Civil society: Cambodia’s treatment of NGOs faulted

Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia is on par with Ethiopia, Algeria and Belarus in terms of repressing non-government organisations, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says.

In a statement last week, she directly pointed to Cambodia’s proposed Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations, or LANGO, as having the potential to breach the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is enshrined in the constitution.

The latest draft of the LANGO, obtained by the Post last year, would allow the government to close NGOs and associations if their activities were deemed to “harm . . . national unity, culture, customs and traditions of the Cambodian national society”.

U.N. official assails crackdown on NGOs [in Cambodia]

NEW YORK, April 25 (UPI) -- Government actions limiting the freedom of non-governmental organizations are undermining human rights, a U.N. official said Wednesday.

"Civil society, including non-government organizations, trade unions, human rights defenders, academics, journalists, bloggers and others, plays an absolutely crucial role in ensuring that human rights are protected," said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in a statement released Wednesday.

She highlighted cases in several countries in which government regulations are curtailing organizations' abilities to operate, noting Egypt's new draft laws, Zimbabwe's crackdown on freedom of association, Cambodia's proposed law that could close down non-governmental organizations if deemed harmful to national unity and culture, and Venezuela's new law putting such groups under permanent state surveillance.

Anti-NGO law petition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX5-BfsSqLQ

Cambodia: Revise or Abandon Draft NGO Law

http://www.box.com/s/y6dcc11rvppb6mq66vep

For immediate release

Cambodia: Revise or Abandon Draft NGO Law

Donors Should Insist on Protections for Civil Society

(Bangkok, December 22, 2011) – Donors, who provide approximately half of Cambodia’s national budget, should make clear to the Cambodian government that the fourth draft of the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO) must be revised to protect civil society or be withdrawn, a group of concerned international human rights organizations said today. Any revisions should involve meaningful consultation with civil society organizations and aim to support their activities instead of creating a legal framework allowing for arbitrary closure of organizations or the denial of registration.

The groups involved are Human Rights Watch, Global Witness, Freedom House, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Article 19, Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Civil Rights Defenders, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Centre for Law and Democracy, Protection International, and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights - FIDH, and the World Organisation Against Torture - OMCT).

“The Cambodian government is pressing forward with a draft law that grants it broad authority to make arbitrary decisions about which groups can operate and which cannot,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Civil society delivers essential services and acts as a constructive watchdog over government and private sector activities. This law is hardly the sort of ‘reform’ that will benefit Cambodian citizens. Donors should say no to this farce.”

Villagers petition via krama

Villagers hold aloft a 230-metre krama yesterday during their protest in front of the National Assembly. (Photo by: Pha Lina)

Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

More than 10,000 thumbprints of villagers from communities throughout 24 provinces and cities secured to a 230-metre blue krama was submitted to the National Assembly yesterday as a petition against the passage of three worrying laws.

Before submitting the petition, which weighed 50 kilograms, about 100 villagers from land-dispute communities and villages dependent on fishing and forestry stood alongside civil society representatives while holding the scarf and chanting.

“The citizens wanted the National Assembly to know that they are very concerned over draft laws which restrict their freedom,” Yeng Virak, president of Community Legal Education Center said.

The thumbprints, which were collected on International Human Rights Day on December 12, are in protest over the passage of the draft law on associations and NGOs, the draft union law and the draft agricultural cooperative law.

NGO Draft Law - A Big Step Back for Cambodia's Democracy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcZFcpP8TTc

បើចេញច្បាប់នឹង ត្រូវចេញ ច្បាប់មួយ ទៀត គឺច្បាប់ ដកដង្ហើម!
If they come out with this [NGO] law, they must come out with another law: the Right to Breathe Law!

20 Dec 2011
By Mu Sochua

A very strong momentum from the grassroots movement - from land rights to full rights.

Watch them move!

Over 10,000 thumbprints on a 300 meter-long hand woven scarf to oppose draft law on NGOs.

"We will even have to ask permission to breathe. Our rights are totally taken away from us. We have lost our land and now they ask us to report every move we make" says Tep Vanny, one of the hundreds of women at the rally today, in front of the National Assembly.

The draft law will make it mandatory for all groups of more than 3 people to register with the Ministry of Interior.

Cambodia civil society, NGOs and trade unions will be closed down if not registered or report their activities to authorities.

Only recourse is the courts - an institution tainted with corruption and political maneuvering.

Meeting Over NGO Law Fails To Ease Concerns

Monday, 19 December 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“The meaning of registration seems unclear.”

Members of civil society met with government officials on Monday over the latest version of a contentious law to regulate NGOs, but many said at the end of the day the draft is still flawed.

Monday’s meeting was meant to solicit recommendations from local and international NGOs before the draft is sent to the Council of Ministers for approval for parliamentary debate and passage.

Ou Virak, head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the latest version of the law, which was kicked back to the Ministry of Interior in October for revision, has three main points of concern.

The law still contains complicated registration procedures, a requirement to sign an agreement with the government, and could still hamper the activities of smaller grassroots organizations, he said.

Longest Krama Petition to halt LANGO, Trade Union and Agri. Laws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHcY22qMWhQ

"NGO Draft Law - Many Steps Back for Democracy in Cambodia"

20 Dec 2011
By Mu Sochua

A very moving moment to watch the determination of grassroots leaders defending the most fundamental human rights: rights of assembly ; rights to form their association; rights to speech.

The daily struggle for the defense of human rights is gaining incredible momentum.

This is hope for Change.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVevI31h3yE

Photos of LANGO Petition at NA this morning

Dear All,

The longest petition 230m andover 50 kg weight to halt LANGO, Trade Union and Agricultural Cooperative laws was rolled in front of National Assembly of Cambodia this morning.

More photo, please check our Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/CommunityLegalEducationCenter

Please find photo.

Best,
Moses

Protest and petition over NGO draft law

Petition with about ten thousand thumb prints which were pasted on 200 meters of Krama was on display this morning in front of the National Assembly in protest against government draft law on NGO. (All Photos: SRP MP Son Chhay)

MP Mu Sochua leads the way for the petition against the NGO draft law to be handed over to National Assembly secretary general office.

A human rights day march in Phnom Penh. A draft law requiring NGOs working in Cambodia to register has proved controversial. Photograph: Samrang Pring/Reuters

Monday 19 December 2011
Celeste Hicks
guardian.co.uk

The fourth draft of a controversial proposed law covering the activities of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Cambodia has been rejected by a number of local and international organisations.

The latest draft of the law on associations and non-governmental organisations (Lango) was published by the Cambodian government last week. But already an umbrella group of prominent Cambodian NGOs and civil society groups have indicated they will not take part in a consultation session scheduled for Monday, saying the changes do not go far enough and claiming they have had insufficient time to review the draft properly.

"This new draft raises more questions than it answers," says Naly Pilorge, director of Licadho, the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defence of Human Rights, one of the human rights organisations eschewing the consultation. "The stakes are too high to simply wait and see. These questions need to be answered before the law is passed, not after."

Different takes on NGO law

Monday, 19 December 2011
Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post

AHEAD of a half-day meeting today between the Royal Government and NGOs that will introduce the fourth generation of the draft Law on Associations and NGOs, a divergence of opinion on the law’s latest version has emerged between two prominent Cambodian NGOs.

Rights group Licadho has called the fourth draft another failure that is “now more confusing than ever”, while the Cambodian Center for Human Rights welcomed the positive improvements in the latest revision, “especially in terms of clarity”.

Licadho and CCHR are the only civil society organisations to publish analyses of the draft law since its circulation last week.

Licadho maintained a strictly critical analysis of the fourth generation of the law, while CCHR applauded the incorporation of civil society’s recommendations into the newest version as a “credit” to the government.

CCHR Press Release - CCHR Releases an Analysis of the Fourth Draft of the LANGO that welcomes the improvemen​ts made and highlights existing areas of significan​t concern

http://www.box.com/s/d909ytl0udnhublymbis


http://www.box.com/s/kjkzc8cs3m172oyymb4y

CCHR Press Release - CCHR Releases an Analysis of the Fourth Draft of the LANGO that welcomes the improvemen​ts made and highlights existing areas of significan​t concern (in Khmer)

http://www.box.com/s/uiyx47qm8znqe0cdxd4e


http://www.box.com/s/gbatqa6pfyjjg2rt231k

Joint analysis on Law of Associatio​ns & NGOs

http://www.box.com/s/efn19t6i82vonerl9eui


http://www.box.com/s/s96vhu38t0gop59oq7rt

Draft Law Improved But Still Flawed, NGOs Say

NGO groups Photo: VOA Khmer

Friday, 16 December 2011
Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

"They should not be stopped before they even start.”

The Ministry of Information has released its latest draft of a controversial NGO law to organizations as government and non-government agencies prepare for a discussion next week.

NGO representatives say the new draft is improved over the past version of the law, which was kicked back to the ministry from the Council of Ministers following widespread concern the law would hamper development, which relies heavily on the work of NGOs.

Sok Sam Oeun, head of the Cambodian Defenders Project, a legal organization, said the new draft, which was handed to some groups on Monday, contains many recommendations previously made by NGOs. However, he said, there is still some provisions that are of concern.

Media Release - from the Consultati​on of Cambodia's Civil Society Organizati​on on the Law on Associatio​n and NGOs

Government Rushes Forward on Second NGO Law

Monday, 12 December 2011
Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

“What are they concerned about?”- Nuth Sa An, secretary of state for the Ministry of Interior

The Cambodian government is moving forward with a review workshop for a controversial NGO law next week, despite calls from rights groups and others who say they need time to review the latest draft version.

The government will hold a workshop on Dec. 19, but local organizations have said that will not give them enough time to review the draft for problems.

This is the second time the Ministry of Interior has had to draft the law. The first version was sent back to them from the Council of Minsters, following widespread criticism from the international community that the regulatory law could hamper the country’s development.

Groups Fear Little Time To Review Latest NGO Law

Thursday, 08 December 2011
Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC

“We want to see the fourth draft."

Rights groups and other organizations say they want the government to release the latest version of a controversial law to regulate NGOs, giving them adequate time to review it before it is again sent to the Council of Ministers for approval.

The NGO law was kicked back to the Ministry of Interior earlier this year after heavy public criticism and fears it could damage the country’s civil society.

Now organizations say they fear they again won’t have time to add recommendations on the latest draft.