Gathering to celebrate internet access in Cambodia

3 March 2011
Written by Sopheap Chak
Global Voices Online

Let's White Out Phnom Penh's Independence Monument for a few hours! We believe that social media is an important tool in present day and age, and such tool is accessible in Cambodia.

This is the message for the White-Out Day which will take place this Friday, March 4, at the Independent Monument which represents the liberation movement from French Colonization in 1950s. The invitation was announced on Facebook by Nate Sovatha.

From the invitation page, it reads:

Social Media has become increasingly important in present day and age. Its benefits in connecting people across and beyond boundaries are indisputable. It has also played a pivotal role that translates into social changes in recent days in some countries across the world. Despite such values, this tool is not available to everybody; some countries have blocked access to this vital tool. As a genuine member of the 21st century global community, CAMBODIA IS NOT ONE OF THOSE COUNTRIES AND WE WANT TO CELEBRATE THAT FACT. This is what this event is all about.

The whole idea of the gathering is simply to celebrate the fact that internet access in Cambodia is better compared to other countries with strict media censorship laws:

Let's meet up with your friends and other social media users, talk stories or simply just take some pictures with the monument in the background. To show our unity and membership in the social media users community, let's all wear WHITE COLOR (top and bottom if can, if no can, just white top. Just plain white, no print, no sign or anything).

Insisting that this event is not a demonstration, and avoiding mention of current uprising in several Arab states, the organizer of the event warned participants not to use the activity for political purposes. More importantly, realizing the potential reaction from the government and understanding that the laws in Cambodia require permit for such gathering at a specified location namely Freedom Park, the organizer emphasized the non-political character of the gathering:

Disclaimer: This event is not a protest or a demonstration. Laws in Cambodia require permit for such event and it would need to be held at a specified location. I DO NOT HAVE SUCH PERMIT. This is not a political event, so please don’t hijack this event for political purposes.

As of this writing, there are 31 Facebook users who have confirmed their attendance. However, the event will definitely attract more internet users who are likely to attend the gathering without confirming participation on Facebook.

Even if it is non-political, such event organized through social media networks, may spark reaction from the government which recently denied that it ordered the blocking of certain websites that are leaning towards the opposition or viewed as critical to the government; and also government leaders have publicly condemned commentators who are comparing Cambodia to the situation in Egypt and Tunisia.

The count down begins to the White Out Phnom Penh's Independence Monument. Will the participants of this non-political event get arrested?

Cambodia confronts UN panel

Click here to watch the video online
(scroll down to section on Cambodia (2 videos) and click the appropriate language)

Thursday, 03 December 2009
Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post

Free speech, land rights high on list of Western concerns.

LAND rights and freedom of expression dominated discussions as Cambodia came before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva for its formal rights review on Tuesday.

During a three-hour session, the Council’s 47 members questioned Cambodia on rights-related issues after the presentation of a government report by Sun Suon, Cambodia’s ambassador to the UN.

“Cambodia fully shares the view that all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent,” Sun Suon told the Council, adding that rights promotion should take into account the “historical, political, economic, social and cultural reality of the country and its particularities”.

But in their questions to the Cambodian delegation, several Western nations highlighted the issue of freedom of expression, brought into question after a string of lawsuits against critics of the government.

“We note a number of concerns with regard to the use of justice in order to limit freedom of expression and political freedom,” said John Von Kaufman, representing Canada.

The German delegation pointed to reports of “the intimidation of human rights defenders, NGOs, the media and even in some cases, the lifting of the immunity of parliamentarians”.

“Germany would like to know how the government reconciles such restrictive approaches … with its obligations it entered into when it ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said German delegate Michael Klepsch.

Lina Van Der Weyden, representing Sweden, also expressed concern about increased reports of forced evictions resulting from “legally doubtful land concessions”, calling for a moratorium on evictions until the necessary “safeguards” are in place.

Other delegations, however, diverged sharply from the criticisms of Western governments. The Indian delegation, led by Gopinathan Achamkulangare, acknowledged the “challenges and constraints” faced by nations after decades of conflict, and said it “appreciates the prioritising of poverty reduction by the government in its efforts to promote human rights through the National Strategic Development Plan”.

Kyam Myo Htut from Myanmar said he was “delighted to hear of the major achievements which came in the implementation of [government development] strategies”.

When asked whether the presence of known rights abusers – including Myanmar, Russia, China and Vietnam – on the council marred the universal periodic review process, rights defenders said its composition gave little measure of its credibility and performance.

“The most important thing is its own mandate, which is comprehensive and far reaching,” Surya Subedi, the UN special rapporteur on human rights to Cambodia, said by email.

“The UPR is a relatively new mechanism, but it already has delivered some positive results for people around the globe.”

Christophe Peschoux, director of the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, said improvements in the rights situation are largely contingent on the government’s actions.

“It’s not just a one-off exercise – the UPR is one moment in a process,” he said. “But what matters more is the extent to which the government takes the [council’s] recommendations into account.”

The results from Tuesday’s session will go towards shaping an outcome document that is set to be adopted by the council today.

Hun Sen pays lip service at Human Rights meeting: Respect free speech ... but you are not allowed to demonstrate

Cambodia Hosts Human Rights Meeting

Vong Dara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 September 2007

Prime Minister Hun Sen urged Cambodians to respect free speech, as a workshop on human rights got underway in Siem Reap Thursday.

The Asia-Europe meeting is the eighth unofficial workshop to be held on human rights. Thursday's focus was freedom of speech.

By following international conventions on human rights, the government was focusing on the promotion of rights for its people, Hun Sen said.

Asean too was working toward the creation of a human rights body, he said.

Ou Vireak, director of the Cambodia Center for Human Rights, said groups were skeptical of Cambodia's commitment to human rights.

Cambodians still suffer discrimination and other rights abuses, he said.