Berlin notes land rights in aid statement [Berlin setting up the example?]

Monday, 30 August 2010
Will Baxter and Sun Narin
The Phnom Penh Post

GERMANY has said that up to €4 million (about US$5.1 million) earmarked for technical assistance to land sector reforms in 2011 and 2012 “will be contingent upon further strengthening the implementation of human rights”.

A statement issued by the German embassy on Friday said that “Germany’s future contribution in the land sector” in Cambodia would address relevant human rights issues that include “supporting indigenous communities in securing their land rights” and supporting the government “in progressively solving urban informal settlement issues in accordance with Cambodian law”.

But although the wording of the statement would appear to imply that Germany might decide to withhold funding should Cambodia fail to improve its human rights record in the land sector, an embassy official said yesterday that the statement was somewhat misleading, and noted instead that Germany’s “future support will focus on human rights issues”.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, declined to elaborate.

Nonn Pheany, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Land Management, said Germany’s pledge marked a significant increase from its previous contribution of $3,823,200 from 2008 to 2010, which focused on land registration, training and legal tools.

The next step, she said, is for the ministry to compile a list of land-reform issues it wants to address, and to present the list to the German government for consideration. “We do not know specifically what points will be chosen by the German side,” she added.

David Pred, executive director of Bridges Across Borders Cambodia, said yesterday that Germany should press the government to meet “specific human rights benchmarks”.

Chhith Sam Ath, executive director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia, said he welcomed Germany’s “continued support in the land-reform sector”.

But he said that it was essential for donors to “look carefully” at projects involving “urban resettlement” or displacement of “vulnerable groups” such as ethnic minorities.

Govt grilled at UN rights hearing

Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Written by Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post

UN officials lashed out Monday at what they say is the government's lack of commitment to human rights, claiming it has done little to improve the Kingdom's adherence to international rights agreements, said David Pred, director of Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia, an NGO that has been involved in Cambodian land-grab cases.

The comments came as Cambodia went before the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva for a two-day rights review, according to Pred, who was present.

In his opening address, Sun Suon, Cambodia's ambassador to the UN, told the committee that respect for human rights was "a fundamental principle ... embodied in the [government's] main policies, as well as in the relevant plans for the sustainable development of the country".

But the 18-member committee questioned the government's commitment to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ratified by Cambodia in 1992, citing forced evictions, land rights and deforestation as continuing concerns.

"Despite the public commitments of the government and the millions of dollars that have been invested by donors in reforms, there has been no progress in the most sensitive areas," said committee chairperson Philippe Texier.

Vice chairperson Ariranga Pilay also noted that the government's 167-page initial report to the committee contained "not a single word" on housing rights or forced evictions.

"There is ... nothing about the problem of forced evictions, which is a serious problem in your country," he said.

The committee also raised questions about the government's granting of agricultural land concessions, corruption and forestry protection.

Committee members expressed disappointment at the government's 15-year delay in preparing its initial report, and the fact that it did not send a special delegation to participate in the hearing.

"I appreciate that Geneva is far away from Cambodia [but] I was hoping that some people from your capital with specialised knowledge would be here so we could go into greater depth," said Walid Sa'di, vice chairperson of the committee.

Asean must nudge 2 states [Burma and Cambodia] on rights

Sunday, 16 November 2008
Written by Estrella Torres / Reporter
Business Mirror (The Philippines)

JAKARTA—Former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) needs to “convince” younger members, particularly Burma and Cambodia, on the importance of adopting a human-rights body as part of its charter, as he expressed pride in having his country adopt that particular provision.

Alatas is Indonesia’s representative to the Asean Eminent Persons Group (EPG) that provided policy advice on the charter.

“I’m happy that Indonesia has finally ratified the Asean charter,” said Alatas, who expressed hopes the charter “will finally be adopted” in the next Asean Summit in Chang Mai, Thailand.

Alatas was interviewed at the sidelines of the recent Asia-Pacific Regional Media Program on Journalism, Politics and Religion here, where he was the keynote speaker.

He said the human rights body has been accepted as essential by members Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. “But we need to do more convincing of the younger members of Asean.”

He also stressed that the Asean charter is important in helping individual member-countries address the lingering conflict and terrorism, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, where there is a large presence of the Al-Qaeda-linked Jema’ah Islamiyah and pockets of rebellion and Islamic secessionism.

These lingering problems have “given Asean a bad name,” said Alatas and “it is our hope that [the Asean Charter] will help the governments of Asean address the conflicts in the region.”

Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of Asean, congratulated Indonesia for ratifying the charter. “I would like to thank Indonesia for their support of the Asean Charter process. Counting Indonesia, nine Asean member-states have now deposited their instruments of ratification. We are right on track to have the entry into force of the Asean Charter by the 14th Asean Summit.”

Thailand, now facing political turmoil, is the remaining member that has yet to deposit its instrument of ratification. The Asean Charter will enter into force 30 days after the 10th Asean member deposits its instrument of ratification.

Asean groups the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam.