សិក្ខាសាលា​ពិគ្រោះយោប​ល់ថ្នាក់ជា​តិ ស្តីពីការអ​នុវត្តការដោះ​ស្រាយទំនាស់​ក្រៅប្រព័ន្​ធតុលាការនៅ​កម្ពុជា ២០-២១ កញ្ញា ២០១២

https://www.box.com/s/3fc0yvtjbjf8ff11enfm

CLEC Press Statement and Full Report of Phatthana workers facing further exploitati​on

https://www.box.com/s/9d58c0737dbb3908de03

Chut Wutty's Funeral - Photos Courtesy of CLEC

Created with flickr slideshow.

CLEC Job Re-Announcement

2nd Mass fainting at Sabina garment factory on 06 April 2012

(All Photos: Community Legal Education Center)

Click here to view additional photos on Facebook by CLEC

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Please help Seang to save her eyes, her limbs and her livelihood. If we don't no-one will

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUDty4TLFiY

Created by Joel Preston on February 22, 2012
Source: http://www.gofundme.com/fepy0

To donate, please click this link:

http://www.gofundme.com/fepy0

Have you ever eaten dog food? We know a woman that had to; to save her life; for nine and a half months. Exploited Cambodian domestic worker, Seang, will lose her eyesight and use of her limbs if she is unable to travel to Vietnam for treatment and surgery after her abusive Malaysian employer forced her into starvation and disease.

Please help Seang to save her eyes, her limbs and her livelihood.

The interview provided was recently conducted by the Community Legal Education Center www.clec.org.kh). Her face has been blurred at her request. She feels shame and embarrassment for the things that have happened to her and will not permit us to show her face. Her testimony is as follows:

“On May 25th, 2010 my mother accompanied me to register to work as a maid in Malaysia with the recruitment company, AP TSE&C Cambodia Resources Co. Ltd. I lived and studied in their training center for four months then departed to Malaysia.

On September 27th, 2010 I arrived in Malaysia in Malaysia to work as maid for 2 years.

On October 03rd, 2010 my new boss came to pick me up at the agency office. I worked for a family that has 4 members. In my work at their home I must get up early in the morning and wash their two cars every day. I must carry a 20 liter barrel of water from behind the house to wash the car. Then I have to clean the place where he feeds the fish. I must water the crops, 0.5 hectares, two times per day even if it is raining hard. After I finish work outside the home the boss allows me come to work inside at 8:30am. Tasks I must do include feeding four dogs, washing the dishes and cleaning the house that has three floors. I must work every day from 5am to 11pm and I can sleep only five or six hours per night because I have to get up early at 5am and can only go to bed after I finish my work at 11pm every day. One time when I washed the car I had to carry the barrel of water 30 meters from behind the house then the boss saw me spilling water on the ground. He blamed me and did not allow me to drink water for three days. The boss gives me only 0.3kg of pork and little bits of vegetable for one week but the vegetables are not good, very old. Sometimes the boss gives me 10 packages of Chinese noodles to eat in one week. In one day I eat 1 package 2 times and sometimes must I eat the rice from the dog. In the morning I eat two pieces of bread and have nothing to eat for lunch so I have to eat dog food. In the evening I try to eat the leftover food from boss’ family. Sometimes I pick up bread that the boss throws into the garbage can to eat. One time when the boss saw he threatened me if I pick up the bread from the garbage can to eat again he will take all of my food and throw it into the garbage can and let me eat from there. I once broke a knife so the boss reduced my salary to 300 Ringget. There are a lot of mosquitoes in my room at night time because it is in the laundry with the washing machine. I didn’t have a mosquito net and have only a fan but the boss did not allow me to use it. If I use it I will have problem with him. When I felt sick nobody cared for me. Both of my hands are wounded because of the water. When it is unbearable for me I can only cry because I am powerless.

LICADHO & CLEC Joint Statement on Svay Rieng Shooting

http://www.box.com/s/8eznyp6v1rcs91s57llp

CLEC Press Release - Mass Fainting Continue

http://www.box.com/s/vov19lig96gk315b0knk

PRESS RELEASE

Mass Fainting Continues; Official United States Licensee of Reebok-Branded, NFL, NHL Apparel Implicated as the Largest Buyer

Joel Preston

15/02/2012

Even in the wake of the People’s Tribunal on Living Wages in the Garment Industry, yet another wave of mass fainting rippled through the Nanguo Garment Co. Ltd Factory last week.

The list of international buyers associated with reportedly problematic Cambodian factories grows longer by the day; the most recent addition is Streetwear Inc. whose website claims:

‘Streetwear is an official United States licensee of Reebok-branded, NFL, NHL, and Heisman Men’s Big and Tall apparel.’

(http://www.streetwearinc.com/default.aspx?matrix=4)

Located in the Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone in Prey Nop District, ‘Yov Khemara, director of the provincial labour department, said that some among the 162 [Nanguo] workers were sent to hospitals and clinics, while others sought treatment themselves.’

(http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012021454494/National-news/fainting-at-factory-probed.html)

CCU Statement regarding the publication by CCHR and CLEC

Rong Chhun (L) and Chea Mony (R)

Click on the CCU statement in Khmer above to zoom in

Rights of Monitors Abused and Protestors Blackmailed As Crackdown On Freedom Of Expression Continues Unabated

Click on the statement in Khmer to zoom in

CCHR – ADHOC – LICADHO – CLEC
JOINT PRESS RELEASE
PHNOM PENH, 3 MARCH 2010

RIGHTS OF MONITORS ABUSED AND PROTESTORS BLACKMAILED AS CRACKDOWN ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION CONTINUES UNABATED

We the named organisations, express our deepest concern at the prevention by Dangkar district police of a demonstration by villagers against the alleged seizure of their farmland, the arrest and reported blackmail of villagers who attempted to take part in the demonstration and the deletion of photographs taken by human rights monitors from the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Organisation (ADHOC) and the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO).

The attempted demonstration in question was set against the all too familiar backdrop of a land dispute. On 1 March 2010, villagers from Proka Village in Dangkor District who are involved in a land dispute with In Samon, the deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior, attempted to hold a demonstration outside the home of Prime Minister Hun Sen in Takhmao. At 8am however, these villagers were blocked by police with shields and electric batons enroute to the home of the Prime Minister. After confrontations with villagers, the police placed eight villagers under arrest, one of whom has since stated that they were not informed of the reason for their detention. In addition, the police confiscated cameras belonging to rights monitors from Adhoc and Licadho and deleted photographs taken by the monitors. On 3 March 2010, it was reported that seven of eight detained villagers were released after succumbing to threats by the police of imprisonment in Prey Sar prison if they refused and thumb-printing documents withdrawing their complaints about the land. According to the Phnom Penh Post, police had told relatives of the other detainee that she would be released only “after she confesses her faults”. She was finally released late on 2 March 2010 after agreeing to withdraw the land complaint.

In light of the foregoing, we raise the following concerns:

• Firstly, by preventing the villagers from carrying out the demonstration, the police infringed the rights to freedom of expression and assembly of the villagers as guaranteed under Article 41 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia as well as their democratic right to seek the assistance of their elected representatives;
• Secondly, by detaining the eight villagers without informing them of the reasons for their arrest the police have violated Article 97 of the Criminal Procedure Code which provides that “[w]hen a person is placed in police custody, the judicial police officer shall immediately notify their decision and the reasons to the detainee” and Article 9(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which provides that “anyone who is arrested shall be informed, at the time of arrest, of the reasons for his arrest” and which is part of Cambodian law pursuant to Article 31 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia;
• Thirdly, by intimidating the arrested villagers with the threat of imprisonment if they did not relinquish their claim over the land, the authorities have impermissibly taken sides in a private dispute between the parties and are guilty of blackmailing the villagers in question; and
• Finally, in deleting photographs taken legally and in a public place by human rights monitors, the police have violated the right to freedom of expression of the human rights monitors and have illegally circumvented the role of human rights monitors in a democratic society.

In light of the foregoing concerns, we call for the immediate cessation of threats of detention by the authorities involved in this case in their apparent efforts to end the claim of these villagers to the land in question. Furthermore, we call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to direct police forces throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia to protect the rights to freedom of expression and assembly of those who perceive violations of their human rights as well as the right to freedom of expression of those who seek to monitor human rights abuses and to desist from any actions which curtail these rights in a manner inconsistent with Article 41 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

For more information please contact:

Mr. Ou Virak,
President, Cambodia Center for Human Rights (CCHR)
Tel: +855 12 404051
email: ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org

Mr. Ny Chakrya,
Coordinator Cambodian Human Rights and Development Organisation (ADHOC)
Tel: +855 11 274959
email: nychakrya@yahoo.com

Ms. Naly Pilorge,
Director, Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)
Tel: +855 12 803650
email: contact@licadho-cambodia.org

Mr. Yeng Virak,
Executive Director, Community Legal Education Center (CLEC)
Tel: +855 12 801235
email: virakyeng@clec.org.kh

Civil society groups in Cambodia to form media defense network

29 September 2009
Source: SEAPA

Several civil society groups in Cambodia are planning to organize a media defense network that would provide legal aid to journalists, media reports said.

According to "The Cambodia Daily", Ou Virak, director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said on 28 September 2009 that their organization is teaming up with the Legal Aid of Cambodia, Cambodian Justice Initiative, Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists, and the Cambodian Center for Independent Media, in establishing a network of lawyers that would help defend journalists in court.

On 22 September, "The Cambodia Daily" editor-in-chief Kevin Doyle and reporter Neou Vannarin were each fined US$1,000 by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for defaming a group of military officers.

On the other hand, "Rasmei Kampuchea" and "Kampuchea Thmei Daily" issued apologies in July this year after the government filed charges against them.

In the same month, "The Moneaksika Khmer" was ordered shut down in return for the dropping of charges against its publisher, Sam Dith.

"Khmer Machas Srok" editor and publisher Hang Chakra, meanwhile, was sentenced to a year's imprisonment.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy on 22 September lambasted PM Hun Sen's government for silencing critics. Rainsy, along with Duong Hak Sam Rithy, CAPJ vice president, spoke in a SEAPA-organized panel discussion in Bangkok on the media situation in Cambodia.

Virak admitted that forming such a group is challenging because there are not many lawyers keen on defending journalists in court and only a few are familiar with media laws.
------------
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (http://www.seapa.org) is a coalition of press freedom advocacy groups from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Established in November 1998, it is the only regional network with the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom throughout Southeast Asia. SEAPA is composed of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (Indonesia), the Jakarta-based Institute for the Study of the Free Flow of Information (ISAI), the Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, and the Thai Journalists Association. SEAPA also has partners in Malaysia, Cambodia, East Timor, and exiled Burmese media, and undertakes projects and programs for press freedom throughout the region.

Awareness of Legal Rights Rising: Expert [-All that they have to do now is to dump this lawless regime at the election]

By Poch Reasey, VOA Khmer
Washington
20 June 2008

Click here to listen to the audio program in Khmer

Cambodians increasingly know their rights since 1993, according to Yeng Virak, Executive Director of Community Legal Education Center.

“What makes us proud is that villagers can now argue and debate laws with law enforcement officers,” Yeng Virak said, as a guest on "Hello VOA."

People sometimes know and understand the law better than the officials, he said.

“This is exactly what we want people to know in a democratic society," he said. "Sometimes law enforcement officials just tell people that they are only enforcing the existing laws, without telling people what kind of laws. But when people know the laws, the officers cannot lie.

Khmer Kampuchea Monks Chased and Assaulted by Police in Phnom Penh

CCHR-CHRAC Secretariat–CLEC-LICADHO
Media Statement, December 17, 2007

Khmer Kampuchea Monks Chased and Assaulted by Police in Phnom Penh

We, representatives of civil society, strongly condemn the excessive use of violence by the authorities against a group of Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks who gathered peacefully in front of the Vietnamese Embassy on the morning of 17 December 2007.

A group of 48 Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks, ethnic Khmer originally from Southern Vietnam, had convened peacefully in front of the Vietnamese Embassy to submit a petition calling for the release of Kampuchea Krom Buddhist monk Tim Sakhorn and five other monks imprisoned in Vietnam, the resolution of land issues, and respect for minority rights. The Ministry of Interior responded swiftly by deploying a large contingent of police and anti-riot forces who arrived armed with shields, electric batons and guns.

After the monks request for a meeting with an Embassy representative was officially rejected, they sat down at the site to conduct a traditional Buddhist ceremony. At the end of an hour-long of standoff, the monks decided to walk towards the gate of the embassy, where they were met with heavy resistance by the anti-riot police, who used their batons and shields to hit and force back the monks. Some of the monks then threw plastic bottles at the police. The anti-riot unit responded instantly, brutally charging against the monks with their shields and electric batons. The monks then scattered and tried to run away to avoid further injury.

The police continued to violently attack the monks even after they dispersed. They chased the monks four blocks down various side-streets in the area around the Vietnamese Embassy, hitting and beating the monks. Surprised passers-by were told by the police “those who we are beating are not real monks.” (In khmer: “yung wai mun men dejekhun.”)

Two monks were seriously injured after being shocked by electric batons on the backs of their heads; causing one to temporarily lose conscious. Four other monks suffered minor injuries after being assaulted by the police.

Like all citizens, monks have the right to express their opinions and gather peacefully. We appeal to the authorities to refrain from any further use of violence against monks and to ensure that the monks who gathered today will not face any recriminations from religious or state authorities. Furthermore, we request that the relevant authorities investigate and take action against officials that were responsible for assaulting the monks.

For more information, please contact,

Mr. Suon Sareth, CHRAC Executive Secretary at 092 344 357
Mr. Ou Virak, President of CCHR at 012 404 051
Ms. Naly Pilorge, Director of LICADHO at 012 803 650