Cambodian government rejects U.S. human rights report [-PPenh: Deny! Deny! Deny!]

PHNOM PENH, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government has condemned that a human rights report recently issued by the U.S. State Department didn't reflect the reality of Cambodia, said official news agency AKP on Monday.

"The 2008 Country Report on Human Rights Practices on Cambodia issued by the U.S. State Department seems to be a routine that has nothing to do with human rights reality in Cambodia, and appears to be almost a carbon copy of the reports of the previous years with a few cosmetic changes here and there," the Agence Kampuchea Presse quoted a spokesman of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as saying in a statement.

The report contains a number of unsubstantiated assertions which appear to rely on misleading information supplied by certain organizations, which are monitored and financially supported by certain foreign countries, said the spokesman.

He clarified that "it is very normal in democratic countries that political party which wins landslide victory in democratic elections has to lead the country, and there is nothing unusual about such democratic practice everywhere in the world."

"There is simply never 'extra-judicial killing' by security forces in Cambodia as mentioned in the report. This is only vulgarlie," he said.

"With regard to the freedom of speech and press in Cambodia, one only needs to read and see how the ubiquitous opposition newspapers attack the Royal Government of Cambodia. Even the newspapers written in foreign languages, financed and managed by foreigners do not have the slightest reservation or hesitation in criticizing the Royal Government of Cambodia," he added.

The spokesman also explained the so-called "unlawful forced eviction," saying that "one must ponder whether there is any country in the world which allows squatters to take over possession of or occupy permanently private properties or public areas such as public gardens, sidewalk and streets."

"Finally, if enforcing rules to maintain public order is construed as human rights violation, then what does one have to say in terms of human rights respect on the condition in the secret prisons of a certain country where torture of prisoners is practiced as reported in the media?" added the spokesman in the statement.

Phnom Penh in total denials

Cambodia lashes out at UN envoy over allegations of systematic human rights abuses

Friday, June 1, 2007
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodia has lashed out at a senior U.N. envoy for alleging the government is committing systematic human rights abuses against its own citizens.

Yash Ghai, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia, made the allegations in a report he presented to the government, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement received Friday.

The allegations are "far from reflecting the reality" and "unacceptable," said the statement, which was dated Thursday.

"More serious is that, in the report, Yash Ghai has regarded human rights violations in Cambodia as intentional and systematic acts of the government in maintaining power," it said.

However, the statement did not appear to dispute that human rights abuses exist, as it said Ghai's report noted only "negative aspects of the human rights situation in Cambodia."

The statement said Interior Minister Sar Kheng raised his objections during his meeting with Ghai on Thursday.

Sar Kheng was the only senior government official who agreed to see Ghai, whose three-day visit ended Thursday.

Ghai was in Cambodia to try to elicit official comments on a report he will be submitting to the Human Rights Commission next month. He had also asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen, but did not get one.

Last year, Hun Sen angrily described Ghai as "totally deranged" after the U.N. envoy criticized the prime minister for concentrating too much power in his own hands, and the government for its poor human rights record.

The ministry statement said Ghai's negative assessment overlooked and underestimated government efforts to promote human rights and freedom.

Ghai will express deep concerns about land-grabbing by the powerful, and the government's land concessions that have been given to business interests and have negatively affected many Cambodians, including ethnic minority groups, his office said in a statement Thursday.

"While welcoming Cambodia's economic growth, he warns that human rights and equity must not be sacrificed in the pursuit of growth," the statement said.

"Economic land concessions, as presently granted, have compromised and destroyed the livelihoods of rural communities in favor of the enrichment of a few connected to the political establishment," it said.