Ghandi's Salt March - The genesis of the Civil Disobedience Movement

"Mahatma Gandhi, along with many members of the Congress Party, had a long-standing commitment to nonviolent civil disobedience, which he termed satyagraha, as the basis for achieving Indian independence. Referring to the relationship between satyagraha and Purna Swaraj, Gandhi saw "an inviolable connection between the means and the end as there is between the seed and the tree." He wrote, "If the means employed are impure, the change will not be in the direction of progress but very likely in the opposite. Only a change brought about in our political condition by pure means can lead to real progress.""

http://www.box.net/shared/k87rtrxaa3s3ymzeg7m2

Suong Sophorn was vomiting blood and had lacerations and contusions on his face after being beaten up by the violent cops

Suong Sophorn, a housing activist, can be seen held by his hair by
Hun Xen's violent cops. He was later beaten up some more (Licadho Video)

Housing Activist Severely Beaten During Ban Visit

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 28 October 2010

“The police punched me. Here is my injury. Ban Ki-moon, please help us.”

The leader of a demonstration for housing rights was severely beaten by police on Thursday, as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon toured a Phnom Penh hospital.

Soun Sophoan, who attempted to lead 30 activists toward Ban's motorcade, remained in serious condition on Thursday night, after police pulled him in a headlock, beat him with batons, kicked and stomped him.

He bled from his head and appeared to be unconscious as police dragged him to a vehicle, despite the attempts of other protesters to shield him. Witnesses later said he was taken to two district government sites before he was sent to a health center in Daun Penh district.

Phnom Penh Police Chief Touch Naruth said Soun Sophoan had violated the police cordon, prompting the violence.

Thursday marked the second day in a row of clashes, as activists sought to air their grievances over Cambodia's poor human and housing rights record during the visit of the UN chief, who was touring the Cambodia-Soviet Friendship Hospital.

Prior to his arrest, Soun Sophoan said: “We came here to demand our rights and to protect our rights, but the police have dispersed us. I'm very sorry for this police prevention.”

He was recovering late Thursday at the headquarters of the rights group Lichado, the group's president, Pung Chiv Kek, said. She condemned the police violence.

Sia Phearum, an activist with the Housing Rights Task Force, said Soun Sophoan was vomiting blood and had lacerations and contusions on his face.

Other protesters said they were injured when some 300 police broke up the demonstration.

“The police were very brutal,” said Kong Chantha, 42, a resident of the Boeung Kak lake area, where housing activists are battling a development company. “The police punched me. Here is my injury. Ban Ki-moon, please help us.”

Land protesters forcibly removed from peaceful vigil outside Cambodia's National Assembly

October 17, 2007
Licadho

"This action by the authorities was unlawful and they clearly knew this – it's why they did this at night, under the cover of darkness"

On October 16, shortly before 7pm, approximately 80 police and military police - some armed with pistols - surrounded a group of about 200 Svay Rieng villagers camped in the park outside Wat Botum near the former National Assembly. The villagers, who had only arrived at the park a few hours earlier, were forced into vehicles including two buses and sent back to Svay Rieng.

According to witnesses, some of the villagers were beaten during the raid on the park, and two persons were later taken to hospital unconscious. NGO workers were blocked by authorities from entering the area, but heard cries coming from the villagers.

"This action by the authorities was unlawful and they clearly knew this – it's why they did this at night, under the cover of darkness," said LICADHO president Kek Galabru. "To beat and abduct people, and forcibly take them back to their province in the middle of the night, is appalling."

The protesters said they represented 500 families from Tros commune in Romeas Hek district of Svay Rieng whose land has been taken by the Peam Chaing rubber company. They said they came to the capital to seek help from Prime Minister Hun Sen, and other government and National Assembly officials, after their complaints to local authorities in Svay Rieng had produced no result. Earlier on Tuesday, they had gathered outside the Prime Minister's house but – after authorities insisted they leave – they moved to the park outside Wat Botum in the afternoon.

"These people from Svay Rieng were committing no crime and, under the Constitution, had every right to come to Phnom Penh to seek help from their government and elected officials," said Kek Galabru. "The responsibility of the government was to listen to their complaints and try to resolve them fairly – not to just kick them out of Phnom Penh."

In the past many other victims of land grabbing have resorted to travelling to Phnom Penh to protest and lobby the government. This current action was unacceptable and a blatant violation of Cambodians' Constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly, with most gatherings being dispersed by the authorities.

LICADHO strongly condemns the night time violent abduction and deportation by authorities in Phnom Penh of land protesters who had come to the capital from Svay Rieng province.

LICADHO urges an immediate government investigation to identify all of the police and other personnel who participated in last night's deportation, and who ordered it. Commanders who ordered their subordinates to participate should be immediately suspended from their official duties, and all personnel who were responsible for the crimes committed during the deportation should be prosecuted.

Pro-democracy demonstration in front of the Burmese embassy in Phnom Penh

Photos: SRP

More than 100 Cambodians braved monsoon rain Friday to stage a peaceful protest against the Myanmar military junta in what they called a show of solidarity with anti-government demonstrators there.

More Peaceful Khmer Krom Demonstration Expected

Sat, 2007-09-01

Khmer Krom people around the world are stepping up their campaign as more protests are expected to continue in the next week

Peaceful Protest
Date: Saturday 1st September 2007
Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota, US
Contact: Chan chhan keo cck273@hotmail.com

KKF Meeting
Date: Sunday 2nd September 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Contact: Local KKF leaders in your area

APEC Protest
Date: Saturday 9 September 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Contact: Sothy Kien 0402538465 or Chan Tho Thack 0434103050

We hope that you will join our demonstration to demand that Vietnam respect the rights of its indigenous Khmer Krom peoples.

Source: Khmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF)