Showing posts with label Human Rights Day celebration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Human Rights Day celebration. Show all posts
Friday, December 09, 2011
Friends of 10 Dec - Follow the latest news update on International Human Rights Day 2011
Dear All,
Best,
Moses
If you want to follow latest news update on International Human rights Day 2011 wich is organized by Friends of 10 December in 138 places in Cambodia, please follow:
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- Blog: http://dectenfriends.blogspot.com/
Happy International Human Rights Day!
"We All Need Rights, Decent Living, Wages and Justice!"
Best,
Moses
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Human Rights Still Weak, UN Envoy Says [-Khieu Kanharith: "...development projects were not evicting people"]
By VOA Khmer, Reporters
Original reports from Phnom Penh & Siem Reap
10 December 2007
Original reports from Phnom Penh & Siem Reap
10 December 2007
Cambodians live in fear—of the state, swindlers, police and the courts—a UN special envoy said Monday, in the midst of a ten-day visit on International Human Rights Day.
Yash Ghai, the UN secretary-general's special human rights envoy to Cambodia, said tours of numerous communities across Cambodia demonstrated that the rights situation was getting worse.
To mark Rights Day, groups appealed to the government to halt land theft of the dispossessed and the arrests of protesters. A mass rally was held, and included the participation of Ghai and US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli.
Ghai called on people to celebrate "our common humanity and our common commitment to human rights and human dignity."
"I think it's very good sign that this march was allowed after all these years," Mussomeli said. "Things are getting a little better."
But the rights to property, freedom of expression and other basic rights have suffered in recent months, groups said.
"There is still a lack of necessary basic human rights, such as land rights, and freedom of expression," said Thun Saray, head of the rights group Adhoc.
Government officials told the Associated Press they refused to meet with Ghai, who has emerged as a sharp critique of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his policies.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said development projects were not evicting people.
"They prepared another place for the people," he said. "Now the problem is there are many people who know what places are to be developed."
Squatters who anticipate the rising value of land move in and take over, he said.
"When the authorities went, it was the people that used weapons—guns—against the authorities, who wear the king's seal," he said. "It is like this everywhere."
Meanwhile on Rights Day, labor leaders in Siem Reap say they were threatened for joining in marches on Monday.
Ken Chheng Lang, vice president of the Cambodian Construction Federation, said an anonymous caller claiming to be the provincial governor insinuated that the Federation's plans to submit a petition to the provincial governor could lead them to harm.
"I asked him who he was, where he was coming from. I asked him that," Ken Cheng Lang said. "He said, 'I am the provincial governor. You are strong? Come to my place right away. I am at the provincial hall, waiting to meet you. If you have any grief, come to meet with me, you don't have to do that. Your letter of information is big? How big is it, that letter of information.'"
Then the caller hung up.
Provincial Governor Sou Phirin said he had not called, and he would look into the allegations.
Yash Ghai, the UN secretary-general's special human rights envoy to Cambodia, said tours of numerous communities across Cambodia demonstrated that the rights situation was getting worse.
To mark Rights Day, groups appealed to the government to halt land theft of the dispossessed and the arrests of protesters. A mass rally was held, and included the participation of Ghai and US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli.
Ghai called on people to celebrate "our common humanity and our common commitment to human rights and human dignity."
"I think it's very good sign that this march was allowed after all these years," Mussomeli said. "Things are getting a little better."
But the rights to property, freedom of expression and other basic rights have suffered in recent months, groups said.
"There is still a lack of necessary basic human rights, such as land rights, and freedom of expression," said Thun Saray, head of the rights group Adhoc.
Government officials told the Associated Press they refused to meet with Ghai, who has emerged as a sharp critique of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his policies.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said development projects were not evicting people.
"They prepared another place for the people," he said. "Now the problem is there are many people who know what places are to be developed."
Squatters who anticipate the rising value of land move in and take over, he said.
"When the authorities went, it was the people that used weapons—guns—against the authorities, who wear the king's seal," he said. "It is like this everywhere."
Meanwhile on Rights Day, labor leaders in Siem Reap say they were threatened for joining in marches on Monday.
Ken Chheng Lang, vice president of the Cambodian Construction Federation, said an anonymous caller claiming to be the provincial governor insinuated that the Federation's plans to submit a petition to the provincial governor could lead them to harm.
"I asked him who he was, where he was coming from. I asked him that," Ken Cheng Lang said. "He said, 'I am the provincial governor. You are strong? Come to my place right away. I am at the provincial hall, waiting to meet you. If you have any grief, come to meet with me, you don't have to do that. Your letter of information is big? How big is it, that letter of information.'"
Then the caller hung up.
Provincial Governor Sou Phirin said he had not called, and he would look into the allegations.
UN envoy, US ambassador lead rare human rights march in Cambodia
UN special representative of the Secretary General for Human Rights in Cambodia Yash Ghai (R) and US Ambassador to Cambodia Joseph Mussomeli, attend a march to celebrate the 59th Anniversary of the International Human Rights Day in Phnom Penh (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)PHNOM PENH (AFP) — The UN's special envoy for human rights and the US ambassador to Cambodia on Monday led a rare march to demand social justice reforms in the impoverished kingdom.
UN rights representative Yash Ghai and US ambassador Joseph Mussomeli joined 500 local rights activists, who carried banners calling for an end to corruption.
"The lesson therefore is that the struggle for human rights and human dignity is unending," Ghai, who arrived here last week, told a rally in Phnom Penh to mark international Human Rights Day.
"The ultimate custodians of human rights and social justice must be the people themselves, just as they must be the custodians of political and economic sovereignty," he added.
Ghai, a Kenyan lawyer who has clashed repeatedly with the government over his blunt appraisals of Cambodia's rights record, said earlier this year that impunity for human rights violations threatened the rule of law there.
He also wrote a report that accused the government of systematically abusing human rights to keep a grip on power.
Relations between the government and UN rights envoys have historically been poor, with Prime Minister Hun Sen calling Ghai and his predecessor Peter Leuprecht "stupid". He has also described Ghai as "rude" and a "god without virtue".
Mussomeli called Ghai a "sincere human rights advocate", but said he had met no one from the government during his current visit.
Among the top human rights concerns in Cambodia is land grabbing, which Ghai and previous envoys have warned could lead to mass unrest as more Cambodians become destitute.
Land seizures by government and military officials as well as businesses have left thousands of families homeless.
Rampant corruption and a lack of credible land records -- most of which were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s -- have made land disputes increasingly common in Cambodia.
UN rights representative Yash Ghai and US ambassador Joseph Mussomeli joined 500 local rights activists, who carried banners calling for an end to corruption.
"The lesson therefore is that the struggle for human rights and human dignity is unending," Ghai, who arrived here last week, told a rally in Phnom Penh to mark international Human Rights Day.
"The ultimate custodians of human rights and social justice must be the people themselves, just as they must be the custodians of political and economic sovereignty," he added.
Ghai, a Kenyan lawyer who has clashed repeatedly with the government over his blunt appraisals of Cambodia's rights record, said earlier this year that impunity for human rights violations threatened the rule of law there.
He also wrote a report that accused the government of systematically abusing human rights to keep a grip on power.
Relations between the government and UN rights envoys have historically been poor, with Prime Minister Hun Sen calling Ghai and his predecessor Peter Leuprecht "stupid". He has also described Ghai as "rude" and a "god without virtue".
Mussomeli called Ghai a "sincere human rights advocate", but said he had met no one from the government during his current visit.
Among the top human rights concerns in Cambodia is land grabbing, which Ghai and previous envoys have warned could lead to mass unrest as more Cambodians become destitute.
Land seizures by government and military officials as well as businesses have left thousands of families homeless.
Rampant corruption and a lack of credible land records -- most of which were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s -- have made land disputes increasingly common in Cambodia.
Monday, December 10, 2007
UN special envoy, rights group accuse Cambodian courts of failing to uphold justice
Monday, December 10, 2007PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A U.N. envoy accused Cambodia's government and courts today of failing to uphold human rights and justice in the poor Southeast Asian nation.
Yash Ghai, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia, said many Cambodians live in constant fear of being swindled and mistreated by authorities. He spoke at an event marking International Human Rights Day.
"Fear of the state, fear of political and economic saboteurs, fear of greedy individuals and corporations, fear of the police and the courts describes the plight of numerous communities and families in Cambodia," said Ghai, who is winding up a 10-day fact-finding mission in which he toured several areas of the country.
Ghai, a persistent critic of the rights situation in Cambodia, said many poor villagers have been evicted from their land by commercial developers and have no means of protecting themselves and their livelihood.
Ghai's past criticisms have angered the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which has dismissed them as untrue.
Om Yentieng, an adviser to the prime minister and chairman of the government's human rights committee, could not immediately be reached for comment on the remarks.
Yash Ghai, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia, said many Cambodians live in constant fear of being swindled and mistreated by authorities. He spoke at an event marking International Human Rights Day.
"Fear of the state, fear of political and economic saboteurs, fear of greedy individuals and corporations, fear of the police and the courts describes the plight of numerous communities and families in Cambodia," said Ghai, who is winding up a 10-day fact-finding mission in which he toured several areas of the country.
Ghai, a persistent critic of the rights situation in Cambodia, said many poor villagers have been evicted from their land by commercial developers and have no means of protecting themselves and their livelihood.
Ghai's past criticisms have angered the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which has dismissed them as untrue.
Om Yentieng, an adviser to the prime minister and chairman of the government's human rights committee, could not immediately be reached for comment on the remarks.
MoI allows Human Rights Day parade only after foreign embassies' intervention with the government big guns
Government authorizes Huan Rights Day parade
09 December 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
09 December 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The royal government of Cambodia authorized human rights activists to organize a non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, to mark the 10 December International Human Rights Day and to express their opinion.
General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told RFA on Sunday that this MoI and the city of Phnom Penh authorized this parade because civil society representatives and the authority met to negotiate, and the authority allowed the parade by maintaining a proper schedule, avoiding any demonstration that disturbs the public order, that was why the authority agreed to the request.
Regarding this authorization, Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization, told RFA that he is not satisfied with it yet because this authorization came only after interventions from foreign embassy personnel in Cambodia.
Chan Soveth said: “When there are foreign protests, such as those which came from the various embassies, then they were able to talk to those high-ranking (Cambodian) officials who softened their attitudes and allow us to hold this parade. For us Khmer, who abide (by the law), who are sovereign (in our country), we cannot negotiate with them to hold this celebration.”
A source indicated that the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), in cooperation with several Cambodian organizations and associations, have decided to hold a parade with the participation of about 500 people, starting from the public park in Phsar Chas to the Wat Phnom park. At that location, another 4,000 participants will greet the marchers.
Regarding the holding of this non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, a source from the UN Human Rights office in Cambodia indicated that the UN Special Envoy on Human Rigths in Cambodia, Prof. Yash Ghai, who is currently visiting Cambodia, plans to participate in this parade also.
Earlier, the Phnom Penh city hall refused to give the authorization for the parade, but it allowed the participants to stay in one area, because of its concerns about public order and safety.
Delegates of the US-based Freedom House organization who recently completed their visit to Cambodia, issued an evaluation report on human rights and democracy in Cambodia. In this report, Freedom House criticized that the rights to gather to protest and to express opinion, the rule of law, and the quality of justice in Cambodia still suffer significantly.
Freedom House representatives also criticized the draft law on peaceful demonstration which is currently being submitted for approval by the National Assembly in the near future. Freedom House said that this draft law will further drag down Cambodia score (on this issue).
General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told RFA on Sunday that this MoI and the city of Phnom Penh authorized this parade because civil society representatives and the authority met to negotiate, and the authority allowed the parade by maintaining a proper schedule, avoiding any demonstration that disturbs the public order, that was why the authority agreed to the request.
Regarding this authorization, Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization, told RFA that he is not satisfied with it yet because this authorization came only after interventions from foreign embassy personnel in Cambodia.
Chan Soveth said: “When there are foreign protests, such as those which came from the various embassies, then they were able to talk to those high-ranking (Cambodian) officials who softened their attitudes and allow us to hold this parade. For us Khmer, who abide (by the law), who are sovereign (in our country), we cannot negotiate with them to hold this celebration.”
A source indicated that the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), in cooperation with several Cambodian organizations and associations, have decided to hold a parade with the participation of about 500 people, starting from the public park in Phsar Chas to the Wat Phnom park. At that location, another 4,000 participants will greet the marchers.
Regarding the holding of this non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, a source from the UN Human Rights office in Cambodia indicated that the UN Special Envoy on Human Rigths in Cambodia, Prof. Yash Ghai, who is currently visiting Cambodia, plans to participate in this parade also.
Earlier, the Phnom Penh city hall refused to give the authorization for the parade, but it allowed the participants to stay in one area, because of its concerns about public order and safety.
Delegates of the US-based Freedom House organization who recently completed their visit to Cambodia, issued an evaluation report on human rights and democracy in Cambodia. In this report, Freedom House criticized that the rights to gather to protest and to express opinion, the rule of law, and the quality of justice in Cambodia still suffer significantly.
Freedom House representatives also criticized the draft law on peaceful demonstration which is currently being submitted for approval by the National Assembly in the near future. Freedom House said that this draft law will further drag down Cambodia score (on this issue).
On Human Rights Day, Yash Ghai slams Hun Sen's government and the courts for their continued failure in upholding human rights and justice
Cambodian performers, Buddhist monks and human rights activists celebrate an International Human Rights Day rally in the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Dec. 10. 2007. A U.N. envoy marked a human rights rally in Cambodia Monday by slamming the government and the courts for their continued failure in upholding human rights and justice, especially for the country's poor and powerless. (AP Photo/Khem Sovannara)
Yash Ghai, right, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia, and U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli, left, lead an International Human Rights Day rally in the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Dec. 10. 2007. Ghai marked the event in Cambodia Monday by slamming the government and the courts for their continued failure in upholding human rights and justice, especially for the country's poor and powerless. (AP Photo/Khem Sovannara)
Yash Ghai, the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for human rights in Cambodia, leads an International Human Rights Day rally in the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Dec. 10, 2007. Ghai marked the event in Cambodia Monday by slamming the government and the courts for their continued failure in upholding human rights and justice, especially for the country's poor and powerless. (AP Photo/Khem Sovannara)Cambodia protest over land grabs [-Hun Sen's government has acknowledged there is a problem with land-grabbing]
UN envoy Yash Ghai (R) has voiced concern about land rights violations
The protest was held to mark International Human Rights DayMonday, 10 December 2007
By Guy De Launey
BBC News, Phnom Penh
Several communities in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, are marking International Human Rights Day by protesting against forced evictions.
Thousands of families have already been moved from slums in the capital to sites outside the city, and other communities face the same fate.
The UN Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia, Yash Ghai, has strongly criticised the evictions.
He says he believes the country's human rights situation is deteriorating.
'Enormously corrupt'
On the banks of the Bassac River, members of more than a dozen threatened communities made a show of defiance.
They wore white T-shirts with the slogan "stop evictions" written in Khmer and English, and a young woman from the community read what they called the Tonle Bassac Declaration - a plea to have their rights respected.
The demonstrations coincided with the final day of the visit of the United Nations Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia, Yash Ghai.
It is Yash Ghai's fourth mission to the country, and this time he has been paying special attention to the issues of land grabs and evictions.
Mr Ghai says that poor people all over Cambodia are losing their land to the rich and powerful and that well-connected land-grabbers can operate with impunity because of the weakness of the judicial system.
He also accuses international donors of failing to use their influence and says he is concerned the situation will get worse.
"There's an enormous amount of suffering," he said. "People are extremely anxious and fearful of the police and the courts, who are very much part of this system for the appropriation of land. So the whole legal system has become enormously corrupt."
The government has acknowledged there is a problem with land-grabbing.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has stepped in on several occasions to order well-connected people to hand back land. He has also promised to sack any government officials involved.
Thousands of families have already been moved from slums in the capital to sites outside the city, and other communities face the same fate.
The UN Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia, Yash Ghai, has strongly criticised the evictions.
He says he believes the country's human rights situation is deteriorating.
'Enormously corrupt'
On the banks of the Bassac River, members of more than a dozen threatened communities made a show of defiance.
They wore white T-shirts with the slogan "stop evictions" written in Khmer and English, and a young woman from the community read what they called the Tonle Bassac Declaration - a plea to have their rights respected.
The demonstrations coincided with the final day of the visit of the United Nations Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia, Yash Ghai.
It is Yash Ghai's fourth mission to the country, and this time he has been paying special attention to the issues of land grabs and evictions.
Mr Ghai says that poor people all over Cambodia are losing their land to the rich and powerful and that well-connected land-grabbers can operate with impunity because of the weakness of the judicial system.
He also accuses international donors of failing to use their influence and says he is concerned the situation will get worse.
"There's an enormous amount of suffering," he said. "People are extremely anxious and fearful of the police and the courts, who are very much part of this system for the appropriation of land. So the whole legal system has become enormously corrupt."
The government has acknowledged there is a problem with land-grabbing.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has stepped in on several occasions to order well-connected people to hand back land. He has also promised to sack any government officials involved.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Authorities prevents Human Rights Day parade?
03 December 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
On Monday, a representative of human rights NGOs in Cambodia accused the royal government of Cambodia of rejecting his group’s request to hold a peaceful parade walk with the participation of about 5,000 people on 10 December, in order to express their opinions during the upcoming celebration of the International Human Rights Day.
Thon Saray, President of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) which regroups about 30 member organizations and associations, said: “The city hall does not allow us to walk like that. They told us to organize (the meeting) in one public location, it’s only under this condition that they will authorize us, but to hold a walking parade, they will not allow us, they told us to ask the Ministry of Interior (MoI) instead. We did not receive any reply from MoI as to whether we will have the ability to hold this walking parade or not? For us, we want to hold a walking parade.”
Thon Saray claimed that Comfrel, the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), the NGOs Forum, the Cambodia Youth Council, and several other organizations plan to participate in the walking parade.
Thon Saray indicated that the official rejection to the request made by human rights NGOs was given during a meeting with Phnom Penh city hall officials on Friday of last week. The reason provided for the rejection of the request was because the city deemed the parade would create traffic jam, public disorder, and the city hall couldn’t provide safety protection.
Thon Saray indicated also that the various NGOs are waiting for an answer from the MoI to the same request.
Regarding this issue, General Khieu Sopheak, MoI spokesman, said the MoI received the rejection letter of the city hall two weeks ago, and the MoI agreed to the city hall decision.
Khieu Sopheak said that even if the NGOs ask to meet with the MoI directly, the MoI will maintain its position in rejecting this parade.
On 31 December 2006, while still being president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), Kem Sokha and Yeng Virak, director of the Cambodian Legal Education Center (CLEC), were arrested by the government which accused the pair of showing a number of handwritten signs defaming Hun Sen. These signs were displayed during the 10 December 2006 Human Rights Day celebration, near the Olympic Stadium, where thousands of people attended.
Currently, Prof. Yash Ghai, the UN Special envoy for Human Rights in Cambodia, is visiting Cambodia between 01-10 December. This is his fourth trip the Cambodia to evaluate the respect of human rights in Cambodia.
Thon Saray, President of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) which regroups about 30 member organizations and associations, said: “The city hall does not allow us to walk like that. They told us to organize (the meeting) in one public location, it’s only under this condition that they will authorize us, but to hold a walking parade, they will not allow us, they told us to ask the Ministry of Interior (MoI) instead. We did not receive any reply from MoI as to whether we will have the ability to hold this walking parade or not? For us, we want to hold a walking parade.”
Thon Saray claimed that Comfrel, the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), the NGOs Forum, the Cambodia Youth Council, and several other organizations plan to participate in the walking parade.
Thon Saray indicated that the official rejection to the request made by human rights NGOs was given during a meeting with Phnom Penh city hall officials on Friday of last week. The reason provided for the rejection of the request was because the city deemed the parade would create traffic jam, public disorder, and the city hall couldn’t provide safety protection.
Thon Saray indicated also that the various NGOs are waiting for an answer from the MoI to the same request.
Regarding this issue, General Khieu Sopheak, MoI spokesman, said the MoI received the rejection letter of the city hall two weeks ago, and the MoI agreed to the city hall decision.
Khieu Sopheak said that even if the NGOs ask to meet with the MoI directly, the MoI will maintain its position in rejecting this parade.
On 31 December 2006, while still being president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), Kem Sokha and Yeng Virak, director of the Cambodian Legal Education Center (CLEC), were arrested by the government which accused the pair of showing a number of handwritten signs defaming Hun Sen. These signs were displayed during the 10 December 2006 Human Rights Day celebration, near the Olympic Stadium, where thousands of people attended.
Currently, Prof. Yash Ghai, the UN Special envoy for Human Rights in Cambodia, is visiting Cambodia between 01-10 December. This is his fourth trip the Cambodia to evaluate the respect of human rights in Cambodia.
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