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TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNS PROPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL SOCIETY IN CAMBODIA
Transparency International strongly condemns a proposed law in Cambodia that has been criticised by domestic and international civil society organisations because it could greatly restrict the voice of the people. The Cambodian government is trying to quickly pass the Law on Association and Non-Governmental Organisations (LANGO) without properly consulting the public. Criticism is based on leaked drafts of the law as the government tried to keep the law’s contents secret until it was sent to the National Assembly. The proposed law is pernicious. It could be used to effectively stop the ability of NGOs to freely criticize government policies or public officials. It creates mandatory registration requirements for NGOs and gives the government the ability to disallow registration based on unclear criteria. The law also requires informal and grassroots organisations to register as NGOs or associations if they want to conduct activities, a real burden for them.
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CCHR welcomes the acquittal of a land activist in Koh Kong Province
CCHR welcomes the acquittal of Ms. Phav Nhieng, a community representative of the Preaek Chik village, Chi Kha Kraom commune, Srae Ambel district, Koh Kong province, involved in a heated land conflict with the Heng Huy Agriculture Group Co Ltd. Ms. Phav Nhieng was accused of poisoning and killing two cows belonging to the group, and charged with intentionally causing damage under article 410 of Cambodian Criminal Code.
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CCHR condemns the conviction of Ly Sreakheng, Mak Seavhoung and Ly Seavminh to suspended 6 months in prison
Yesterday, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance found Ly Sreakheng, Mak Seavhuong and their daughter Ly Seavminh guilty of using violence against a possessor in good faith of immovable property under Article 253 of the 2001 Land Law, and sentenced them to suspended 6 months in prison while acquitting Ly Bunheang. The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) condemns the convictions as grounded on insufficient evidence.
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Cambodia: Government is intimidating civil society
With regard to the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO), Mr. Uwe Kekeritz, Member of the German Parliament and Spokesperson for Development Cooperation expressed his concerns as follows: The draft LANGO presented by the government fails to meet the minimum international human rights standards. According to the content of the draft, the government aims to silence local and international civil society organizations that have been actively supporting Cambodian people in their struggle against land grabbing and human rights violations.
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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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