Sieng Lapresse, under secretary of state and mouthpiece of the ministry of interior, is attempting to provide a respectable cover on the government attempt to silence the freedom of speech and association in Cambodia. Sieng Lapresse claimed that the law was supported by US Ambassador Mussomeli, a fact denied by the US embassy. He further claimed the law was supported by Margo Picken, coordinator of the UN Office of the High Commission of Human Rights. Ironically, just last week, Khieu Kanharith, the government sposkesman and minister of information, claimed that employees of the UN Office of the High Commission of Human Rights are "lazy" and should all be "fired." Today, for its own convenience, the government now claims that Margo Picken supported it. The double standard displayed by Mr. Hun Sen's government is an international disgrace and a slap on the Cambodian people and the Cambodian consitution. The government attempt to silence Cambodian people clearly shows its own weakness and fear of democracy.Tuesday, April 4, 2006
By Whitney Kvasager THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A senior Ministry of the Interior official lashed out at critics of the proposed freedom of assembly law on Monday, saying a newspaper article detailing concerns about the law had been written under the influence of "too many amphetamines."
Defending the draft law, Interior Ministry Undersecretary of State Sieng Lapresse wrote in a letter that he had conducted his own interviews with an unnamed foreign diplomat and an official from the UN center for human rights, and found that they both supported the law.
The draft law, which was written by the Interior Ministry, requires that spontaneous demonstrations be held in so-called "freedom parks" for no more than four hours and be attended by no more than 30 people.
"Those interviewed [on Monday] morning said the draft law protects freedom of assembly and speech afforded by the Constitution. A UN rights office official... also asserted the term ‘freedom park’ encourages the protest to be more responsible and to minimize the damage of interest of others," Sieng Lapresse wrote.
He also criticized Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay, who had said the law would harm poor farmers who travel long distances from remote areas to protest land grabs.
"A foreign diplomat said Son Chhay is a grown man, and he should not be afraid, because a freedom park is just a public square for mass tension relief," Sieng Lapresse wrote.
Sieng Lapresse said by telephone that the law was also supported by US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli and Margo Picken, coordinator of the UN Office of the High Commission of Human Rights. Both participated in a February forum held on the law, he said.
But US Embassy Spokesman Jeff Daigle said Mussomeli had reservations about the law.
"He raised a host of questions about the draft law," Daigle said, listing the most weighty as a permit requirement, a limitation on the size of demonstrations and possible punishments for those who did not comply.
Daigle said that Mussomeli believes the country should have a law on assembly, but added "The Cambodian government needs to get it right."
Picken did not respond to faxed, e-mailed and telephoned requests for comment.
Defending the draft law, Interior Ministry Undersecretary of State Sieng Lapresse wrote in a letter that he had conducted his own interviews with an unnamed foreign diplomat and an official from the UN center for human rights, and found that they both supported the law.
The draft law, which was written by the Interior Ministry, requires that spontaneous demonstrations be held in so-called "freedom parks" for no more than four hours and be attended by no more than 30 people.
"Those interviewed [on Monday] morning said the draft law protects freedom of assembly and speech afforded by the Constitution. A UN rights office official... also asserted the term ‘freedom park’ encourages the protest to be more responsible and to minimize the damage of interest of others," Sieng Lapresse wrote.
He also criticized Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay, who had said the law would harm poor farmers who travel long distances from remote areas to protest land grabs.
"A foreign diplomat said Son Chhay is a grown man, and he should not be afraid, because a freedom park is just a public square for mass tension relief," Sieng Lapresse wrote.
Sieng Lapresse said by telephone that the law was also supported by US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli and Margo Picken, coordinator of the UN Office of the High Commission of Human Rights. Both participated in a February forum held on the law, he said.
But US Embassy Spokesman Jeff Daigle said Mussomeli had reservations about the law.
"He raised a host of questions about the draft law," Daigle said, listing the most weighty as a permit requirement, a limitation on the size of demonstrations and possible punishments for those who did not comply.
Daigle said that Mussomeli believes the country should have a law on assembly, but added "The Cambodian government needs to get it right."
Picken did not respond to faxed, e-mailed and telephoned requests for comment.
1 comment:
I find the term 'freedom park' very telling. Most parks exist to protect something that does not exist or that is at risk outside the confines of the park. So what the use of the term reveals, accurately, is that there is no freedom in Cambodia.
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