SRP Condemns Threats to Close UN Office in Cambodia

October 28, 2010

SRP CONDEMNS THREATS TO CLOSE UN OFFICE IN CAMBODIA

The Sam Rainsy Party, Cambodia’s second largest political party, strongly condemns threats made by Prime Minister Hun Sen during his October 27 meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to close the UN human rights office in Cambodia.

The SRP feels compelled to remind the Cambodian government that a UN human rights office operating in Cambodia is part of the implementation of the 1991 Paris Agreements on Cambodia that are binding all the signatories.

Article 17, in Part III entitled “Human Rights,” of the Agreement on a Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodia Conflict, stipulates, “After the end of the transitional period, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights should continue to monitor closely the human rights situation in Cambodia, including, if necessary, by the appointment of a Special Rapporteur who would report his findings annually to the Commission and to the General Assembly.”

Article 3, point 3, of the Agreement Concerning the Sovereignty, Independence, Territorial Integrity and Inviolability, Neutrality and National Unity of Cambodia, confirms, “The United Nations Commission on Human Rights should continue to monitor closely the human rights situation in Cambodia, including, if necessary, by the appointment of a Special Rapporteur who would report his findings annually to the Commission and to the General Assembly.”

In order to “monitor closely the human rights situation in Cambodia,” the concerned UN body must operate and maintain an office in this country. Any attempt to close the existing UN office would be a serious breach to the Paris Agreements on Cambodia, all the more so given the deteriorating human rights situation in this country.

SRP Members of Parliament

CPP dictatorship: Deny! Deny! Deny!

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Government repudiates UN criticism

Thursday, 15 July 2010
Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday dismissed United Nations criticisms of legal proceedings against Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua, describing the case as an “internal affair” of Cambodia.

“The Cambodian government absolutely rejects the statements made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said.

“This defamation case has been through the court procedures, so this is an internal affair of Cambodia.”

In a biweekly press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, UN spokesman Rupert Colville said Mu Sochua’s case was an example of the courts being used as a “blunt instrument” to silence freedom of expression.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is seriously concerned about the conduct of recent defamation proceedings against a prominent opposition politician in Cambodia,” Colville said.

“We believe this highly politicised case appears to show an alarming erosion of both freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary in Cambodia.”

In August last year, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted Mu Sochua of defaming Prime Minister Hun Sen and ordered her to pay a total of 16.5 million riels (around US$3,928) in fines and compensation. The charges were upheld twice on appeal, and Mu Sochua could face jail if she refuses to pay the fines, which are due this month.

Koy Kuong said it was unclear whether Cambodian officials would take the issue up directly with the UN, following a recent series of spats with the global body.

Last week, the ministry warned Christophe Peschoux, head of the local office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, that he had overstepped the bounds of his mandate by criticising the country’s deportation of two Thais on June 5.

In March, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong threatened to expel UN Resident Coordinator Douglas Broderick after his office issued a statement concerning the government’s Anticorruption Law.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Navi Pillay

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Cambodia Dismisses UN Rights Chief Statements

UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay. (Photo: AP)

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Wednesday, 14 July 2010

“No evidence providing either damage to reputation or malicious intent was presented during the case against Mu Sochua.”

A government spokesman on Wednesday dismissed as “personal” statements by the UN’s top human rights official, who had criticized a defamation case against opposition lawmaker Mu Sochua.

Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the case brought against Mu Sochua by Prime Minister Hun Sen was highly politicized and showed a weakening of the judiciary and basic freedoms in the country.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said Wednesday the comments were “a personal view and do not reflect the reality of Cambodia.”

Mu Sochua, a lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, is facing the prospect of jail time if she does not pay compensation to the prime minister and a fine to the court.

She has said she will not pay.

She lost a defamation suit brought by Hun Sen after she had sued him for allegedly making disparaging and sexist remarks in public speeches last year. The Supreme Court upheld the decision in June.

In Geneva, Pillay’s spokesman, Rupert Colville, said the verdict was not warranted.

“No evidence providing either damage to reputation or malicious intent was presented during the case against Mu Sochua,” he said.

UN criticises violent slum eviction in Cambodian capital

A woman carries her mother from their home in Dey Krahorm, yelling, "Help me, help me, my mother is dead," explaining later that her mother has fainted from fear and worry. The woman then screamed at intervention police officers, "You are Cambodian, but want to kill Cambodians. You destroyed my house. You're like gangsters." (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The News (Pakistan)

PHNOM PENH: The violent eviction of about 150 families from a slum in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh was an abuse of the country's law, the United Nations human rights agency said Wednesday.

Authorities used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons to evict residents from Dey Krohom slum Sunday after they failed to reach a deal to sell their property to a construction company planning to build a business centre on the site.

A statement by the Cambodian office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the eviction was "a breach of residents' right to their land" and "abuse of the land law."

"All families were brutally taken out of their houses and those who resisted and attempted to protect their property were beaten and pulled away," the UN human rights office said.

"This is the latest in a far too long series of violent evictions in the capital," it added.

The Cambodian government is facing mounting criticism for forced evictions throughout the country at the hands of army and police, which have increased as land prices have risen over the past few years.

Last year over 20,000 people were reported affected by forced evictions from their homes, according to human rights groups Amnesty International.