Statement of Civil Society Delegates from Southeast Asia to 2012 Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF)

https://www.box.com/s/3b241c3dfbce983f2b90

Time to change the corrupt leaders of the National Election Cheating (NEC): Civil Society

លោក អ៊ឹម សួស្តី (ឆ្វេង) ប្រធាន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ជាតិ​រៀបចំ​ការ​បោះ​ឆ្នោត (គ.ជ.ប) ថ្លែង​ក្នុង​សន្និសីទ​កាសែត នា​ទីស្ដីការ គ.ជ.ប កាល​ពី​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃ​សុក្រ ទី​៦ ខែ​កក្កដា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។ (RFA/Den Ayuthea)

សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល​ស្នើ​ឲ្យ​សមាសភាព​ដឹកនាំ គ.ជ.ប អាណត្តិ​ថ្មី​ជា​មនុស្ស​ស្អាតស្អំ

2012-07-10
ដោយ ដែន អយុធ្យា
Radio Free Asia


នៅ​គ្រា​អាណត្តិ​ដឹកនាំ​របស់​ស្ថាប័ន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ជាតិ​រៀបចំ​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត (គ.ជ.ប) ជិត​ផុត​អាណត្តិ​នៅ​ចុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ នេះ មន្ត្រី​បក្ស​ប្រឆាំង និង​សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល ទទូច​ឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល និង​ស្ថាប័ន​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​ធ្វើ​កំណែ​ទម្រង់​ក្បាល​ម៉ាស៊ីន​ដឹកនាំ​ស្ថាប័ន គ.ជ.ប ដើម្បី​ឲ្យ​ស្ថាប័ន​នេះ​មាន​ឯករាជ្យ។

លោក កឹម សុខា ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស និង​ជា​អ្នក​តំណាង​រាស្ត្រ​មណ្ឌល​កំពង់ចាម លោក​បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៩ ខែ​កក្កដា ថា រដ្ឋាភិបាល និង​ក្រសួង​មហាផ្ទៃ ត្រូវ​ជ្រើសរើស​សមាសភាព​ដឹកនាំ​ស្ថាប័ន គ.ជ.ប អាណត្តិ​ថ្មី ជា​មនុស្ស​មិន​ស្ថិត​ក្រោម​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​ណា​មួយ។

លោក​បន្ត​ថា សមាសភាព​ស្ថាប័ន គ.ជ.ប អាណត្តិ​ថ្មី គួរ​ជ្រើស​ចេញ​ពី​អតីត​មន្ត្រី​សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល ឬ​មន្ត្រី​រដ្ឋាភិបាល ដែល​ចូល​និវត្តន៍​យ៉ាង​តិច​១០ មក​ជំនួស ទើប​អាច​ឲ្យ​ស្ថាប័ន​នេះ​មាន​ឯករាជ្យ។

Civil society has a vital role in nation’s future

Thida Khus (Photo: Silaka)

Monday, 09 April 2012
Thida Khus
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post

Dear Editor,

Before the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian government emphasised the importance of an independent civil-society sector.

I believe most Cambodians dream of a prosperous future in which every citizen has the right and opportunity to reach their potential.

To help make this dream come true, we must realise that today’s world is very complex and there are many external and internal forces pushing and pulling our country.

The government must understand the need for every citizen to help manage, and prepare for, those challenges. Cambodia cannot compete successfully on this global stage without empowering our society.

Many global investors are looking at how Cambodia’s government respects and grows with its civil society as an indicator of how foreign investors will be treated here.

Push for censorship to shut down ACSC/APF workshops

Protesters at Boeung Kak lake make their case to civil society groups on Saturday. Photo by Meng Kimlong

Thais will sit out NGO meet

Monday, 02 April 2012
Shane Worrell and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
The Phnom Penh Post

Civil society groups from Thailand will boycott a meeting between NGOs and regional government representatives at this week’s ASEAN summit because their country’s delegate “does not represent Thai civil society”, a spokeswoman said yesterday.

Premrudee Daoroung, a representative of Thai civil society groups, said her country’s government had shown “complete disregard for meaningful engagement” by selecting a representative who had played no part in the independent Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum, which ran from Thursday to Saturday at the capital’s Lucky Star Hotel.

“In past years ... civil society groups have faced similar problems of having our own government appoint their own people to meet with the leaders of the countries. The same thing has happened again – the government has appointed its own people to [meet] with the [ASEAN] leaders,” she said.

“We condemn this undemocratic process, and we demand that the government of Thailand stop such interfering.”

A Thai government representative did not respond to questions before deadline.

Push for censorship

Meanwhile, civil society and human rights groups yesterday condemned a Friday decision to shut down workshops on topics including land eviction and Myanmar at the independent people’s forum.

ACSC/APF steering committee member Thida Khus said the government had asked her committee to censor information before the forum, which attracted more than 1,000 people.

Peace advocates call on ASEAN to look into internal conflicts, too

By Allen V. Estabillo

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (MindaNews/01 April) – Peace advocates in Southeast Asia urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over the weekend to expand the mandate of its conflict resolution mechanism to include internal conflicts within its member states, among them the decades-old Moro rebellion in Mindanao.

Members of the Working Group on Peacebuilding of the 2012 ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum here issued the recommendation as they pressed for greater involvement from ASEAN in the resolution of various external and internal conflicts within the 10-nation regional bloc.

“It’s time for ASEAN to get involved by any means in solving the internal conflicts that presently affect four of its member-states,” peace advocate Carmen Gatmaytan, program manager of the Mindanao-based Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), said in a press conference here.

CCHR Press Release - CCHR Deplores the Curtailmen​t of Fundamenta​l Freedoms and the Silencing of Civil Society during the ASEAN Summit

http://www.box.com/s/1944f8839f66f2009a3a


http://www.box.com/s/73576f3f2c025b30e9f6

Statement of Thai Civil Society at the ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN People’s Forum 2012, Phnom Penh

Statement of Thai Civil Society at the ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN People’s Forum 2012, Phnom Penh

The Interface meeting is an opportunity for Civil Society to meet with ASEAN government heads of state in order to discuss the outputs derived from the ACSC/ APC.

In the past, the selection process for Thailand ‘s Civil Society representative has been deeply problematic as the Government of Thailand has insisted upon nominating their own representative. This led Thai civil society to boycott the interface meetings in previous years.

This year the Ministry of Social Welfare gave their assurances that they would not interfere in the selection process. However, the Government of Thailand has yet again failed to keep its promise.

The Thai representative for the interface meeting at the 2012 ASEAN leaders’ summit has been appointed by the Government of Thailand. The Government of Thailand has, therefore, undermined civil society process and displayed its complete disregards for meaningful engagement.

The civil society participants at the ACSC/APF 2012 would like to declare that the Thai attendee for the interface meeting between ASEAN government heads of state and civil society organizations at the upcoming ASEAN leaders’ summit does not represent Thai civil society.

As such, Thai civil society has boycott the interface meeting to be held at this year’s ASEAN leaders’ summit in Phnom Penh.

We condemn this undemocratic process and we demand that the Government of Thailand stop such interfering practices in future.

Ends

Contact for Detail:

Ms. Chalida Tajaroensuk

Email: chalida.empowerment@gmail.com

ASEAN civil society visit Boeung Kak Lake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhc549fWsrU

Civil society groups mull boycotting dialogue with ASEAN leaders

Saturday| March 31, 2012
By Allen V. Estabillo
MindaNews (Philippine)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (MindaNews/30 March) – Southeast Asia’s independent civil society groups are poised to proceed with their planned boycott of a dialogue with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) heads of states here next week to protest Cambodia’s intervention in the selection process for country representatives to the meeting.

Civil society leaders attending the three-day ASEAN Civil Society Conference and the ASEAN People’s Forum (ACSC/APF) 2012 here reiterated such move as they decried the Cambodian government’s move.

The meeting is among the sidelights of next week’s 20th summit of ASEAN leaders and heads of states.

They described Cambodia’s actions as an “effort to stifle the real voices of the people” within the 10-nation regional bloc.

“ASEAN leaders deserve to hear the real voices of the people, especially those of communities affected by government policies such as land and mining concessions. They must take these voices seriously and act urgently to address the many issues that are affecting millions of lives in Southeast Asia,” said Thida Khus, director of Cambodia’s Silaka and member of the ACSC/APF steering committee.

Forum, government face off

Additional information on the ASEAN Civil Society Conference can be found on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/acscapf2012

Participants in the ASEAN Civil Society Conference light candles yesterday at the Lucky Star Hotel in Phnom Penh. Photo by Meng Kimlong

Friday, 30 March 2012
Shane Worrell and Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

The government distanced itself from a pre-ASEAN summit peoples’ forum yesterday, saying the event had listed Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong as a speaker despite his having no intention of attending the event.

As more than 900 packed into the capital’s Lucky Star Hotel for the opening day of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference and ASEAN Peoples’ Forum – one of two forums claiming to give Cambodians a voice ahead of the 10-nation meeting – Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took aim at its organisers.

“In the agenda, it is written that there is probably a presence of deputy prime minister, the minister of foreign affairs,” he said. “[Hor Namhong] does not know about this.

“Putting this senior leader on their agenda is to attract more participants. There has been no direct contact . . . and [he] has no time to attend.”

Cambodia Curtails Freedom of Expression at ASEAN Civil Society Conference

30 March 2012

Cambodia Curtails Freedom of Expression at ASEAN Civil Society Conference

Four workshops organized by civil society organizations were forced late last night to move their workshops to La Palaranda hotel, away from the main venue of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ASEAN Peoples Forum (APF), the Lucky Star Hotel (on Street 336, Phnom Penh). Three of the workshops dealt with land rights, eviction and environment issues and the fourth focused on Burma's current political and human rights situation and the challenges this poses to the country's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014.

The workshops were Expansion of Mono-Culture Plantations in ASEAN: Impacts to forest, farmlands and people livelihood, and Promote and Protect Rights to Land Territory, Natural Resources and Development of Indigenous People/Ethnic Minorities, and Regional Workshop on Land Rights and Eviction and Promoting Regional Cooperation to Ensure a People-Centered ASEAN in 2014 in Burma/Myanmar.

Not only are we facing eviction from our land, we are now also being evicted from this civil society process, said Seng Sokheng, member of the National Working Group of the Community Peace Building Network. We came here to join the ACSC/APF because we believed it was a space for us to explain our issues and share them with fellow civil society from the region. Cambodia has tarnished its image by evicting us like this.

Indigenous people in the region are constantly marginalized. Rather than providing us an opportunity to raise our concerns on the non-recognition of our collective rights, we are being further marginalized. This is completely unacceptable,said Richard Gadit, Human Rights Advocacy Officer of the Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact.

We planned to hold our workshop at this ACSC/APF to talk about the challenges of creating an open space for independent civil society, using the example of Cambodia to learn lessons to use in Burma in 2014.The lesson we have learned is that ASEAN countries don't respect freedom of expression,said Khin Ohmar, Coordinator of Burma Partnership. If this is happening here in Cambodia, imagine what will happen in Burma where the right to freedom of expression is already violated on a daily basis.

For more information:

Seng Sokheng, Community Peace Building Network: +855 92324668 (Khmer)

Richard Gadit, Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact: +855 89789249/+66 897001749 (English/Tagalog)

Khin Ohmar, Burma Partnership: +855 95908483 / +66 818840772(English/Burma)

--

Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF)

HRTF:#2A, St.271, Sangkat Beoung

Tompun, Khan Chamcar Morn

Phnom Penh.

Evictions Hotline: (855) 068 470 480

Tel/Fax: (855) 023 996 531

Email: sd@hrtfcambodia.org

Website: www.hrtfcambodia.org

--------------------------------------------------------

HRTF is the coalition of local and international organizations that working

to Prevent Force Eviction and Promote Housing Rights in Cambodia.

People’s space for a meaningful engagement with ASEAN leaders

I would like to invite you to attend the press conference of ASEAN CIVIL SOCIETY CONFERENCE/ASIAN PEOPLE FORUM's organizing committee as the following detail:

People’s space for a meaningful engagement with ASEAN leaders.

When : Monday 26 December, 2011 from 11:00-12:00pm

Where: NGO Forum Meeting Room Address: #9-11, Street 476,Tuol Toumpong I, Phnom Penh, Cambodia) see the link here.

What : Ahead of the 21012 ACSC/APF taking place in Phnom Penh from March 29th to March 31st, the steering committee of the conference will call for ways to open people’s space to meaningfully engage with the ASEAN leaders.

Who : The ACSC/APF is a main space for democratic and constructive debates on ideas, formulation of proposals for ASEAN, exchange of experiences among civil society and peoples’ movements,expanding networks across issues in the region, and doing joint actions, especially on community building process. The organizers of the ACSC/APF 2012edition were selected by more than 300 independent organizations in Cambodia.

Guest Speakers:

• Ms. Thida Khus: Secretary-General of the Committee to Promote Women in Politics (CPWP).
• Ms. Corinna Lopa: Regional Coordinator of the South East Asian Committee for Advocacy and Co-Convener of the Solidarity for Asian Peoples Advocacy Working Group onASEAN.
• Mr. Chhit Sam Ath: Director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGO Forum).
• Mr. Yuyun Wahyuningrum: Senior Advisor on human rights and ASEAN of Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy.

Looking forward to seeing you on the press conference and apologize for no copy in Khmer.

Best regards,

Miss. Kong Keo Sokunthea

Media Business Manager

H/P: 012 524700

FM 106.5

***~Everybody is well informed and educated, everybody develops~***

========================================

Address: #14 St 392, Beoung Keng Kang I,

Khan Chamkarmorn,Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Tel: (855) 23 726 845

Fax: (855) 23 726 843

Email marketing@sarika.fm/ info@sarika.fm

website: www.sarika.fm

Address map click this link http://www.yellowpages-cambodia.com/listings/kh31235#map

Invitation to the 2012 ASEAN Civil Society Conference - ASEAN People's Forum (ACSC/APF)

Authority considers Civil Society’s activities as serving the opposition party: Civil Society

29 October 2011
By Den Ayuthyea
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Oss Dey

Civil society officials accuse the Kampong Cham provincial authority of not cooperating to work smoothly with the civil society because the authority considers activities by the civil society as serving the opposition party.

A number of civil society officials based in Kampong Cham province claimed that the provincial authority did not make it easy for the civil society to work smoothly and the civil society called on the authority to help cooperate.

Bou Virak, a facilitator for the Licadho human rights group – one of the civil society group in the Kampong Cham province – said that up to now, the majority of the Kampong Cham authority officials consider the activities led by civil society as being those of the opposition party, and most of the time, the authority would not cooperate with the civil society.

Stronger civil society means more power for the weak

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.

Asean civil society battles govts

4/05/2011
Achara Ashayagachat

JAKARTA - Civil society groups say Asean governments have again thrown cold water on any attempt at engagement and taken control of nominations and agenda-setting for Saturday's Interface meeting between leaders of the two sides.

Thai NGO Coordinating Committee secretary-general Suntaree Saeng-ging said on Wednesday the Thai government, and many other governents, had independently appointed representatives and it was not clear who would attend.

Thai civil society participants at the Jakarta 2011 Asean Civil Society Conference (ACSC) and the Asean People’s Forum (APF) had chosen Sureeporn Yupa, of Disabled Peoples' International Asia Pacific (DPI/AP), to represent Thailand during the May 7 Interface dialogue with the government leaders.

Ms Suntaree said should there be any problem with any individual NGO-selected delegates, Asean civil society would compromise by not sending those persons into the meeting room and the rest of the team would go ahead with the talks.

"But if the Asean governments still insist on sending their own nominated representatives to replace our chosen representatives we will boycott the Interface meeting," said Ms Suntaree.

This problem occurred during Thailand's chairmanship (2008-2009) when Cambodia and Burma strongly opposed the NGO-nominated list. As a result not all 10 NGO representatives showed up at the 15-minute formal encounter between the Asean leaders and the NGOs. 

The Voice of Civil Society radio program in 7th Week (February 14-20, 2011)

ប្រិយមិត្តអ្នកស្តាប់ជាទីមេត្រី

សូមរកមើល ខិត្តបណ្ណ័ តារាង កម្មវិធី ផ្សាយសម្លេងសង្គមស៊ីវិល ប្រចាំសប្តាហ៍ទី ០៧ (១៤-២០ កុម្ភៈ) ឆ្នាំ២០១១ ដែលបានផ្សាយ នៅរៀងរាល់ ថ្ងៃចន្ទ័ ដល់ថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ វេលាម៉ោង ៧.៣០ នាទី ដល់ម៉ោង ៨.៣០ នាទីព្រឹក តាមរយៈវិទ្យុ FM 105 MHz ភ្នំពេញ, FM 90 MHz ភ្នំពេញ, FM 90.25 MHz បាត់ដំបង, FM 88.5 MHz កំពង់ធំ, និង FM 95.5 MHz សៀមរាប។

ប្រធានបទរបស់ការផ្សាយសម្លេងសង្គមស៊ីវិលក្នុងសប្តាហ៍ទី ១៤ (១៤-២០ កុម្ភៈ) ឆ្នាំ២០១១ មាន ៖

1. «កម្មវិធី «សម្លេងម្ចាស់ឆ្នោត» (ថ្ងៃចន្ទ័ ទី១៤ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ តួនាទីសង្គមស៊ីវិលក្នុងការបោះឆ្នោត២«កម្មវិធី «សម្លេងម្ចាស់ឆ្នោត» (ថ្ងៃអង្គារ ទី១៥ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ របាយការណ៍ឃ្លាំមើលសភា និងតំណាងរាស្រ្ត ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ២០១១
2. «កម្មវិធី «សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស» (ថ្ងៃពុធ ទី១៦ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ ការឃុំខ្លួនបណ្តោះអាសន្នលើជនជាប់ចោទ ក្នុងសំណុំរឿង ០០២
3. «កម្មវិធី «សម្លេងកម្មករ/កសិករ» (ថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍ ទី១៧ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ សិទ្ធិក្នុងការគ្រប់គ្រងដីធ្លី និងធនធានធម្មជាតិ របស់ជនជាតិដើមភាគតិច
4. «កម្មវិធី «ឃ្លាំមើលប្រចាំសប្តាហ៍/ឃ្លាំមើលគោលនយោបាយ-កម្មវិធីនយោបាយរបស់រដ្ឋាភិបាល» (ថ្ងៃសុក្រ ទី១៨ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ សេរីភាពបញ្ចេញមតិ
5. «កម្មវិធី «ទៅ ឬមិនទៅ​?» (ថ្ងៃសៅរ៍ ទី១៩ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ ឧបសគ្គក្នុងការអភិវឌ្ឍធនធានមនុស្សក្នុងស្រទាប់យុវជនកម្ពុជា
6. «កម្មវិធី «ឃ្លាំមើលប្រចាំសប្តាហ៍» (ថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ ទី២០ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០១១) ៖ សេរីភាពបញ្ចេញមតិ

យើងសង្ឃឹមថា លោក អ្នកនឹងចាប់អារម្មណ៍ចំពោះកម្មវិធីសម្លេងសង្គមស៊ីវិល ហើយរង់ចាំស្វាគមន៍នូវរាល់យោបល់ និងមតិរិះគន់របស់លោកអ្នក។ ​

ប្រសិនបើលោកអ្នកចង់ស្តាប់កិច្ចពិភាក្សាទាំងស្រុងលើប្រធានបទណាមួយដែលលោកអ្នកពេញចិត្ត និងមានបំណងស្វែងរកព័ត៌មានបន្ថែមទាក់ទងនឹងកម្មវិធីសម្លេងសង្គមស៊ីវិល សូមចូលទៅកាន់គេហទំព័រ ៖ http://www.comfrel.org/voc

សង្ឃឹមថា កម្មវិធីទាំងនេះនឹងមានប្រយោជន៍ចំពោះលោកអ្នកស្តាប់

កម្មវិធីសម្លេងសង្គមស៊ីវិល

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Dear Audience,

Please find and see the attached release of the Voice of Civil Society radio program in 7th Week (February 14-20, 2011), broadcasted every Monday to Sunday from 7:30 am to 8:30 am following private radio stations FM 105 MHz Phnom Penh, FM 90 MHz Phnom Penh, FM 90.25 MHz Battambang, FM 88.5 MHz Kampong Thom, FM 95.5 MHz Siem Reap.

Visit of Kerry KENNEDY and Launch of Robert F. Kennedy Center's "Speak Truth To Power"

We, at CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education, are very excited to welcome the only second KENNEDY to visit Cambodia and her high-level delegation! The first Kennedy was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1967 who was wined and dined by our King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

We have extended the invitation to the Prime Minister and are in communication with the Royal Government's highest representative for human rights and also the RGC's official representative to the newly-birthed ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), H.E. Om Yentieng, to give the Keynote Address at the Human Rights Education seminar in the afternoon of February 23 at Pannasastra University auditorium. We see this as an opportune occasion for civil society and government to come together at a very high-publicity occasion and celebration of values we share in common - the education of our young people!

We have also requested an audience with King NORODOM Sihamoni for this Kennedy delegation, which includes Kerry's daughter Michaela (whose father is the newly elected governor of New York Andrew Cuomo), the Italian philanthropist (oknha) Adolfo Vannucci and Australian philanthropist and founder of Global Peace Index Steve Killelea.

For more information, please visit these sites:

• http://www.rfkcenter.org/
• http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/06/rfk_excerpt200806
• http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?str=9839&nm=Robert+F.+Kennedy&c4nvi=3&navtyp=CLB&styp=clbi&evntI=3707
• http://www.exposay.com/bono-wyclef-jean-kerry-kennedy-harry-belafonte-and-guest-2009-robert-f-kennedy-center-ripple-of-hope-awards-dinner---arrivals/p/34370/8/
• http://www.thearyseng.com/random/233-rfk-ripple-of-hope-gala-honoring-george-clooney-nyc-17-nov-2010
• http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/HyHv70yyJF6/2010+Robert+F+Kennedy+Center+Justice+Human/GMyPzCWLxwA/George+Clooney

- Theary C. Seng, founding president of CIVICUS Cambodia, Phnom Penh

Click on each page to zoom in

Open Letter to Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon from representatives of Cambodian Civil Society

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.