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Mother Nature’s activists arrested in Phnom Penh while attempting to protest against sand dredging activities in Koh Kong
Today at about 9am, Sorn Chandara, Dim Kundy and Chek Netra, three environmental activists of the network Mother Nature, were arrested while attempting to hold a peaceful demonstration in front of the National Assembly in Phnom Penh. Dit Sothy, a staff member of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) who was monitoring the situation, was also put under arrest. Between twenty and twenty-five people were expected to attend, but the police intervened before demonstrators could gather, so impeding the demonstration.
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On Stony Ground: A Look into Social Land Concessions
June 24, 2015 - State-involved land conflicts have been one of the largest causes of human rights abuses in Cambodia for over a decade. Many of these abuses arose from disputes involving Economic Land Concessions (ELCs) and other land concessions awarded to private companies. On the eve of this great Cambodian land giveaway, in March 2003, the Cambodian government unveiled a potentially progressive land policy with the aim of transferring land to landless and poor Cambodians – Social Land Concessions (SLCs).
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Open Letter to Samdech Aka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia
We, Women’s Groups from 6 Civil Society Organizations, working to promote gender equality in Cambodia, on behalf citizens and Cambodian women, would like to extend our appreciation to the Royal Government for the efforts to overcome all challenges to promote roles and the status of women in all sectors in Cambodia, especially through the introduction of a number of policies on gender mainstreaming including the Rectangular Strategy of the Royal Government, in which Angle No. 4 of the Rectangle 4 is on gender equality and the Cambodian Millennium Development Goals, which determine the number of women in leadership positions. In addition, Neary Ratanak 4, National Strategic Development Plan(2014-2018) and the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women (2014-2018) also highlight the importance of women in society.
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CCHR Urge the National Assembly to Stop and Consult or Reject the LANGO
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) urge the National Assembly to stop the rushed adoption process of the 5th draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (“LANGO”) and to immediately engage in an open dialogue with civil society organizations. In the absence of meaningful and genuine consultations, the draft law should be rejected.
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Cambodia: Victims of protest crackdowns denied justice
The Cambodian authorities must provide justice to those killed, disappeared and injured during the crackdowns on protests by security forces, Amnesty International said today in a new report. Taking to the streets documents how not a single official or member of the security forces has been held to account for the often brutal repression of protests in Cambodia, including around the disputed 2013 elections.
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Human Rights Violations in Koh Kong Sugar Plantation Confirmed by Thai Human Rights Commission
June 3, 2015, Bangkok, Thailand – Hundreds of villagers were evicted when their land was illegally confiscated in 2006 to make way for a 19,100 hectare sugar plantation in Sre Ambel, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia. Almost a decade after the forced evictions, a long-awaited final report by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) has recognized the human rights violations at the plantation.
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LICADHO Urges Government to Support Child Rights and to Protect Youth in Prisons
May 31, 2015 - LICADHO’s Children’s Rights Office (CRO), in partnership with the Child Protection Group (CPG) network, will celebrate International Children’s Day 2015 in several locations. On 28 May, early celebrations took place in Dangkor Middle School, Phnom Penh. On 1 June, the official date of International Children’s Day, celebrations will take place in the morning (8:30am-11:00am) at Sangkat Norkor Thom, Siem Reap, Sal Mohorsrop Theater, Koh Kong, and at Build Bright University in Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk. At these locations, the CRO and CPGs will organize public forums and interactive theatre performances concerning child rights, and help distribute social assistance packages to the families of vulnerable children and youth. Approximately 2,350 people are expected to attend the celebrations.
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Cambodian civil society excluded from NGO bill drafting process, UN rights expert warns
GENEVA (22 May 2015) – United Nations human rights expert Maina Kiai today reiterated his call to the Government of Cambodia to ensure that civil society can meaningfully contribute to the elaboration of the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO), which is expected to be adopted by parliament this month. “It is ironic that the drafting of a law regulating civil society in Cambodia excludes civil society from the process,” the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association said, stating that he has “serious concerns about a process that would result in the adoption of the LANGO without meaningful public participation.” - See more at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15996&LangID=E#sthash.npdp1G9l.dpuf
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Open Letter - Cambodia : Draft law on civil society
Dear Prime Minister, The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a joint OMCT-FIDH programme) writes to you with regards to the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO) that you announced on April 1, and that is expected to be introduced in the Cambodia’s National Assembly later this month.
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I Am What I Am: Celebrating Diversity in Cambodia
Now is the time of year when people throughout Cambodia have the opportunity to come together and celebrate Gay Pride Week with their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT”) friends, family and co-workers. This event has been growing every year since its inauguration in 2009, and this year looks like it will be bigger and better than ever!
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CCHR Reiterates Its Call for an Open Consultation on NGO law
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) strongly regrets the decision – reported by The Cambodia Daily on 8 May 2015 (‘Secret Draft of NGO Law Arrives at Council of Ministers’, p.3) – to send the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (“LANGO”) to the Council of Ministers, signaling that no further consultation would likely take place between civil society and the executive.
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Strengthen Press Freedom to Promote Independent Media
In recent years, journalists and media workers in many parts of the world have been attacked, detained and even murdered, and publications have been censored or shut down. Such restrictions on freedom of the press stifle independent media and freedom of expression, which are fundamental to the development of democratic societies.
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