'More Space' Urged in Cambodian Democracy

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 16 September 2010

“I take this opportunity to call [on the government] not to impose restrictions over democracy.”

Civic leaders called for “more space” for democracy, as well as judicial reform, on Wednesday, as they marked World Democracy Day.

Leaders from civil society called for more tolerance between the political majority and minorities. Political freedoms that were won in the 1980s, following the ouster of the Khmer Rouge, have been in decline, the leaders said.

“I take this opportunity to call [on the government] not to impose restrictions over democracy,” said Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc and chairman of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee.

“In Cambodia,” he said, “the acceptance of criticism is limited.”

Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the Cambodian People's Party, said freedom of expression in Cambodia has been “developed and reinforced.” He agreed with calls for tolerance between the parties, but added, “the minority party must do things based on law.”

The ruling government has come under increasing criticism for restrictions on freedoms in recent years. Last month, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders issued a report that found union leaders, rights activists and journalists facing rights violations and legal restrictions.

Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, a legal organization, said the government must urgently reform the judiciary with the help of the international community.

Cheam Yiep said the government is already doing that.

Leaflets criticizing Hun Xen's regime is not tolerated by the authoritarian regime

Police Find Anti-Government Leaflets in Capital

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
19 August 2009

Phnom Penh police on Wednesday discovered hundreds of anti-government leaflets accusing the administration of Prime Minister Hun Sen of destroying the nation.

The leaflets were scattered at three prominent city sites: near Wat Phnom, Wat Botum and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They called on people to stand up against a Vietnamese-backed government put in placed in 1979.

Brig. Gen. Touch Naroth, chief of Phnom Penh police, told VOA Khmer the leaflets were intended to cause turmoil and sully the prestige of Hun Sen and the government.

The leaflet was the work of politically “partial” people seeking to weaken the influence of Hun Sen “and want to capture power from the current, legal government,” he said. “They understand that they can’t win in elections, and they’ve turned to oppose [Hun Sen] through a variety of turmoil and by making people confused.”

Anti-Hun Sen leaflets have routinely appeared in the city since 1993, with those found distributing them sometimes arrested.

Touch Naroth said the leaflets could potentially pose a threat to the government.

“If the throwers really dare, they can come out and solve their problems through court channels, and not make turmoil through leaflet-throwing,” he said. “People known and have heard and are bored with this problem. We gathered the leaflets to burn them.”

Police were seeking the perpetrators for arrest, he said. “We can charge the throwers for disinformation.”

The leaflets are printed with the names of five people, including a Sam Rainsy Party activist named Kim Sopheak.

Kim Sopheak was at the opposition party’s headquarters Wednesday, but he said by phone he had nothing to do with the leaflets.

“I am very worried and not going any place,” he said. “I understand that someone want to mistreat me and wants to blame me by writing my name on the leaflets.”

Officials from the rights groups Adhoc and Licadho said they were investigating the leaflets.