Showing posts with label Cambodian NGOs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodian NGOs. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Stronger civil society means more power for the weak
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| Protesters demonstrate in May against plans by the Cambodian government to introduce a law requiring NGOs to register. Photograph: LICADHO |
A new fund set up by a coalition of NGOs recognises that civil society activists need back-up to help others fight for their rights
Thursday 7 July 2011
Jonathan Glennie
guardian.co.uk
There are a few truths in development that I hold to be self-evident and this is one of them: no matter what the problem, stronger civil society is always part of the answer. Unfortunately, as my colleague David Booth has pointed out to me, I don't have much evidence for this assertion, and on the face of it, it appears weak (don't you hate it when people insist on evidence?).
If we define development as rapidly rising living standards, some of the fastest growing countries in recent decades (such as China and the East Asian tigers) have been authoritarian regimes with little independent civil society. If we define development as the provision of public goods, like health and education, then a country like Cuba does very well, despite clamping down on dissent.
However, while growth in the last decade has been fairly spectacular in many parts of the world, the fruits of that growth have been shared very unevenly, with inequality generally growing. Strengthening civil society, in my view, will lend political power to those parts of society that need to argue for their needs and rights.
Friday, May 06, 2011
[Thai and Cambodian] NGOs call for observers, and end to hostilities
6/05/2011
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post
JAKARTA : Thai and Cambodian non-government organisations have jointly called for a ceasefire between the two countries and urged Asean to quickly deploy observers in the disputed border area.
Suntaree Saeng-ging, secretary general of the Thai NGO Coordinating Committee, and Thun Saray, president of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, announced the joint statement, which was signed by some 40 organisations from both countries. They also called on Asean to pay more attention to the plight of displaced people from both countries and to settle the conflict through negotiations.
The current border conflict has forced villagers, especially women and children, to abandon their homes and threatened to prolong the sporadic episodes of violence that started in February. Because soldiers from both sides continue exchanging artillery and small arms fire, it was crucial for Asean leaders to play a leading role in ending the conflict, the two activists said.
Thai and Cambodian NGO representatives attending the Asean Civil Society Conference and Asean People Forum, which are running parallel to the Asean summit here, met with the press to air ideas on how to end the border conflict and on ways the two countries might cooperate.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Asean urged to end border row quickly
5/05/2011
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post
Thai and Cambodian civil society organizations have jointly called for a ceasefire between the two countries and encouraged Asean to quickly deploy their observers to maintain the permanent ceasefire to end the suffering of the people along the border.
Suntaree Saeng--ging, secretary general of the Thai NGO Coordinating Committee, together with Thun Saray, president of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, jointly announced that the current border conflicts have caused internal displaced people, especially women and children, and a continuation of violence has been worried about the prolonged armed conflicts.
The two NGO leaders took the opportunity at the Asean People Forum here to issue a joint statement to express their sorrow for those affected, injured and killed in the border disputes which have been aggravated since early February.
“As soldiers from both sides have been exchanging shells and bullets, human rights of the villagers from border communities remained violated—the rights to food, security, and education are not guaranteed,” said Mr Thun.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Rights activists must support communities
MONDAY, 19 JULY 2010
OU VIRAK
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post
Dear Editor,
OU VIRAK
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post
Dear Editor,
In the article “UN backs economic diversity in rural areas” (July 1, 2010), The Phnom Penh Post reported on the recent United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) report that advocates for the decentralisation of development. The report notes how a “‘localised’ policy approach could be [a] method to stimulate countryside economic growth, therefore raising populations out of poverty”. The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) believes that this approach to development should be applied to human rights.
The human rights field in Cambodia has at times been marked by NGOs taking a top-down approach to human rights advocacy, with communities and smaller community-based organisations led rather than empowered. Article 35 of the Constitution of Cambodia provides for “the right to participate actively in the political, economic and cultural life of the nation.” Civil society is not a small collection of national NGOs based in Phnom Penh; rather, it is all those people who seek to exercise this constitutional right, individually or as part of an organisation or informal group, making up society but distinct from the state.
As the UNCDF notes that the “current mainstream policy approach to rural development … [is] not sufficient to promote local economic development”, the CCHR posits that centre-led initiatives to promoting human rights can often suffocate civic-driven change. In the past, ‘one size fits all’ initiatives have been developed and applied to communities throughout Cambodia, with local conditions and needs often ignored. This approach has often failed to improve respect for human rights.
Similar to the development approach advocated by UNDCF, CCHR supports the localisation of human rights advocacy to give rise to nuanced local approaches that reflect the differing needs and priorities of communities throughout Cambodia. Communities and local organisations will not always have the skills and resources to undertake this localised advocacy. There is therefore an important role for national NGOs to play in empowering and assisting these communities where requested. For example, CCHR trains communities on human rights in the context of localised conflict; we train community- and sector-based organisations on monitoring and documenting human-rights violations in their localities or according to their area of focus; and we secure resources for human-rights defenders under threat, to empower them to help their own communities. Meanwhile, aside from implementing initiatives to empower, there will still be an important role for larger national [effort] to undertake research and develop policy as a basis for evidence-based advocacy for policy, structural and legislative changes. CCHR sees these approaches as key to the future of human rights advocacy in Cambodia.
Ou Virak, president
Rupert Abbott
Director of development, CCHR
Phnom Penh
The human rights field in Cambodia has at times been marked by NGOs taking a top-down approach to human rights advocacy, with communities and smaller community-based organisations led rather than empowered. Article 35 of the Constitution of Cambodia provides for “the right to participate actively in the political, economic and cultural life of the nation.” Civil society is not a small collection of national NGOs based in Phnom Penh; rather, it is all those people who seek to exercise this constitutional right, individually or as part of an organisation or informal group, making up society but distinct from the state.
As the UNCDF notes that the “current mainstream policy approach to rural development … [is] not sufficient to promote local economic development”, the CCHR posits that centre-led initiatives to promoting human rights can often suffocate civic-driven change. In the past, ‘one size fits all’ initiatives have been developed and applied to communities throughout Cambodia, with local conditions and needs often ignored. This approach has often failed to improve respect for human rights.
Similar to the development approach advocated by UNDCF, CCHR supports the localisation of human rights advocacy to give rise to nuanced local approaches that reflect the differing needs and priorities of communities throughout Cambodia. Communities and local organisations will not always have the skills and resources to undertake this localised advocacy. There is therefore an important role for national NGOs to play in empowering and assisting these communities where requested. For example, CCHR trains communities on human rights in the context of localised conflict; we train community- and sector-based organisations on monitoring and documenting human-rights violations in their localities or according to their area of focus; and we secure resources for human-rights defenders under threat, to empower them to help their own communities. Meanwhile, aside from implementing initiatives to empower, there will still be an important role for larger national [effort] to undertake research and develop policy as a basis for evidence-based advocacy for policy, structural and legislative changes. CCHR sees these approaches as key to the future of human rights advocacy in Cambodia.
Ou Virak, president
Rupert Abbott
Director of development, CCHR
Phnom Penh
Friday, June 04, 2010
NGOs must adapt new development strategies
THURSDAY, 03 JUNE 2010
OU VIRAK AND RUPERT ABBOTT
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post
Dear Editor,
OU VIRAK AND RUPERT ABBOTT
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post
Dear Editor,
Last year marked the 30th anniversary of NGOs in Cambodia, and their contribution was celebrated recently in the Phnom Penh Post’s excellent NGO Sector Review.
In his recent letter to you (“Kingdom’s NGOs need to adopt new strategies”, May 12), Vic Salas called on NGOs to “rethink the ways that they work”.
We strongly agree with Salas. Indeed, for NGOs working to improve the situation of human rights in Cambodia, last year’s milestone – as much as a cause for celebration – serves as an opportunity to take stock and consider how we can develop new approaches to maximise our contribution to Cambodia’s development and democratisation.
Together with the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression, recent and proposed legislation – including the planned NGO Law – threatens to impede NGOs by imposing worrying restrictions and shrinking the space within which we work.
Meanwhile, the global economic recession is impacting on the funds available to NGOs. In this context, the need for human rights NGOs to self-reflect and develop new approaches is all the more pressing.
Empower rather than lead
In the past, human rights NGOs have often sought to lead rather than empower communities, speaking at, rather than listening to them, and applying a “one size fits all” approach to different local contexts and problems.
This top-down approach creates a relationship of dependency, often fails to address the human rights violations at hand and is unsustainable.
We can truly empower communities by training them on their rights and the ways in which they can claim these rights; by creating the space for them to use this understanding, at public forums for example; by linking them to networks, share experiences and develop joint actions; and by building the capacity of those better placed to empower communities, including HRDs, CBOs and SBOs.
True empowerment will give rise to nuanced local approaches that reflect the needs and priorities of communities. It will help communities understand and demand their rights, and facilitate natural, civic-driven change.
Look at the bigger picture
Intervention to address specific rights violations is often required, but bigger picture analysis of human rights trends and underlying problems is important also. More long-term and wide-ranging approaches will be required if we are to develop a fuller understanding of the problems Cambodia faces and to advocate strongly for their alleviation. There is an urgent need for more thorough research, deeper analysis and the development of new ideas for improving respect for human rights in Cambodia.
Collaborate and be open
We have at times failed to work together and share information, including data on human rights violations. This lack of collaboration is arguably the product of competitiveness, driven by limited and short-term donor funding and perceived self-interest. It only serves to thwart our shared overall aim and weakens us in the face of oppression. We need to specialise and collaborate, developing unique strengths and rights focuses.
In their 30 years’ history, NGOs in Cambodia have been a powerful force for change and progress. However, there is much still to be done.
Human rights NGOs will be a far stronger force for democratisation and the realisation of human rights in Cambodia if we change with the times. It is not easy to drop traditional methods in favour of new approaches, but without this risk there will be no change.
Ou Virak
President, Cambodian Centre for Human Rights
Rupert Abbott
Development director, Cambodian Centre for Human Rights
In his recent letter to you (“Kingdom’s NGOs need to adopt new strategies”, May 12), Vic Salas called on NGOs to “rethink the ways that they work”.
We strongly agree with Salas. Indeed, for NGOs working to improve the situation of human rights in Cambodia, last year’s milestone – as much as a cause for celebration – serves as an opportunity to take stock and consider how we can develop new approaches to maximise our contribution to Cambodia’s development and democratisation.
Together with the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression, recent and proposed legislation – including the planned NGO Law – threatens to impede NGOs by imposing worrying restrictions and shrinking the space within which we work.
Meanwhile, the global economic recession is impacting on the funds available to NGOs. In this context, the need for human rights NGOs to self-reflect and develop new approaches is all the more pressing.
Empower rather than lead
In the past, human rights NGOs have often sought to lead rather than empower communities, speaking at, rather than listening to them, and applying a “one size fits all” approach to different local contexts and problems.
This top-down approach creates a relationship of dependency, often fails to address the human rights violations at hand and is unsustainable.
We can truly empower communities by training them on their rights and the ways in which they can claim these rights; by creating the space for them to use this understanding, at public forums for example; by linking them to networks, share experiences and develop joint actions; and by building the capacity of those better placed to empower communities, including HRDs, CBOs and SBOs.
True empowerment will give rise to nuanced local approaches that reflect the needs and priorities of communities. It will help communities understand and demand their rights, and facilitate natural, civic-driven change.
Look at the bigger picture
Intervention to address specific rights violations is often required, but bigger picture analysis of human rights trends and underlying problems is important also. More long-term and wide-ranging approaches will be required if we are to develop a fuller understanding of the problems Cambodia faces and to advocate strongly for their alleviation. There is an urgent need for more thorough research, deeper analysis and the development of new ideas for improving respect for human rights in Cambodia.
Collaborate and be open
We have at times failed to work together and share information, including data on human rights violations. This lack of collaboration is arguably the product of competitiveness, driven by limited and short-term donor funding and perceived self-interest. It only serves to thwart our shared overall aim and weakens us in the face of oppression. We need to specialise and collaborate, developing unique strengths and rights focuses.
In their 30 years’ history, NGOs in Cambodia have been a powerful force for change and progress. However, there is much still to be done.
Human rights NGOs will be a far stronger force for democratisation and the realisation of human rights in Cambodia if we change with the times. It is not easy to drop traditional methods in favour of new approaches, but without this risk there will be no change.
Ou Virak
President, Cambodian Centre for Human Rights
Rupert Abbott
Development director, Cambodian Centre for Human Rights
Sunday, April 25, 2010
58 Cambodian NGOs denounce a planned uprooting of border posts by Thai ultra-nationalists, while Cambodian Army warned of armed crackdown
PAD clash near Preah vihear temple in 2009 (AP)Saturday, 24 April 2010
By Khmerization
Sources: RFA, RFI and Koh Santepheap
58 Cambodian NGOs have released a statement denouncing a group of Thai ultra-nationalists who planned to march to the border and uprooting border posts near Ta Moan Toch temple in Oddar Meanchey province, report Radio Free Asia and other local media.
Reaksmey Kampuchea newspaper recently quoted Thai Matichon newspaper as reported on 16th April that a small group of Thai ultra-nationalists, led by the firebrand Veera Somkwamkid, will march to border area to uproot border posts near Ta Moan Toch temple from 2-3 May.
Radio France Internationale reports that the 58 NGOs include Cambodian-Asean Civil Society, Federation of Cambodian Human Rights and Development, Cambodian-Asean Youth Association, Cambodian Chamber of Union Alliance and Cambodian-Asean Human Rights Association, as well as Cambodian Independent Teachers Association and Cambodian Watchdog Council headed by Mr. Rong Chhun.
Mr. Som Aun, chairman of Cambodian-Asean Civil Society, has called on the Thai government to take measures to stop the actions of these Thai ultra-nationalists. "All of us denounce the [planned] action by Veera Somkwamkid and his group who don't know the history. Secondly, we ask the Thai government to take concrete measures to sop this small group of Thai ultra-nationalists from travelling to uproot the border posts", he declared.
Mr. Rong Chhun, president of Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) and Cambodian Watchdog Council (CWC), declared on Thursday that he'll lead a mass demonstration against the Thai inveasion on 15th July.
Mr. Suwat Kao-Suk, advisor to the Thai Embassy, said he had heard the news of Mr. Veera Somkwamkid's plan through the Thai media, but declined to comment further as he needs to check the accuracy of the reports first.
Mr. Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Cambodian Press and Quick Reaction Unit, also strongly denounce the planned action of the Thai ultra-nationalists. "We resolutely denounce [the action] and we ask the Thai government led by Prime Minister Abhisit to take measures to stop the action of this group of Thai ultra-nationalists from creating anarchy as it is also violating international laws", he said.
Gen. Chea Dara, Cambodian top commander in charge of Ta Moan area, was quoted by Koh Santepheap newspaper as having strongly warned that the Cambodian armed forces resolutely opposed the action of the Thai ultra-nationalists and will use force to crack down if Mr.Veera Somkwamkid and his group carry out their threat of uprooting the border posts.
Border post number 23, located near Ta Moan Toch temple, was planted by Franco-Siamese Border Commission in 1908. However, the original post was missing and the present Cambodian-Thai Border Commission planted new temporary posts in 2000, while waiting for the original post to be found. According to documents left by the Franco-Siamese Border Commission concerning about border delimitation titled "A Track Toward the Ta Moan Temples" dated 30th December 1908, they stated clearly that all the Ta Moan temples (Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Toch, Ta Krabey...) are located inside Cambodian territory, of which their locations contained inside the Annex Map I used by the International Court of Justice in reaching its verdict in 1962 which adjudicated to give ownership of Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia.
Reaksmey Kampuchea newspaper recently quoted Thai Matichon newspaper as reported on 16th April that a small group of Thai ultra-nationalists, led by the firebrand Veera Somkwamkid, will march to border area to uproot border posts near Ta Moan Toch temple from 2-3 May.
Radio France Internationale reports that the 58 NGOs include Cambodian-Asean Civil Society, Federation of Cambodian Human Rights and Development, Cambodian-Asean Youth Association, Cambodian Chamber of Union Alliance and Cambodian-Asean Human Rights Association, as well as Cambodian Independent Teachers Association and Cambodian Watchdog Council headed by Mr. Rong Chhun.
Mr. Som Aun, chairman of Cambodian-Asean Civil Society, has called on the Thai government to take measures to stop the actions of these Thai ultra-nationalists. "All of us denounce the [planned] action by Veera Somkwamkid and his group who don't know the history. Secondly, we ask the Thai government to take concrete measures to sop this small group of Thai ultra-nationalists from travelling to uproot the border posts", he declared.
Mr. Rong Chhun, president of Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) and Cambodian Watchdog Council (CWC), declared on Thursday that he'll lead a mass demonstration against the Thai inveasion on 15th July.
Mr. Suwat Kao-Suk, advisor to the Thai Embassy, said he had heard the news of Mr. Veera Somkwamkid's plan through the Thai media, but declined to comment further as he needs to check the accuracy of the reports first.
Mr. Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Cambodian Press and Quick Reaction Unit, also strongly denounce the planned action of the Thai ultra-nationalists. "We resolutely denounce [the action] and we ask the Thai government led by Prime Minister Abhisit to take measures to stop the action of this group of Thai ultra-nationalists from creating anarchy as it is also violating international laws", he said.
Gen. Chea Dara, Cambodian top commander in charge of Ta Moan area, was quoted by Koh Santepheap newspaper as having strongly warned that the Cambodian armed forces resolutely opposed the action of the Thai ultra-nationalists and will use force to crack down if Mr.Veera Somkwamkid and his group carry out their threat of uprooting the border posts.
Border post number 23, located near Ta Moan Toch temple, was planted by Franco-Siamese Border Commission in 1908. However, the original post was missing and the present Cambodian-Thai Border Commission planted new temporary posts in 2000, while waiting for the original post to be found. According to documents left by the Franco-Siamese Border Commission concerning about border delimitation titled "A Track Toward the Ta Moan Temples" dated 30th December 1908, they stated clearly that all the Ta Moan temples (Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Toch, Ta Krabey...) are located inside Cambodian territory, of which their locations contained inside the Annex Map I used by the International Court of Justice in reaching its verdict in 1962 which adjudicated to give ownership of Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Cambodian PM highlights NGOs' contribution to country's development [... yet he wants to control them still]
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday highlighted the contribution of the civil societies and non governmental organizations that have participated in restoration and the development of the country with the government.
"We have to develop the country together including each individual and the NGOs have to continue to process their work for participation in the country's construction as partnership with the government," he told hundreds of members of non-governmental organizations at the 30th anniversary of NGOs partnership with the people and Cambodian government.
"We have to focus on the health, education, environment, good governance for rule of law and other fields to serve the benefit of the people and the country," he added.
In 1979, there were about five non-governmental organizations in the country and most of them on health services. But now there are over 3,000 NGOs to help the society and people, he noted. Cambodia is heaven for NGOs, he said.
At the same time, he said that NGOs should not worry about the upcoming draft law of NGOs management. The government wants to know the sources of capital for the NGOs process. That law will help to be transparent for NGOs' work in development of the country, and we do not want to see the overlapping investment projects as well as the budget in each year we spent for country' s development, he added.
Meanwhile, Hun Sen pointed out that some NGOs are getting the fund from other countries for their work against the ruling government and others are serving political party's benefit. "Good NGOs won't worry about that law," he stressed.
The government does not put limitation on freedom but the government wants the NGOs to work effectively, and the government opened freely for NGOs to register smoothly at Council of Ministers or Interior Ministry or international organizations registering with the Foreign Ministry for operating their work in the country, he said. "However, the NGOs is still the partnership for government in development of the country," he said.
The single most important contribution of NGOs to Cambodia is in building social capital, said Eva Mysliwiec, executive director of Youth Star Cambodia and representative of the organization committee. NGOs has continued to improve the basic services for people and Cambodian society and economy, rehabilitation of infrastructure and other fields that counted endless, she said.
"We have to develop the country together including each individual and the NGOs have to continue to process their work for participation in the country's construction as partnership with the government," he told hundreds of members of non-governmental organizations at the 30th anniversary of NGOs partnership with the people and Cambodian government.
"We have to focus on the health, education, environment, good governance for rule of law and other fields to serve the benefit of the people and the country," he added.
In 1979, there were about five non-governmental organizations in the country and most of them on health services. But now there are over 3,000 NGOs to help the society and people, he noted. Cambodia is heaven for NGOs, he said.
At the same time, he said that NGOs should not worry about the upcoming draft law of NGOs management. The government wants to know the sources of capital for the NGOs process. That law will help to be transparent for NGOs' work in development of the country, and we do not want to see the overlapping investment projects as well as the budget in each year we spent for country' s development, he added.
Meanwhile, Hun Sen pointed out that some NGOs are getting the fund from other countries for their work against the ruling government and others are serving political party's benefit. "Good NGOs won't worry about that law," he stressed.
The government does not put limitation on freedom but the government wants the NGOs to work effectively, and the government opened freely for NGOs to register smoothly at Council of Ministers or Interior Ministry or international organizations registering with the Foreign Ministry for operating their work in the country, he said. "However, the NGOs is still the partnership for government in development of the country," he said.
The single most important contribution of NGOs to Cambodia is in building social capital, said Eva Mysliwiec, executive director of Youth Star Cambodia and representative of the organization committee. NGOs has continued to improve the basic services for people and Cambodian society and economy, rehabilitation of infrastructure and other fields that counted endless, she said.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
NGOs Lack Resource For Protection Capacity
By Im Sothearith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
09 November 2009
Original report from Washington
09 November 2009
[Editor’s note: VOA Khmer recently spoke with specialists in the field of natural resource management in developing countries and learned that Cambodia is not alone in struggling to use natural resources to benefit its citizens. The resource curse, where natural riches fail to help the poor, is a worldwide scourge, the global experts told VOA Khmer in numerous interviews. Below is Part 10 of the original VOA Khmer weekly series, airing Sundays in Cambodia.]
While many civic groups have proven active in the realm of human rights, their involvement in protecting natural resources remains marginal, experts say.
“Not many non-governmental organizations act as watchdogs and write reports to inform either the public or the government” on resources, said Chea Vannath, the former head of the Center for Social Development, who is now an independent analyst.
People knowledgeable in the issues are limited, as is access to government information, while resource exploitation takes place in remote areas such as jungles or dangerous areas, she said.
“Most of the information is from international NGOs, who have been conducting research and writing about natural resource management in Cambodia,” she said.
The best known of these is Global Witness, she said, an environmental group that has written reports critical of the government’s exploitation of timber, oil and minerals.
Global Witness reports, which implicate senior officials and tycoons close family and friends of Prime Minister Hun Sen in the abuse of resources, are banned in the country.
Cambodia has 622 non-governmental organizations listed at the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia. Of these 418 are local, and 64 work on natural resources issues.
Cambodia’s civic groups “don’t have adequate skills” in resource protection, said Lao Monghay, a researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission, which is based in Hong Kong. “In every sector we learn together. The government also learns, civil society also learns and the average citizen also learns.”
Paul Collier, an Oxford University economist and author of “The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It,” told VOA Khmer by phone that there’s no substitute for an informed society to watch the government’s natural resource management.
An informed society comprises a “critical mass” that understands the issue well, and civil society is one part of this, he said.
Seeing the absence of transparent management and weak role of civil society, a group of organizations joined to form Cambodian Resource Revenue Transparency, or CRRT, to report on resource management.
“Giving the public an opportunity to participate in public debate is an opportunity for them to participate in decision-making and monitor natural resource management,” Mam Sambath, the group’s director, said. “CRRT will try to seek important information for the people. They will receive information they deserve through all public forums. If there’s a public forum at the national level on natural resource management or the impact of the extractive industry, we plan to invite civil society representatives, government representatives or community members to participate.”
Chhit Sam Ath, executive director of the NGO Forum, which has projects dealing with natural resources, stressed the important role played by civil society in promoting the people’s awareness of resource management.
“First we help publicize laws or decrees concerning natural resource management to the community so that they are aware of their rights in managing natural resources,” he said. “The second is, some NGOs who are working in the community to help build capacity in the community, especially helping create natural resource communities, such as forestry communities and fishery communities, so that community members can work together to preserve and protect their natural resources.”
Kong Kimsreng, senior program officer for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, said his group has two main conservation projects: the Peam Krasaop site in Koh Kong province and the Ramsar site in Stung Treng province.
“We work with rural communities on natural resource conservation from the grass-root level to find out their concerns about participating in utilizing the natural resources,” he said. “When we know their concerns, we pass on the concerns to policymakers so that they can take the concerns into consideration and give some rights to people to use the natural resources in their areas.”
While many civic groups have proven active in the realm of human rights, their involvement in protecting natural resources remains marginal, experts say.
“Not many non-governmental organizations act as watchdogs and write reports to inform either the public or the government” on resources, said Chea Vannath, the former head of the Center for Social Development, who is now an independent analyst.
People knowledgeable in the issues are limited, as is access to government information, while resource exploitation takes place in remote areas such as jungles or dangerous areas, she said.
“Most of the information is from international NGOs, who have been conducting research and writing about natural resource management in Cambodia,” she said.
The best known of these is Global Witness, she said, an environmental group that has written reports critical of the government’s exploitation of timber, oil and minerals.
Global Witness reports, which implicate senior officials and tycoons close family and friends of Prime Minister Hun Sen in the abuse of resources, are banned in the country.
Cambodia has 622 non-governmental organizations listed at the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia. Of these 418 are local, and 64 work on natural resources issues.
Cambodia’s civic groups “don’t have adequate skills” in resource protection, said Lao Monghay, a researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission, which is based in Hong Kong. “In every sector we learn together. The government also learns, civil society also learns and the average citizen also learns.”
Paul Collier, an Oxford University economist and author of “The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It,” told VOA Khmer by phone that there’s no substitute for an informed society to watch the government’s natural resource management.
An informed society comprises a “critical mass” that understands the issue well, and civil society is one part of this, he said.
Seeing the absence of transparent management and weak role of civil society, a group of organizations joined to form Cambodian Resource Revenue Transparency, or CRRT, to report on resource management.
“Giving the public an opportunity to participate in public debate is an opportunity for them to participate in decision-making and monitor natural resource management,” Mam Sambath, the group’s director, said. “CRRT will try to seek important information for the people. They will receive information they deserve through all public forums. If there’s a public forum at the national level on natural resource management or the impact of the extractive industry, we plan to invite civil society representatives, government representatives or community members to participate.”
Chhit Sam Ath, executive director of the NGO Forum, which has projects dealing with natural resources, stressed the important role played by civil society in promoting the people’s awareness of resource management.
“First we help publicize laws or decrees concerning natural resource management to the community so that they are aware of their rights in managing natural resources,” he said. “The second is, some NGOs who are working in the community to help build capacity in the community, especially helping create natural resource communities, such as forestry communities and fishery communities, so that community members can work together to preserve and protect their natural resources.”
Kong Kimsreng, senior program officer for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, said his group has two main conservation projects: the Peam Krasaop site in Koh Kong province and the Ramsar site in Stung Treng province.
“We work with rural communities on natural resource conservation from the grass-root level to find out their concerns about participating in utilizing the natural resources,” he said. “When we know their concerns, we pass on the concerns to policymakers so that they can take the concerns into consideration and give some rights to people to use the natural resources in their areas.”
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Human rights activists in Cambodia deny any manipulation of citizens
Phnom Penh (Cambodia). 12/12/2007: Human rights activist demonstrating with inhabitants of the Dey Krohom community on Human Rights Day. (Photo: John Vink/ Magnum)03-02-2009
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set in English
For a year now, Human rights activists have found themselves more and more blamed and pointed at by Cambodian authorities who reproach them for inspiring feelings of rebellion and encourage citizens to act out of a legal framework. NGOS reject this reading of the situation loud and clear and worry about the threats which now hang more heavily over their staff. They see there an attempt by the Cambodian authorities to discredit them and muzzle them better, with as a background, the fear caused by the future adoption of a law regulating NGOs and which according to them might markedly undermine their independence. In its 8th annual report on the Human rights situation in Cambodia, presented on Tuesday February 3rd, local association ADHOC particularly puts the emphasis on this worrying point and sounds the alarm.
Yet, the mission of NGOs is clear...
Concern is the order of the day, ADHOC president Thun Saray indicates. In 2008, Human rights defenders, “providing advice to victims of land and resource seizures on seeking redress with the courts or authorities, or the release from detention of their community representatives” have been the particular target of threats and accusations of incitement to protest. “Such accusations from government officials were designed to intimidate workers and activists”, from providing legal advice and assistance to victims in land disputes with private companies and powerful people, ADHOC denounces in its report. In 2008, according to the Human rights NGO, at least 164 Human rights defenders were subjected to such threats in 63 separate cases.
Such pressure already existed in 2007 but mainly targeted community representatives, Thun Saray stresses. Pressure increased towards activists in 2008. “Yet, what we do is not illegal, I would like to insist on that point. We explain their rights to inhabitants and provide them with legal advice, for their claims not to turn into unlawful ones. I do not want to hear that NGOs encourage villagers to express claims, this was never the case. Residents act as part of a will of their own! We invite them, on the contrary, not to give up in front of the destruction of public property and property of others”, the ADHOC president argues.
Similar tone of speech at the headquarters of the LICADHO, another Cambodian organisation for the defence of Human rights. Its president, Kek Galabru, observes with the same concern the increase in the number of threats towards activists, whether they be attached to NGOs or not. “We have already pointed this out in several reports. I will give you a recent example: one of our employees was hit at Dey Krohom as he was only explaining their rights to residents! Our staff also received unsigned mail containing the drawing of a skull and crossbones... Saying that we are the ones behind the demonstrations is only an excuse used by the government to avoid solving problems. We never acted like that!”, LICADHO president says.
However, Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR), strikes a different note. He acknowledges that the authorities sometimes put the blame on Human rights NGOs, but according to him, the situation has improved since 2007. “The authorities seem to understand more the role of NGOs and citizens' rights, even if there are certain limits... In 2008, every time our centre organised forums in the provinces, authorities did not prevent their holding like they did in 2007, especially in the Kampong Chhnang and Ratanakiri provinces.”
NGOs: When local authorities hamper the work of activists
Thun Saray points an accusing finger at “some provincial authorities who shut their door on NGOs and refuse to collaborate with us”. A province, Kratie, he adds, even put ADHOC down on its blacklist when another one, Ratanakiri, gives its activists a hard time and holds them responsible for demonstrations led by members of ethnic minorities. Another example, that of a civil servant working at a provincial cabinet of Battambang, who wanted to file a lawsuit against ADHOC for having, here again, encouraged inhabitants to demonstrate outside the tribunal. The lawsuit was not carried through since the governor intervened and pointed out that the civil servant did not have any evidence, Thun Saray reports.
The principle adopted by ADHOC is to transfer any activist subjected to threats. “Our goal is not to seize power from the authorities but only to bring justice to citizens. We continue to explain our mission to the authorities and we encourage our campaigners not to give up. Even though there are disappointments...”
Bad elements on both sides, according to the government
Interviewed on that particular point, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith tries to temporise. “There are a few cases in the Northeast of the country, where inhabitants legally sold their land but Human rights representatives encouraged them to claim their land back. I am not saying that this person is right and that other is wrong, I am simply saying that we have to look at both sides. There are bad elements within the government, and we do not support them, as there are bad elements in NGOs, and the latter are not tevodas or such divinities! We must be conscious that reports made by our subordinates are not always correct... It is neither perfect on one side nor is it on the other, but if both parties admit it, we will be able to better collaborate together!”
Land conflicts at the basis of the NGO / authorities conflict
Intimidation of Human rights activists generally happen in the context of land disputes in which violence has increased, ADHOC deplores. In 2008, military officials have been far more involved in those conflicts, with a threefold increase in the number of cases in which they actually constituted one of the conflicting parties (125 cases reported in 2008 compared to 40 in 2007), the report points out.
Ny Chakriya, head of the ADHOC monitoring office of investigators, notes that “most land disputes are linked with the construction of military barracks”, which affect villagers who are already established there. “A single case of land-grabbing affects a minimum average of 500 families and applies to an area ranging from 200 to 500 hectares.” The most affected provinces are Battambang, Banteay Meancheay, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri and Kratie.
Disputes increasingly violent
ADHOC reports that the severity of violence relating to land conflicts increased in 2008, with three people killed in disputed areas and five who died later in hospital as a result of injuries (compared to two persons killed in 2007). The court system remains heavily influenced by private companies and powerful individuals, the organisation repeats, and was used increasingly to arrest and detain complainants in land conflicts. In 2008, out of 306 cases listed, “150 people were arrested and detained compared to 139 from 350 cases in 2007”. Aside from those cases, over 100 people who faced arrest warrants managed to avoid capture. To date, according to the ADHOC report, there are still 59 people detained in prison.
Nothing changes, the NGO regrets, since the main reasons for forced evictions remain the renting or sale for development of occupied land to private companies without adequate compensation to the current occupants. The government committed to providing land to poor people in the form of Social Land concessions, but results do not measure up to expectations. According to information obtained by ADHOC, only 409 hectares of land were provided compared to the 225,090 hectares (that is to say 550 times more) provided to some 71 private companies in the form of Economic Land Concessions. These concessions are said to have had negative consequences on more than 10,000 families in Cambodia, as those lands were granted without any prior social impact assessment, the report states.
Yet, the mission of NGOs is clear...
Concern is the order of the day, ADHOC president Thun Saray indicates. In 2008, Human rights defenders, “providing advice to victims of land and resource seizures on seeking redress with the courts or authorities, or the release from detention of their community representatives” have been the particular target of threats and accusations of incitement to protest. “Such accusations from government officials were designed to intimidate workers and activists”, from providing legal advice and assistance to victims in land disputes with private companies and powerful people, ADHOC denounces in its report. In 2008, according to the Human rights NGO, at least 164 Human rights defenders were subjected to such threats in 63 separate cases.
Such pressure already existed in 2007 but mainly targeted community representatives, Thun Saray stresses. Pressure increased towards activists in 2008. “Yet, what we do is not illegal, I would like to insist on that point. We explain their rights to inhabitants and provide them with legal advice, for their claims not to turn into unlawful ones. I do not want to hear that NGOs encourage villagers to express claims, this was never the case. Residents act as part of a will of their own! We invite them, on the contrary, not to give up in front of the destruction of public property and property of others”, the ADHOC president argues.
Similar tone of speech at the headquarters of the LICADHO, another Cambodian organisation for the defence of Human rights. Its president, Kek Galabru, observes with the same concern the increase in the number of threats towards activists, whether they be attached to NGOs or not. “We have already pointed this out in several reports. I will give you a recent example: one of our employees was hit at Dey Krohom as he was only explaining their rights to residents! Our staff also received unsigned mail containing the drawing of a skull and crossbones... Saying that we are the ones behind the demonstrations is only an excuse used by the government to avoid solving problems. We never acted like that!”, LICADHO president says.
However, Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR), strikes a different note. He acknowledges that the authorities sometimes put the blame on Human rights NGOs, but according to him, the situation has improved since 2007. “The authorities seem to understand more the role of NGOs and citizens' rights, even if there are certain limits... In 2008, every time our centre organised forums in the provinces, authorities did not prevent their holding like they did in 2007, especially in the Kampong Chhnang and Ratanakiri provinces.”
NGOs: When local authorities hamper the work of activists
Thun Saray points an accusing finger at “some provincial authorities who shut their door on NGOs and refuse to collaborate with us”. A province, Kratie, he adds, even put ADHOC down on its blacklist when another one, Ratanakiri, gives its activists a hard time and holds them responsible for demonstrations led by members of ethnic minorities. Another example, that of a civil servant working at a provincial cabinet of Battambang, who wanted to file a lawsuit against ADHOC for having, here again, encouraged inhabitants to demonstrate outside the tribunal. The lawsuit was not carried through since the governor intervened and pointed out that the civil servant did not have any evidence, Thun Saray reports.
The principle adopted by ADHOC is to transfer any activist subjected to threats. “Our goal is not to seize power from the authorities but only to bring justice to citizens. We continue to explain our mission to the authorities and we encourage our campaigners not to give up. Even though there are disappointments...”
Bad elements on both sides, according to the government
Interviewed on that particular point, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith tries to temporise. “There are a few cases in the Northeast of the country, where inhabitants legally sold their land but Human rights representatives encouraged them to claim their land back. I am not saying that this person is right and that other is wrong, I am simply saying that we have to look at both sides. There are bad elements within the government, and we do not support them, as there are bad elements in NGOs, and the latter are not tevodas or such divinities! We must be conscious that reports made by our subordinates are not always correct... It is neither perfect on one side nor is it on the other, but if both parties admit it, we will be able to better collaborate together!”
Land conflicts at the basis of the NGO / authorities conflict
Intimidation of Human rights activists generally happen in the context of land disputes in which violence has increased, ADHOC deplores. In 2008, military officials have been far more involved in those conflicts, with a threefold increase in the number of cases in which they actually constituted one of the conflicting parties (125 cases reported in 2008 compared to 40 in 2007), the report points out.
Ny Chakriya, head of the ADHOC monitoring office of investigators, notes that “most land disputes are linked with the construction of military barracks”, which affect villagers who are already established there. “A single case of land-grabbing affects a minimum average of 500 families and applies to an area ranging from 200 to 500 hectares.” The most affected provinces are Battambang, Banteay Meancheay, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri and Kratie.
Disputes increasingly violent
ADHOC reports that the severity of violence relating to land conflicts increased in 2008, with three people killed in disputed areas and five who died later in hospital as a result of injuries (compared to two persons killed in 2007). The court system remains heavily influenced by private companies and powerful individuals, the organisation repeats, and was used increasingly to arrest and detain complainants in land conflicts. In 2008, out of 306 cases listed, “150 people were arrested and detained compared to 139 from 350 cases in 2007”. Aside from those cases, over 100 people who faced arrest warrants managed to avoid capture. To date, according to the ADHOC report, there are still 59 people detained in prison.
Nothing changes, the NGO regrets, since the main reasons for forced evictions remain the renting or sale for development of occupied land to private companies without adequate compensation to the current occupants. The government committed to providing land to poor people in the form of Social Land concessions, but results do not measure up to expectations. According to information obtained by ADHOC, only 409 hectares of land were provided compared to the 225,090 hectares (that is to say 550 times more) provided to some 71 private companies in the form of Economic Land Concessions. These concessions are said to have had negative consequences on more than 10,000 families in Cambodia, as those lands were granted without any prior social impact assessment, the report states.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
NGOs work to better Cambodia
December 10, 2008Opinion by A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
With a history of violence and violations of human rights, Cambodia has nevertheless been blessed with the development of a civil society and the assistance of non-governmental organizations, both of which have struggled to survive under the autocratic regime run by what has become -- in intent and purpose since the flawed 1991 Peace Accords -- a monolithic government dominated by the dictates of one man, Hun Sen.
There are local Cambodian NGOs that have given themselves the often thankless task of preparing the groundwork for the country's better future. The Chinese say, one generation plants trees, the next generation gets the shade.
The trouble is, as we're in an age that demands instant gratification, people are generally impatient to wait, especially when they live in a world of self-interested nations that speak of helping the world's poor and underprivileged while through actions they actually strengthen the dictators in power.
This column examines the 1999 Alliance for Conflict Transformation, or ACT, which describes its task of "providing skills and knowledge in the area of conflict resolution and peace-building" (see www.actcambodia.org), and the 1992 Youth Resource Development Program, or YRDP, which states as its program goal to "enable youth to participate actively in building a culture of peace, justice and sustainable development of Cambodia" (see www.yrdp.org), and which aims to support the development of civil society in the country.
Soth Plai Ngarm, the successful Ksach Ploy community organizer and a peace worker about whom I wrote in this space last week, cautioned, "the same conditions, which led to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, ... (are) increasing." He talked about "the massive gap between rich and poor; between provincial (rural) Cambodia and (urban) Phnom Penh," and that "Cambodians hold deep prejudices against one another along ethnic and religious lines."
Working with other local and international NGOs, ACT, now under executive director Ngann Thanak -- Ngarm is now vice chairman of its board of trustees -- says it works to develop a "culture of dialogue, cooperation and peace in Cambodia through innovative training programmes, research, networking and education." It describes its vision of a "positive peace in Cambodia, where basic human needs and human rights are protected and respected by every level of society." It says all its actions are "motivated by a deep commitment to positive change."
"Cambodian society is vulnerable to violent conflict at individual, communal, national, and regional levels," ACT says in its program review, and includes "national reconciliation and healing" as one of the issues it "seeks to empower communities to address."
It's a very tall order, but it's a start. My Oct. 8 "Cambodian reconciliation a slow dance" shows the monumental task Cambodians encounter to reconcile and heal old wounds.
ACT produced a 2006 manual, "Introduction to Peace Studies & Research Methods," for a 12-week introductory instructional course, followed by a 12-week practicum period, written by Ngarm and Tania Miletic. "A commitment to learn through practice is the key behind the training course," the foreword says.
Of interest is Ngarm's "A Conceptual Framework of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding," which can be downloaded from the ACT Web site.
YRDP, under executive director Sokha Cheang, maintains political neutrality, non-affiliation with any political party, and non-involvement in political activity. Yet, as YRDP puts it, "Impartiality does not prevent YRDP from promoting its opinion regarding issues of concern."
Its stated goal to "enable youth to participate actively in building a culture of peace, justice and sustainable development of Cambodia" is backed by its program objectives. These include "building peace through developing critical thinking and deep dialogue and applying alternatives to violence," and by its two-part training courses -- a 53-hour core skill on personal development, and 414 hours on specific skills that include conflict resolution, active non-violence, leadership and good governance, and others.
YRDP sees Cambodia's slow "democratic development process" as caused "mainly" by people's inadequate understanding of democracy, and by "many barriers" such as "threats, killings and arrests," a "situation ... (that) scares people" from exercising their rights, and that "strongly affects" their voicing of "concerns and needs."
"In this climate, it is imperative that YRDP continues to provide the critical thinking skills necessary to make judgments and choices," reads a course description.
It says interested students from universities and institutions of higher learning in Cambodia, and "in special cases, senior high school graduates, (Buddhist) monks, some NGOs and government (employees) may join the training course," which is cost-free.
The question is why such a golden opportunity to learn, to be educated, to participate, has not engendered more interest among Cambodians inside and expatriates abroad?
The commendable efforts, and the activities of ACT and YRDP, and several other NGOs not mentioned, should benefit the community, the society, the people, and the country. As YRDP says, "Rice seeds will always produce rice. Rice will not grow from a cactus."
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
There are local Cambodian NGOs that have given themselves the often thankless task of preparing the groundwork for the country's better future. The Chinese say, one generation plants trees, the next generation gets the shade.
The trouble is, as we're in an age that demands instant gratification, people are generally impatient to wait, especially when they live in a world of self-interested nations that speak of helping the world's poor and underprivileged while through actions they actually strengthen the dictators in power.
This column examines the 1999 Alliance for Conflict Transformation, or ACT, which describes its task of "providing skills and knowledge in the area of conflict resolution and peace-building" (see www.actcambodia.org), and the 1992 Youth Resource Development Program, or YRDP, which states as its program goal to "enable youth to participate actively in building a culture of peace, justice and sustainable development of Cambodia" (see www.yrdp.org), and which aims to support the development of civil society in the country.
Soth Plai Ngarm, the successful Ksach Ploy community organizer and a peace worker about whom I wrote in this space last week, cautioned, "the same conditions, which led to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, ... (are) increasing." He talked about "the massive gap between rich and poor; between provincial (rural) Cambodia and (urban) Phnom Penh," and that "Cambodians hold deep prejudices against one another along ethnic and religious lines."
Working with other local and international NGOs, ACT, now under executive director Ngann Thanak -- Ngarm is now vice chairman of its board of trustees -- says it works to develop a "culture of dialogue, cooperation and peace in Cambodia through innovative training programmes, research, networking and education." It describes its vision of a "positive peace in Cambodia, where basic human needs and human rights are protected and respected by every level of society." It says all its actions are "motivated by a deep commitment to positive change."
"Cambodian society is vulnerable to violent conflict at individual, communal, national, and regional levels," ACT says in its program review, and includes "national reconciliation and healing" as one of the issues it "seeks to empower communities to address."
It's a very tall order, but it's a start. My Oct. 8 "Cambodian reconciliation a slow dance" shows the monumental task Cambodians encounter to reconcile and heal old wounds.
ACT produced a 2006 manual, "Introduction to Peace Studies & Research Methods," for a 12-week introductory instructional course, followed by a 12-week practicum period, written by Ngarm and Tania Miletic. "A commitment to learn through practice is the key behind the training course," the foreword says.
Of interest is Ngarm's "A Conceptual Framework of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding," which can be downloaded from the ACT Web site.
YRDP, under executive director Sokha Cheang, maintains political neutrality, non-affiliation with any political party, and non-involvement in political activity. Yet, as YRDP puts it, "Impartiality does not prevent YRDP from promoting its opinion regarding issues of concern."
Its stated goal to "enable youth to participate actively in building a culture of peace, justice and sustainable development of Cambodia" is backed by its program objectives. These include "building peace through developing critical thinking and deep dialogue and applying alternatives to violence," and by its two-part training courses -- a 53-hour core skill on personal development, and 414 hours on specific skills that include conflict resolution, active non-violence, leadership and good governance, and others.
YRDP sees Cambodia's slow "democratic development process" as caused "mainly" by people's inadequate understanding of democracy, and by "many barriers" such as "threats, killings and arrests," a "situation ... (that) scares people" from exercising their rights, and that "strongly affects" their voicing of "concerns and needs."
"In this climate, it is imperative that YRDP continues to provide the critical thinking skills necessary to make judgments and choices," reads a course description.
It says interested students from universities and institutions of higher learning in Cambodia, and "in special cases, senior high school graduates, (Buddhist) monks, some NGOs and government (employees) may join the training course," which is cost-free.
The question is why such a golden opportunity to learn, to be educated, to participate, has not engendered more interest among Cambodians inside and expatriates abroad?
The commendable efforts, and the activities of ACT and YRDP, and several other NGOs not mentioned, should benefit the community, the society, the people, and the country. As YRDP says, "Rice seeds will always produce rice. Rice will not grow from a cactus."
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Cambodia: What Happens When Reality Meets Idealism
June 26, 2008
By Jennifer Winstanley The Huffington Post (USA)
By Jennifer Winstanley The Huffington Post (USA)
I have been writing about the positive experiences that I have had and the personal development that I have enjoyed while working in Southeast Asia over the last year. In order to present a more balanced picture, I wanted to briefly discuss another side of it - the frustrations, the disconnect, and the constant haunting doubt that maybe what you are doing is useless... or worse, maybe it is destructive.
Humanitarian work is controversial - the different organizations, close connection with politics and foreign policy, and questionable motivations that do arise in the field are all things that I had limited awareness of when I arrived in Cambodia. The more insight I gain into this area the more dismayed I am at certain aspects of it. I am by no means an expert on this so I will limit my discussion of it to personal revelation, and in particular a discussion that I had with a moto driver in Phnom Penh early this year.
Driving through the city our casual conversation turned much more serious when I mentioned that I was in Phnom Penh working with an NGO. A polite but passionate monologue ensued, detailing this man's complaints against NGOs and particularly their impact on his life. His opinion of NGOs in Cambodia can be summed up as the following: before the arrival of NGOs, people were poor but there was a sense of community and he was happy; then NGOs arrived, and people started to be competitive with each other, everything became more expensive, and the NGOs had no visible positive effect. He felt resentful of the lifestyle that NGO workers lead and resentful of the change in his life in the decade and a half that NGOs have been prevalent throughout Cambodia and particularly in Phnom Penh.
I didn't have much to say in response to anything he had said, and for the most part I felt that it didn't invite a response. He was sharing his opinion and his experience and I appreciated that he was speaking openly. Listening to him talk did accentuate something that I had already been feeling - some sense of disconnect between the work that I was doing and the community that the work is intended to benefit.
The particular work that I have done with the Community Legal Education (CLE) program was not what I had doubts about. The positive impact of CLE had been demonstrated to me not only through seeing it in action, but also in speaking with co-workers and reading evaluation forms. It is a broader sense of being uncomfortable with the distance between the language and structure of work in the development field and the individuals/communities/countries that the work is aimed at.
The voice of one moto-driver in Phnom Penh is not the source nor the confirmation of this feeling, and I have heard opposing viewpoints from local Cambodians as well - many of whom were grateful for presence of and work done by NGOs. It is something that I think is important to really think about though, as I continue to work in this field - as I hope to do.
Humanitarian work is controversial - the different organizations, close connection with politics and foreign policy, and questionable motivations that do arise in the field are all things that I had limited awareness of when I arrived in Cambodia. The more insight I gain into this area the more dismayed I am at certain aspects of it. I am by no means an expert on this so I will limit my discussion of it to personal revelation, and in particular a discussion that I had with a moto driver in Phnom Penh early this year.
Driving through the city our casual conversation turned much more serious when I mentioned that I was in Phnom Penh working with an NGO. A polite but passionate monologue ensued, detailing this man's complaints against NGOs and particularly their impact on his life. His opinion of NGOs in Cambodia can be summed up as the following: before the arrival of NGOs, people were poor but there was a sense of community and he was happy; then NGOs arrived, and people started to be competitive with each other, everything became more expensive, and the NGOs had no visible positive effect. He felt resentful of the lifestyle that NGO workers lead and resentful of the change in his life in the decade and a half that NGOs have been prevalent throughout Cambodia and particularly in Phnom Penh.
I didn't have much to say in response to anything he had said, and for the most part I felt that it didn't invite a response. He was sharing his opinion and his experience and I appreciated that he was speaking openly. Listening to him talk did accentuate something that I had already been feeling - some sense of disconnect between the work that I was doing and the community that the work is intended to benefit.
The particular work that I have done with the Community Legal Education (CLE) program was not what I had doubts about. The positive impact of CLE had been demonstrated to me not only through seeing it in action, but also in speaking with co-workers and reading evaluation forms. It is a broader sense of being uncomfortable with the distance between the language and structure of work in the development field and the individuals/communities/countries that the work is aimed at.
The voice of one moto-driver in Phnom Penh is not the source nor the confirmation of this feeling, and I have heard opposing viewpoints from local Cambodians as well - many of whom were grateful for presence of and work done by NGOs. It is something that I think is important to really think about though, as I continue to work in this field - as I hope to do.
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