល់​មនុស្ស​រាប់​ម៉ឺន​នាក់​ ​និង​ជាបញ្ហា​មួយ​ដែល​មិនបាន​បង្ហាញ​នូវ​សញ្ញា​ស្រាកស្រាន​ឡើយ។ អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​ Amnesty ​ប្រាប់​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ទៀត​ថា​ ស្រ្តី​ កំពុង​ចេញមុខ​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើនឡើង​ក្រោក​​ឈរ​ប្រឆាំង​ដើម្បី​ទាមទារ​សិទ្ធិ​ដីធ្លី។​ របាយការណ៍​របស់​អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ​Amnesty ​ប្រាប់​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ពី​រឿងរ៉ាវ​​របស់​​ស្រ្តី​៥នាក់​​មកពី​ទូទាំង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​រងផល​ប៉ះ​ពាល់​​ដោយ​សារ​ការ​បណ្តេញ​ចេញ​ពី​ផ្ទះ​សម្បែង​ដោយ​បង្ខិត​បង្ខំ។

Amnesty Calls for Halt to Cambodian Forced Evictions

http://www.box.com/s/5dval5vkgczffuz5q5k9

Cambodian people pass the time in the ruins of a house at the Boeung Kak Lake in Phnom Penh. The World Bank called on the Cambodian government to halt the eviction of another 10,000 people at a controversial real estate development and offered to help those who had lost their homes, (Photo: Reuters file).

Monday, 28 November 2011
Robert Carmichael, VOA | Phnom Penh

"A lot of people have no idea what’s going on in Cambodia and this report today is an attempt to raise this profile."

Amnesty International called on the Cambodian government last Thursday to halt a wave of forced evictions affecting tens of thousands of people, a problem that shows no sign of letting up. Amnesty says women are increasingly putting themselves at the forefront in standing up for land rights.

Amnesty’s report tells the story of five women from across Cambodia who have been affected by forced evictions.

The rights group says the Cambodian government is ignoring its international obligations by pushing ahead with forced evictions, and says Phnom Penh risks reversing 20 years of hard-won gains in reducing poverty.

Eviction and Resistance in Cambodia: Amnesty International

http://www.box.com/s/ns32vu21o19i8lc4k3r4

Amnesty Calls for Halt to Cambodian Forced Evictions

Cambodian people pass the time in the ruins of a house at the Boeung Kak Lake in Phnom Penh. The World Bank called on the Cambodian government to halt the eviction of another 10,000 people at a controversial real estate development and offered to help those who had lost their homes, (Photo: Reuters File).

November 24, 2011
Robert Carmichael | Phnom Penh
Voice of America

Amnesty International called on the Cambodian government Thursday to halt a wave of forced evictions affecting tens of thousands of people, a problem that shows no sign of letting up. Amnesty says women are increasingly putting themselves at the forefront in standing up for land rights.

Amnesty’s report tells the story of five women from across Cambodia who have been affected by forced evictions.

The rights group says the Cambodian government is ignoring its international obligations by pushing ahead with forced evictions, and says Phnom Penh risks reversing 20 years of hard-won gains in reducing poverty.

Cambodia: Women hit hard by wave of forced evictions [-The INJUSTICE of Hun Xen's regime]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0gYV4jXnI

Vanny, 31, helps lead community resistance to the Boeung Kak Lake eviction

(Amnesty International)

23 November 2011
Amnesty International

"My house, possessions, clothes, all went up in smoke. Nothing was left." - Mai, 48, a mother from north-west Cambodia on her forced eviction in 2009

Cambodian women are increasingly at the forefront of the battle against a wave of forced evictions sweeping the country, Amnesty International said today in a new report that urges the government to halt the practice.

Eviction and resistance in Cambodia: Five women tell their stories details, through first-hand testimony, the stories of Hong, Mai, Sophal, Heap and Vanny, women who have faced or continue to resist forced eviction from their homes and land.

“In Cambodia, women are at the forefront of the fight against forced evictions. Many have taken the lead in their communities’ struggle for justice, putting themselves at risk to defend their communities,” said Donna Guest, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Deputy Director.

“The Cambodian authorities must bring about an end to the practice of forced evictions, which contravene international human rights treaties and tear families apart.”

Change of Venue to Meta House - Amnesty INternational and NGO CEDAW - Launch of "Eviction Resistance in Cambodia'

Amnesty Internatio​nal and NGO CEDAW - Invitation to attend launch of 'Eviction and Resistance in Cambodia'

Rights groups urge UN action over KRouge court

Saturday, Oct 15, 2011
Saigon Giai Phong (Vietcong Commie Party)

Rights groups urged the United Nations Tuesday to seek assurances from Cambodia that it will not meddle in a UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal after a judge resigned citing political interference.

Amnesty International said the UN could not sit idly by after Siegfried Blunk openly acknowledged the problem when announcing his decision to step down on Monday. Blunk said government opposition to further prosecutions linked to the 1975-79 regime effectively made his position untenable.

"The UN should seek guarantees from the Cambodian government that it will not interfere in its proceedings and make clear that any attempts to influence the work of the (court) will force the UN to review its involvement," said Sam Zarifi, the group's Asia-Pacific director.

The departure of Blunk, one of two judges tasked with investigating new Khmer Rouge cases, is the latest setback to the court, long dogged by allegations of political interference.