Blood sugar 'on state hands'

Cecilia Wikström, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, speaks on Friday during a press conference in Phnom Penh. Wikström called on the government to take responsibility for land-rights abuses. (Photo by: Tthomas Mmiller)

Monday, 23 May 2011
Thomas Miller
The Phnom Penh Post

“Do we have a mandate to report everything to everyone?” - Phay Siphom

Visiting European parliamentarian Cecilia Wikström hit out at the Cambodian government last week, stating that it was “totally” to blame for alleged land rights abuses surrounding the sugar industry.

Cecilia Wikström, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, met last week with senior officials, opposition leaders, NGOs and local villagers affected by forced evictions in three provinces out of concern that European Union trade preferences under the “Everything but Arms” initiative were fuelling human rights abuses.

“The sugar issue in this country is a ‘blood sugar’ story,” Wikström said.

SRP MP Mu Sochua and EU MP Cecilia Wikstrom visit Koh Kong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NncEZQu_FGo&feature=player_embedded

EU MP urges the presence of Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy in Cambodia prior to the election

Cecilia Wikstrom during the 20 May 2011 press conference (Photo: Kim Peou, RFA)

21 May 2011
By Kim Peou
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A member of the EU Parliament insisted for the presence of Opposition Leader Sam Rainsy in Cambodia prior to the upcoming election in order to guarantee free and fair election in 2013.

Mrs. Cecilia Wikstrom, a EU MP, warned that if in the upcoming 2013 election, there is no presence of the opposition leader, then this election cannot be considered as free and fair.

During a press conference held in the morning of Friday 20 May 2011, Mrs. Wikstrom added that the return of a political leader is undertaken so as to maintain a lively debate during the election, and if there is no presence of Sam Rainsy, the EU will not be the only one who will react [to this issue], in fact the entire International community will react. She also indicated that there must be a large gathering [in Cambodia] to demand the return of opposition leader Sam Rainsy.

Cecilia Wikstrom's Interview on Candle Light Radio: "Blood" Sugar in Kampong Speu

EU MP Cecilia Wikstrom and SRP MP Mu Sochua talked with victims of land-grabbing in Kampong Speu

Click the control below to listen to MP Cecilia Wikstrom

Click here to listen to the interview in MP3

EU parliamentarian condemns Cambodia's "blood sugar" exports

May 20, 2011
DPA

Phay Siphan claimed most villagers in concession areas were satisfied with their situation (sic!)

Phnom Penh - A member of the European Parliament said Friday she would push for the European Union to suspend trade preferences for Cambodian sugar after meeting villagers who had been evicted to make way for huge concessions.

Sweden's Cecilia Wikstrom, who was on a private visit to Cambodia to learn about human rights and land grabbing, said the European Union's Everything But Arms (EBA) trade initiative had been abused by sugar companies owned by senators from the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

'This leads me to the conclusion that the sugar issue in this country is a 'blood sugar' story,' Wikstrom said, explaining that some villagers had shown evidence of being beaten.

The EBA initiative allows low-income countries to export certain goods to the EU with zero tariffs and no quotas. Sugar producers are also guaranteed a minimum price for their crop.

Bitter taste of sugar trading

Cecilia Wikström, a member of the European Parliament from Sweden, speaks to reporters from The Post yesterday. (Photo by: Sovan Philong)

Friday, 20 May 2011
Thomas Miller
The Phnom Penh Post

The European Union is “very concerned” about claims that trade preferences encouraging Cambodia to export sugar to the continent are fuelling land-grabbing, forced evictions and other human rights abuses, as a visiting EU parliamentarian spoke out about the issue.

The “Everything but Arms” initiative abolishes tariffs and quotas for Cambodia and other low-income countries to export goods to the EU. Sugar exports are guaranteed at a minimum price.

In September, NGOs called for a suspension of preferences for sugar, arguing that the expansion of plantations – nearly 90,000 hectares have been doled out in concessions for sugar over the past two years, primarily to firms connected to ruling party senator Ly Yong Phat – to take advantage of the European market were pushing thousands of Cambodians off their own land.

Rafael Dochao-Moreno, chargé d’affairs for the EU mission in Phnom Penh, said yesterday the issue had been brought to the Cambodian government’s attention on several occasions with no sign of progress.

“We are very concerned on … all the allegations of abuses and allegations of land abuses by the use of force,” he said.

“The government of Cambodia promised that they will do an investigation on these allegations [during a meeting in October], and they will inform the European Union [of the results]. Unfortunately, for the moment, we have not received any information as to the result of this investigation.”

Press Conference - Cecilia Wikstrom, Member of the European Parliament (10am tomorrow at FCC)

EU MP Cecilia Wikstrom

EU lawmakers call for political resolution in Sam Rainsy’s case

EU MPs meet with opposition MPs at the Sam Rainsy Party headquarters (Photo: SRP)
EU MPs meeting with Cambodian MPs from all four parties represented at the National Assembly (Photo: Ly Meng Huor, RFI)

19 March 2010
By Ly Meng Huor
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

EU lawmakers who are currently visiting Cambodia asked the government and the National Assembly led by the CPP to seek a political solution so that opposition leader Sam Rainsy can return back to Cambodia. The request was made so that Cambodia can earn more confidence from the international community.

That was the topic raised by EU MPs during a meeting forum with Cambodian MPs from the CPP, the SRP, the HRP and the Nationalist parties in the morning of 19 March 2010.

At the joint parliament forum, Ivo Belet, a member of the EU Parliament, indicated that the Cambodia government and National Assembly (NA) would receive additional confidence from the international community only for looking for a way to allow opposition leader Sam Rainsy to return back to Cambodia.

During today’s meeting with 9 EU Mps who came to visit Cambodia for 3 days, starting from 18 March, the EU lawmakers raised about the fundamental issue of democracy whereby NA committees must include opposition voices, as well as respect the freedom of expression etc… The EU lawmakers’ visit to Cambodia at this time is to seek up to date information on the various evolution of Cambodia’s politics and economics.

However, as soon as the EU MPs were done raising this issue, Sek Bun Hok, a CPP MP and deputy chairman of the NA law and justice committee, pushed the EU lawmakers to seek actual truth in Cambodia.

Sek Bun Hok pointed out that Sam Rainsy’s case is purely a legal case. Sam Rainsy committed a crime (uprooting border stakes) and violated the law, Sek Bun Hok claimed, therefore, the NA lifted his immunity and the lawsuit against Sam Rainsy is merely the application of the Cambodian law.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy who is currently in France will face arrest and jailing should he return back to Cambodia. He was sentenced by the court to 2-year of jail time for uprooting border stakes along the Cambodian-Vietnamese border.

In a separate meeting with SRP MPs in the afternoon of 18 March 2010, the EU delegates indicated that the presence of opposition leader Sam Rainsy is truly important for the upcoming 2013 general election.

However, CPP MP Cheam Yiep indicated that Cambodia does not lack Sam Rainsy nor democracy. Even without Sam Rainsy, Cambodia can still ratify laws as usual.

Vietnam refuses entry to EU MPs visiting Kampuchea Krom

Original text in Khmer (Click to zoom in)

Hanoi's visa denial for EU MPs visiting Kampuchea Krom (Click to zoom in)

Statement of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community

The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community strongly condemns the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for obstructing Hon. Marco Giacinto Pannella, Member of the European Parliament and President of the Transnational Radical Party, and Hon. Marco Perduca, Member of the Italian Senate from boarding the airplane from the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the morning of December 23, 2008. Both lawmakers have been officially issued entry visas by the Embassy of Vietnam to Rome granting them to visit Vietnam. However, the Vuntau Intourco Hanoi tourist agency notified [the lawmakers] at the time of their boarding the airplane that the Vietnam’s entry visas have been refused. Thus they would not be able to visit Vietnam due to their staunch supports for the ideal struggle of the citizens of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom.

This event occurred following an extraordinary meeting between the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community and their honorables at the Samakkirangsey Buddhist Temple in Phnom Penh [Cambodia] on Sunday December 21, 2008 because the lawmakers vehemently expressed their supports for the peaceful struggle of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom people for human rights and freedom.

The action of the communist Vietnamese authorities clearly shows the public and the international community that the Government of Vietnam is seriously suppressing her own citizens, especially Khmer Kampuchea Krom [indigens] and systematically sweeps their violation underneath the carpet to cover up from the international community. Furthermore, it is a vindictive act toward the European Parliament for adopting an October 22, 2008 resolution to pressure the Government of Vietnam to fully respect the [human] rights of her own citizens in accordance to the international human rights standard.

The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community appeals to the international community, especially the European Community, to push the Government of Vietnam to allow Hon. Marco Giacinto Pannella and Hon. Marco Perduca to visit Vietnam in order to conduct field investigation of the situation of human rights.

Phnom Penh, December 23, 2008

The Secretariat
The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community

EU MPs disturbed by recent reports of Hanoi's grave repressions against Buddhism, the very faith Hanoi claims to celebrate

From 13 to 17 May 2008, the Vietnamese government will host the 5th United Nations’ Day of the Vesak in Hanoi. This should be a happy occasion, a day to remember Buddha’s message of tolerance and peace, and to inspire all people, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, to work together towards mutual understanding and harmonious coexistence in our world.

However, we are deeply disturbed by recent reports of grave repressions against Buddhism, the very faith Hanoi claims to celebrate. Only the State-sponsored Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, controlled by the Communist Party’s Fatherland Front, will attend the celebrations, while the independent, traditional Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) remains banned and its leaders are prisoners in their own pagodas.

In the run-up to the Vesak, Police have seized UBCV pagodas to use for State-sponsored events, evicted and harassed monks, nuns and lay-followers in Lam Dong, Hue, Quang Tri and elsewhere. On 2 May 2008, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom expressed deep concern on “significant official harassment of monks, nuns and youth leaders associated with the UBCV”, including the long-term house arrest of Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang, and his Deputy Thich Quang Do, a 2008 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Moreover, the Commission recommended that Vietnam be re-designated in 2008 as a “Country of Particular Concern”.

Vietnam is a member of the World Trade Organization, non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and a signatory to key UN human rights treaties. As such, you have a binding obligation to uphold internationally-recognised freedoms and rights.

On the occasion of the UN Day of Vesak, we urge Hanoi to cease repression of the UBCV, to immediately release Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang and Most Venerable Thich Quang Do and to restore the UBCV’s legitimate status. Ony by this gesture they will restore true significance to the UN Day of the Vesak, and honour the 2000 year heritage of Buddhism in Vietnam.

Marco Pannella, MEP Italy Radicals –ALDE, President of the Nonviolent Radical Party
Graham Watson, MEP, UK Lib-Dem President of the ALDE Group at the European Parliament
Emma Bonino, MP, Italy Vice President of the Senate, Radicals- Democratic Party
Luisa Morgantini, MEP, Italy Communist, -United Left, Vice-President of the European Parliament
Marco Cappato, MEP, Italy Radical – ALDE
Son Chhay, MP, Cambodia Sam Rainsy Party
Charles Tannock, MEP, UK, Tories -EPP
Luca Romagnoli, MEP, Italy - Non-attached Member
Kinga Gál, MEP Hungary EPP
Marco Perduca, MP, Radicals, Italy - Democratic Party
Matteo Mecacci, MP, Radicals, Italy - Democratic Party