Kem Sokha, CCHR President (Photo: RFA)By San Sovith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Yesterday, local newspapers have reported that some current employees and former employees of the Cambodian Center for Human Rigths (CCHR) had accused Mr. Kem Sokha, CCHR President, of corruption causing severe irregularities [at the Center].
Cambodge Soir quoted Hong Huot, an employee among 10 others who will see the termination of their contracts by the end of September, said that his group knows that all NGOs works are constrained by grant limits.
However, this is not the case at CCHR. The termination of their contracts was due to irregular spending at CCHR.
In response to the accusation of irregularities in the Center, Mr. Kem Sokha told RFA that there is indeed a movement denouncing him in the past, however, he said that the Center’s spending is closely audited by grant providers.
In response to the accusations made, Kem Sokha said: “I am not surprised by the distorted accusation, it is their strategy to malign my reputation. These tactics have been used one year already, but the importance is that the grant providers have auditors who perform the audit [of the Center] on a yearly basis. After each audit, the auditors told us that we have no problem, they never said that we have any problem. More importantly, our activities follow the policy set by the grant providers, they did not find anything that we did was against their policy.”
The group of employees to be laid off had threatened that if they do not receive clarification as the group wants, they will continue their protest.
Ou Virak, CCHR spokesman, had expressed his regret for the need to reduce the number of employees. CCHR could not extend the contract of these employees because its grants have been reduced by grant donors.
He indicated that USAid, one of the main grant provider to CCHR, has reduced its financial aid by 30%.
He also added that USAid provides a yearly grant of $800,000 to CCHR.
Cambodge Soir quoted Hong Huot, an employee among 10 others who will see the termination of their contracts by the end of September, said that his group knows that all NGOs works are constrained by grant limits.
However, this is not the case at CCHR. The termination of their contracts was due to irregular spending at CCHR.
In response to the accusation of irregularities in the Center, Mr. Kem Sokha told RFA that there is indeed a movement denouncing him in the past, however, he said that the Center’s spending is closely audited by grant providers.
In response to the accusations made, Kem Sokha said: “I am not surprised by the distorted accusation, it is their strategy to malign my reputation. These tactics have been used one year already, but the importance is that the grant providers have auditors who perform the audit [of the Center] on a yearly basis. After each audit, the auditors told us that we have no problem, they never said that we have any problem. More importantly, our activities follow the policy set by the grant providers, they did not find anything that we did was against their policy.”
The group of employees to be laid off had threatened that if they do not receive clarification as the group wants, they will continue their protest.
Ou Virak, CCHR spokesman, had expressed his regret for the need to reduce the number of employees. CCHR could not extend the contract of these employees because its grants have been reduced by grant donors.
He indicated that USAid, one of the main grant provider to CCHR, has reduced its financial aid by 30%.
He also added that USAid provides a yearly grant of $800,000 to CCHR.
5 comments:
Write this guy for clarification
Assistant Administrator: James Kunder
in Charge Cambodia Program
US Agency of International Development
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington DC 20523-0016
tel:202-712-4320
fax:202-216-3524
email:jkunder@usaid.gov
CCHR Board of Directors need to come out to hear employees grievances that the way not for profit ought to run. Kem Sokha is an employee not an owner with usuaul titke as CEO/President with correct itle as Exceutive Director policy implementer who can be hired and fired just like anyone else by the Board of Directors.
But So far Sokha runs this organization likes the private sector that is he is the President who answers to no one on the Board but directly to the funders.That's not rightly Kosher.
Taxpayers need to write to USAID or congressman for transparency and all record according to Freedom of Information Act (FOA)
Sorry every one feel bad when we lost our job.
Mr. Sokha have to answere to the grantor they have their professional auditore to check on hime.
He can not spend all his tem to answere to an individual employee, that way he would not be able to do any thing else.
Why these employees did not say anything before and wait until the end of their contracts? They need to understand that their jobs are not life term (like the king in Cambodia). Once you ran out of fund that is the end of your employement. I truely believe that this Center is granted by US money and the user can't mess up with it. NGO anywhere that is funded by US is audited and quetioned if there's any irregularity...find a new job and take good care of yourself!!!!!!!!
I knew it the day will come.
Post a Comment