CPP Som Chin's accusation: Sam Rainsy looks down on the king and the Cambodian people

CPP MP Som Chin (L) and Opposition leader Sam Rainsy (R)

19 October 2009
By Sopheap Khmer Sthabna
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

“We want peace in a lively society where people have a decent life, a decent livelihood, that is the peace we want, not the kind found in a cemetery. We want security for those who live in peace, security for the people who have full rights, we do not want to live as slaves” - Sam Rainsy

The National Assembly (NA) debated on the draft law on peaceful demonstration on 19 October. MPs from all political parties – CPP, SRP, HRP and Funcinpec – were present during the session.

Diverging arguments were advanced by CPP MPs, SRP MPs and by government representatives.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said that he recognized the positive points that bring in comfort: “I recognize them and I praise those who drafted this law and who included the points that I talked about. The law is very good, but its application must be upheld properly.”

Sam Rainsy believes that the final decision [for the authorization for demonstrations] to be given to the minister of Interior is not proper because the latter is a representative of the government, and therefore the latter is involved with politics. If during a demonstration, demands are made that could affect the political outcome or political demands are made, and if the ruling party is allowed to, then it will clearly direct the ministry of Information to prevent such demonstration from taking place.

Sam Rainsy added that he listened to the comments from both sides and they are proper for the circumstances, but for his goals, he also wants to have peace, everybody wants to have peace in the society, but that such peace is not one that is found in a cemetery. “We want peace in a lively society where people have a decent life, a decent livelihood, that is the peace we want, not the kind found in a cemetery. We want security for those who live in peace, security for the people who have full rights, we do not want to live as slaves.”

Sam Rainsy’s statement earned a sharp rebuke from a CPP MP. Kampot CPP MP Som Chin, the deputy chairman of the NA 9th commission, reacted by saying: “Up to today, the [opposition] leader talked bad, we cannot accept that, you [Sam Rainsy] listen to your words, are they good? They hurt us, you cursed us as being dictatorial, as selling the nation, as betraying the nation. The betrayers of the nation are the ones who liberated the nation. And [the accusation of] selling the nation is very severe, then you [went on to] call the security of the dead as well.”

Som Chin stressed that Sam Rainsy looked down on the king and the people of Cambodia, and Som Chin is announcing to all the Cambodian people that “the SRP leader is insulting [the CPP], if [the CPP] betrays the nation, sells the nation, why would people vote for the CPP. [The SRP] cursed [the CPP] for several years already, they never have enough of it, at even at this hour, you insult and curse us of security for the dead, of slavery.”

Draft law covering protests blasted

Thursday, 15 October 2009
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

GOVERNMENT and opposition parliamentarians engaged in heated exchanges Wednesday as the National Assembly opened its debate into a proposed Law on Nonviolent Demonstrations, which critics said could severely curtail freedom of expression throughout the country.

Although Article 2 of the draft law guarantees the people’s freedom of expression through peaceful demonstrations, the same article states that demonstrators must not use these rights to abuse other people’s freedom and reputations, negatively affect the traditions of the nation, or affect public order and national security.

“I do not support this law and its enforcement as long as its definitions remain unclear,” Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann told the assembly.

During the debate, opposition lawmakers drew particular attention to Article 14, which restricts legal public gatherings to fewer than 200 people without at least 12 hours’ advance permission from authorities.

Yim Sovann rejected the limit on the number of people who could legally participate in peaceful demonstrations under the new law.

“This law allows only 200 people to gather.… We requested that the number be increased much higher than this,” he added.

“We cannot limit the number of participants or vehicles who can take part in demonstrations, so we are asking to amend [the law].”

Unionists and rights activists also targeted Article 14 of the law, saying the restriction on the size of public gatherings would affect the rights of the people to protest obvious injustices.

“[Government] should not limit participants’ numbers because in demonstration there are always many participants, and if they cannot participate, they will be disappointed,” said Thun Saray, president of the rights group Adhoc.

Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, said that if 5,000 workers were cheated by a factory owner, protesting under the new restrictions would not be representative.

Khuon Sudary, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said the Demonstration Law has existed in draft form since 2005, and that it adheres to both national and international legal standards.

She said Prime Minister Hun Sen had already changed some articles of the law to conform to the recommendations of the assembly’s special commissions, who discussed the law with the relevant institutions.

She also defended the restriction on the number of people attending public protests, saying just 12 hours’ notice is required to gain permission for holding a demonstration of more than 200 people.

“If [they] want to hold a demonstration, let it happen. In 12 hours we can approve it,” she said, adding that people would continue to enjoy freedom of expression in public, and that authorities would help to arrange it for them.

Although there is currently no law regulating large public gatherings, Phnom Penh municipal authorities have repeatedly denied permission to hold protests and marches in the capital, citing a 1991 law on demonstrations that gives authorities the right to ban any protest “with characteristics conducive to causing turmoil”.

Among the denied requests was a “peace march” through Phnom Penh planned by 10 monks in May 2003 and other parades and protests organised by NGOs in recent years.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Human Rights Party demanded amendments to Articles 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 20 in the draft Demonstration Law.

Also Wednesday, the Assembly passed the final articles of a new law outlawing the possession or use of chemical and nuclear weapons.

Union umbrella group calls for changes to draft demonstration law

Friday, 08 May 2009
Written by Khouth Sophakchakrya The Phnom Penh Post

Two articles of the government's draft law place 'unfair restrictions' on people's rights to demonstrate, according union, NGO officials

THE Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) has asked the National Assembly to delete two parts of the draft Law on Peaceful Demonstrations before MPs meet to approve it.

CCU President Rong Chhun told the Post Thursday he sent a letter to the National Assembly making the request.

Clause 1 and Clause 2 of Article 14 of the proposed law define a peaceful protest as a gathering of no more than 200 people. But many demonstrations have more than 200 people, and limiting the number would be an unfair restriction on people's rights, said Rong Chhun, who is also the head of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Association.

He said Article 28 of the law states that public demonstrations can be held at just a single venue in each province, which the authorities would be obliged to build within six months of the bill becoming law.

Demonstrators would not be allowed to take their protest outside the venue, which he said was unjust, adding that scrapping this provision would also save the authorities money.

But the secretary of the National Assembly's Commission on the Protection of Human Rights, CPP member Nhem Thavy, said the number of demonstrators was not important - it was their message that counts.

"The government should not limit the number of demonstrators..."

"Article 14 and Article 28 are not meant to reduce freedom of expression in Cambodia," said Nhem Thavy, adding that he agreed with the provisions in Article 28.

Ensuring peaceful protests

CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said Rong Chhun's letter would be considered by the parliament's special commission. But he added that Cambodia needs venues where people can assemble to demonstrate peacefully, claiming that previous marches had ended violently.

"We need to construct these centres for demonstrations to protect social security and public and private property," he said.

"In the past some peaceful demonstrations have resulted in protesters using violence and destroying public and private property."

The law has raised alarm in some circles. Moeun Chhean Nariddh, the director of the Cambodian Institute for Media Studies, said the draft legislation would conflict with the country's obligations as a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 19 of that document states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Article 20 states that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.

Moeun Chhean Nariddh said, "The government should not limit the number of demonstrators or insist on a particular place to demonstrate. Instead it should increase the options."