Hun Xen's barking mouthpiece in Washington DC statement: Excuses, excuses, and more excuses

Hem Heng (R, first row) and his wife (L) (Photo: Viseth, Cambodian-Buddhist.org)

Wednesday, 09 September 2009

Statement of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia
to the United States of America
(Regarding the Freedom of Expression in Cambodia)

The Royal Embassy of Cambodia wishes to draw the public’s attention to the following facts related to the general situation of human rights and freedom of expression in Cambodia:

1- Cambodia is a pluralistic democratic society, where democracy and human rights are fully guaranteed by its 1993 Constitution. The Cambodian Constitution recognizes the freedom of expression and other fundamental rights. Since 1993, Cambodia’s state of democracy and the overall human rights situation have continuously made significant progress.

2- At present, Cambodia has thousands of civil society organizations, as well as free press and trade unions which have been operating in the country. Out of that number, Cambodia has at least eleven foreign human rights organizations, including the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI), that are working mainly on human rights-related issues. Cambodia also has the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the regular visits by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights.

3- Moreover, with regard to freedom of the press, Cambodia has almost 600 newspapers, journals and magazines, 40 radio stations, and seven television channels. If this is not enough, the people of Cambodia also have unobstructed access to all kinds of foreign media, such as the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia, Cable News Network (CNN), just to name a few. Local media supporting or leaning to the opposition party are allowed a complete freedom to publish and thrive in the country. Some of the media have been critical of the government on a daily basis. The people of Cambodia, therefore, enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

4- With respect to the recent court verdicts regarding defamations and disinformation are in compliances with the law established by UNTAC, as provided in Article 61 on “Incitement to Discrimination,” Article 62 on “Disinformation,” and Article 63 on “Defamation and Libel.” The sentences handed down by the court are aimed at protecting the individual rights, as well as the security and stability of the country. Like any democratic country in the world, Cambodia cannot let the proliferation of voluntary public defamation and disinformation intended to create social disorder, which is detrimental to the well-being of the society and the dignity of all citizens.

5- In any democratic society, the rule of law is fundamental, particularly in ensuring that people’s dignity and honor are well respected and protected. Freedom of expression is not absolute and does not allow one person to defame another person. It also does not permit a campaign of disinformation to take place repeatedly.

6- In the face of this growing defamation and disinformation campaign to smear the reputation of the leaders, the Royal Government of Cambodia—like any other democratic governments—has the right to resort to justice and due process of law, such as in the cases of Mme. Mu Sochua’s defamation against Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and Hang Chakra’s engagement in the campaign of disinformation.

7- The recent verdicts by the Cambodian Court on both cases are in compliance with the existing laws in relation to those offences. The prevailing laws and regulations concerning defamation and disinformation exist worldwide, particularly in developed countries, in order to protect and guarantee the right to dignity and honor of everyone alike.

8- Therefore, democracy, respect for human rights and freedom of expression must be in compliance with the rule of law.

9- All of the facts above are a clear demonstration of Cambodia’s full commitment to the promotion, development and protection of human rights and other fundamental freedoms in the country.

10- With respect to land problems, Cambodia has a land law since 2001 aimed at determining the regime of ownership for immovable properties (land) and guaranteeing the rights of ownership of the land.

- The National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes (NARLD) was established in 2006 for the settlement of the land disputes.

- The RGC has put in place a “Social land concession policy” to provide to the landless and the poor people plots of land. Presently, approximatively 4000 hectares of land in Kratie province, 870 hectares in Kampong Cham province and 3017 hectares in Kampong Thom province have been provided to them for housing and family farming.

- But in Cambodia, there are people who occupied the side-work [KI-Media note: sidewalk?] and used some part of the street as a market place and illegally occupied public and private properties. There are also professional squatters who take illegal possession of state or private land, and then demand compensation before moving to occupy another public or private land.

- Here also, the RGC, on the one hand, has the obligation to secure social order, and, on the other hand, to provide land for people who are in genuine need.

READ MORE - Hun Xen's barking mouthpiece in Washington DC statement: Excuses, excuses, and more excuses

Cambodians testify in US

Photo by: Heng Chivoan
Children from the Group 34 community, one of several affected by an increasingly bitter fight over land rights.

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 11 September 2009 15:03 James O'toole and Meas Sokchea

Witnesses attack government's human rights record at congressional hearing

HUMAN rights and freedom of expression are under grave threat in Cambodia today, a panel of Cambodian witnesses told representatives from the US Congress on Thursday at a hearing in Washington.

Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian Mu Sochua, Licadho rights group president Kek Galabru and Community Legal Education Centre (CLEC) labour programme head Moeun Tola were invited to testify in front of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a congressional body that monitors human rights norms around the world. Copies of prepared remarks were obtained from all three by the Post.

Cambodian democracy is "experiencing an alarming free fall", Mu Sochua said, according to the testimony. Having refused to pay court-ordered compensation to Prime Minister Hun Sen in connection with her defamation conviction last month, Mu Sochua warned that she will be sent to prison in the absence of intervention by the US and other donor countries.

Moeun Tola's testimony focused on labour conditions in the Kingdom, which he said had deteriorated sharply in the last few years. He expressed concern for the security of union organisers in Cambodia, citing the murders of officials from the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia including Chea Vichea, Ros Sovannareth and Hy Vuthy. Moeun Tola also criticised Cambodia's lack of a minimum wage, and said that in the only industry with such a standard in place - the garment industry - wages are "insufficient, especially in light of rising costs of food, health problems related to work and other necessities".

He called for the US to institute duty-free status for Cambodian textiles and to urge the Cambodian government to fully implement the 1997 Labour Law.

Kek Galabru highlighted the status of land and housing rights in Cambodia, noting that more than 250,000 people have been victims of land-grabbing since 2003 in the 13 provinces in which Licadho operates.

"Cambodia's increasing landlessness is a recipe for future economic and social instability," she said.

She also cited recent threats to freedom of expression, outlining several of the nine criminal complaints the government has filed against members of media, opposition and civil society organisations since April of this year.

In view of these developments, the Licadho president said that her organisation "believes that the country is facing the gravest threat to its democratic development since the 1997" factional fighting.

Mu Sochua echoed these criticisms, calling for visa sanctions on officials suspected of corruption and a suspension of US aid to the Ministry of Defence until a regulatory framework is established for mineral and petroleum concessions.

Govt denies repression
On Wednesday, the Cambodian Embassy in Washington released a statement defending its government's record on human rights, though it did not mention the congressional hearing specifically.

"Like any democratic country in the world, Cambodia cannot [allow] the proliferation of voluntary public defamation and disinformation intended to create social disorder," the statement said.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, repeated his criticism that the hearing was "unfair" because no representatives of the Cambodian government were invited.

"The opposition groups have never said anything good about the government," he said Thursday. "Whenever there is good news, they ignore it."

Though all three witnesses called for specific reforms in US policy toward Cambodia, it is not clear whether the hearing will generate any substantive changes.

Chea Vannath, an independent analyst and the former executive director of the Centre for Social Development, noted that the commission has no legislative authority in Congress, only the ability to make recommendations.

"In the political structure of the United States, it takes more than a hearing to change policy," she said. Still, she added, such events are important because of their "indirect effects", and their capacity to raise awareness of rights issues.

"This is an international mechanism to promote the rule of law, democracy and international standards," she said.

"I am one of the thousands of innocent journalists, trade union leaders, teachers and villagers who are tried by a judicial system that is well known for corruption, for incompetence and for acting under the control of the government and those who have political influence and money.... As the direct result of widespread corruption in the courts, Cambodian families find themselves in debt as bribes must be paid to court officials and to judges just to have access to justice or to be free from legal persecution."
- Mu Sochua, SRP parliamentarian

"The Cambodian authorities regularly use violence or the threat of it to restrict workers' rights to peacefully protest over legitimate labour rights issues. Peaceful gatherings outside factories by striking workers have repeatedly been forcibly dispersed by armed police in recent years. In the process, strike leaders and workers have been injured and may be unlawfully arrested. Local government authorities routinely reject requests for unions to march and rally in public areas."
- Moeun Tola, head of labour programme unit, CLEC

"Cambodia is currently facing a crisis in human rights, which constitutes a backward slide in the country's democratisation and efforts to promote good governance. The international community, including the United States, made a significant contribution to bringing peace and the concept of democracy to Cambodia in the early 1990s. Sadly, the hard-won steps which have been made toward pluralistic democracy, and toward economic and social development, are now in danger."
- Kek Galabru, president of Licadho

READ MORE - Cambodians testify in US

Work cut out for them

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

The Phnom Penh Post
Friday, 11 September 2009 15:03 May Titthara and Kim Youthana

Roughly 100 science students demonstrated Thursday in front of the University of Health Science, complaining that the institution had unfairly blocked too many of them from advancing to the next level. They say only 500 students made the cutoff, whereas they were previously promised a quota of 700 students. "We need school, but the school does not need us," said student Him Sokneag. The students say they will draw 3,000 people to a protest today.

READ MORE - Work cut out for them

Evictions hit Cambodia's poor, group says

Villagers in northwest Cambodia set court documents on fire in protest over a land dispute.

By Miranda Leitsinger
CNN

(CNN) -- Villagers march more than 300 kilometers from northwest Cambodia to ask the prime minister to save their homes from developers. Some 400 families in the country's south learn their farmland had been given to developers only when bulldozers arrive.

Such examples of forced evictions and land conflicts are cited by the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) in a report, "Losing Ground," released Thursday.

The report was a collection of voices from people rarely heard and "present a painful look into the lives of people affected by forced evictions and intimidation, mainly the rural poor," said CHRAC, a network of 21 non-governmental organizations.

"The voices in the report belong to Cambodians who have been or are facing eviction. Most have insisted that their names and photographs be used, believing that openness will bring justice and appropriate solutions," the group said, adding that such trust is "the springboard for the next stage of Cambodia's recovery from decades of civil strife."

An estimated 150,000 Cambodians live at risk of forced eviction, Amnesty International said in its 2008 report on the country. Read about AIDS patients who were resettled to an isolated area

Beng Hong Socheat Khemro, deputy director general of Cambodia's Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, said the government was committed to finding the best solutions for not just squatters, but the entire population, and that it is drafting legal guidelines on squatter resolution. He also said the government rejected the term forced evictions, saying that meant people were forced off land they legally owned.

He noted that various factors affect land use and ownership in the country: The 1970s ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime abolished all legal and regulatory documents regarding land, strong economic growth has contributed to demand for land, particularly in urban areas, and the pace of urbanization has stepped up in recent years.

"Many people illegally occupy land that does not belong to them," he said, later noting: "What has happened now with the resettlement, or the relocation, of people is the fact that the government is implementing the law."

"I am very sure that those who claim to be on the land before the legal land owner, most of them do not have any proof at all," he said. "Most of the cases that people -- illegal squatters, settlers -- have claimed that they have been on that land since, let's say 1979, are not true. If you study the legal development of Cambodia, you will understand, and not many people understand, including the NGOs (non-governmental organizations) themselves."

Amnesty said poor Cambodians share the plight of many impoverished people around the world. The group cited the forced evictions of thousands in Angola, violence and insecurity in Brazil's shantytowns, and social services denied to Roma in Italy.

"There are more than 200,000 such communities, home to 1 billion people around the world," the group said.

"In Cambodia for the last two years, Amnesty International has been focusing on forced evictions as one of the country's most serious human rights violations today," Amnesty said in a statement on CHRAC's report. "The increasing number of land disputes, land confiscations, and industrial and urban redevelopment projects hurt almost exclusively people living in poverty."

People fighting evictions "experience harassment at the hands of the authorities or people hired by private businesses. The rich and powerful are increasingly abusing the criminal justice system to silence communities taking a stand against land concessions or other opaque business deals affecting the land they live on or cultivate," Amnesty said.

CHRAC said development of Cambodia, recovering from the Khmer Rouge genocide and ensuing decades of conflict, "must not negatively affect" people's lives.

"Our communities are losing land and natural resources. These are the resources that people have depended on for generations," CHRAC said.

The report details evictions across the country.

One group of villagers walked from the rice bowl of Battambang in the northwest to Phnom Penh to deliver a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen, seeking help in two long-running court fights with businessmen who claim to own a total of 200 hectares of their land.

"We didn't have enough money to get the bus to Phnom Penh. We had to walk. It was our last hope. We had to see Hun Sen or we would lose our land," said Chim Sarom, 45.

They delivered their letter, but Sarom said they were unsure whether he ever got it. She said authorities gave them money to go home and were told an official would visit them.

READ MORE - Evictions hit Cambodia's poor, group says

Preah Vihear temple hostilities over : Thai and Khmer army chiefs

http://www.nationmultimedia.com

By Rasmei Kampuchea/Asia News Network, Deutsche Presse Agentur

Phnom Penh - Cambodian and Thai armed forces chiefs said 13 months of sometimes-fatal hostilities around the ancient Preah Vihear temple are at an end.

Military top brass of Thailand and Cambodia meet in Phnom Penh on Monday.

After the meeting, Thai Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jaggabatra said the dispute would no longer be allowed to damage relations between the two kingdoms.

"I would like to clarify again that there will be no more problems between Thailand and Cambodia. The border will not be the cause of any further disputes," he said.

"Cambodia and Thailand can not live separately. As Asean members, both countries shall not be in any cannot confrontation," said Songkiti.

At least seven soldiers from both sides were killed in occasional clashes around the temple complex since mid-2008 in a tense standoff that has had other members of the Asean regional bloc concerned.

Meanwhile Songkitti's counterpart; Gen Pol Saroeun echoed; "We have the same view. Our goal is to achieve peace and solidarity with each other as siblings."

Their meeting came just days after Prime Minister Hun Sen announced Cambodia would cut the number of troops stationed at Preah Vihear after Thailand reduced its forces to just 30 soldiers.

Preah Vihear Temple has been at the heart of controversy between Thailand and Cambodia. In 1962, the World Court granted ownership of the temple to Cambodia. The conflict erupted again after the Unesco listed it into the World Heritage List, a move that draw opposition from the Thai side.

READ MORE - Preah Vihear temple hostilities over : Thai and Khmer army chiefs

Losing Ground - A report published by the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)

Click here to download the report (PDF)

Poem posted by the protesters:
We, the villagers, sit in despair because we lost our lands and waters.
The Ly Yong Phat Company is the cursed thief, it robbed all our lands and waters.

With a good leadership, the people are rich and plentiful.
When the leadership is greedy, the people are destroyed and ruined.

[KI-Media note: CPP Tycoon-Senator Ly Yong Phat is a crony of Hun Xen]

Police fire teargas during the forced eviction of Dey Krahom in January 2009
Injured farmers were tied to poles after being shot and beaten on March 22, 2009 in a violent crackdown in Chi Kraeng commune, Siem Reap province

From : http://ki-media.blogspot.com

READ MORE - Losing Ground - A report published by the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)

Source: LICADHO : Land Evictions in Cambodia

Group 78 Eviction



July 17, 2009 - The small community know as Group 78 located in the riverside area of Phnom Penh have live on their land since 1983. Over the years, Group 78 families were served with a number of eviction notices by local authorities while witnessing two violent forced eviction that took place in the same area, namely Dey Krahorm and Sambok Chap. The 3-years-long coercion campaign of Group 78 residents to leave their homes and land, culminating in this morning's final eviction of the area.

At 4 am this morning [July 17, 2009], dozens of armed police took up positions around Group 78 in order to enforce a municipal order that they dismantle their homes or be forcibly removed. This followed 53 families yesterday "agreeing" to the authorities' demand that they accept an offer of $8,000 compensation or their homes would be forcibly destroyed. Negotiations this morning with the remaining 7 families who had not "agreed" led to a final offer to them of up to $20,000 in compensation which they all accepted, except for one family whose home was destroyed against their will.

As the sun rose on Friday July 17, 2009, dawn bore witness to the heart wrenching sight of the homes of the Group 78 community being dismantled piece by piece.

Imminent Eviction in the Heart of Phnom Penh



July 16, 2009 - The small community know as Group 78 located in the riverside area of Phnom Penh have lived on their land since 1983. Over the past 3 years they have seen their neighbouring communities vanish in the face of forced and violent evictions. In May 2006 over 1300 families from the neighbouring Sambok Chap village and in January 2009 over 400 families in the neighbouring Dey Krahorm village. Group 78 was told to move by Friday July 17, 2009 and they fear the worst will come with the authorities threatening to bring 200 police to evict them. However for now the villagers are staying to ensure they are fairly compensated for the prime land they own.

Forced Eviction Coming at Borei Keila

April 30, 2009 - Over 30 families living with HIV/AIDS in the "green shed" at the Borei Keila social land concession are facing the prospect of eviction. The families living in the temporary "green shed" have been waiting for new apartments to be allocated to them for the past 2 years, but they are now faced with the prospect of being evicted to the Toul Sambo relocation site 20km outside of Phnom Penh. At Toul Sambo there is inadeuqate housing, no clean water and is far from any markets, schools, employment opportunities and most importantly medical facilities.

Learn more about Borei Keila from our partner WITNESS.

Shooting in Chi Kreng, Siem Reap



March 30, 2009 - A land dispute in Chi Kreng district of Siem Reap province, turned ugly when four villagers were wounded when members of a joint force - including police, military police, border police and soldiers - opened fire on a crowd of farmers in Anlong Samnor commune on Sunday, March 22.

Land Crisis in Cambodia: Kratie Province



February 19, 2009 - 750 ethnic minority families in Kratie Province, Cambodia are embroiled in a land dispute over farming land, that the provincial authorities say they have leased to a private company for a rubber plantation. In October 2008 the bulldozers came into clear the land and the villagers were there to stop them. (Music courtesy of the Messengers Band)

Violent Eviction at Dey Krahorm


January 27, 2009 - This video is a compilation of footage captured by human rights monitors on January 24, 2009 during the violent eviction at Dey Krahorm. Video footage courtesy of Platapus, LICADHO, LICADHO Canada, Bridges Across Borders, and Karl Bille.

Boeung Kak Lake: $79 million for who?

December 11, 2008 - In February 2007 the Municipality of Phnom Penh entered into a 99-year lease agreement for US$79 million for 133 hectares, including Boeung Kok lake and surrounding land, with a private developer, Shukaku Inc, owned by a ruling party senator. According to the government, the company will turn the area into "pleasant, trade, and service places for domestic and international tourists," including by filling in 90% of the lake.

On 26 August 2008 a company began filling the lake, which has worsened flooding and caused the destruction of some houses. The development will lead to the eviction of almost 4,000 families, despite many of the affected families having strong legal claims to the land under the Land Law.

READ MORE - Source: LICADHO : Land Evictions in Cambodia

Former Rebel Leader ‘Won’t Go’ to Tribunal

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
10 September 2009

With further indictments at the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal moving forward for five leaders of the regime, a likely suspect, Im Chaem, told VOA Khmer she will not go to the court if summoned.

Im Chaem, now 65, is well known to villagers as a Khmer Rouge district chief in Banteay Meanchey province. She is now a deputy commune chief in Anglong Veng district, the last of the 1990s Khmer Rouge strongholds.

“I absolutely will not go, because the charge is unacceptable, and even if I’m called to court, I will not go,” she told VOA Khmer by phone. Asked why she would refuse to cooperate with the court, she said she had “no faults” reason enough to go.

She said she was “relieved” to hear Prime Minister Hun Sen object to further indictments, following promises of amnesty to cadre in the waning days of the regime, which ultimately fought a losing battle with government forces led by today’s premier.

If new investigations are opened ‘just to prosecute without reason,’ it will unsettle former Khmer Rouge cadre, she said.

‘’If you challenge more, it makes everybody feel no peace,’’ Im Chaem told VOA Khmer.

In on-site interviews with VOA Khmer several months ago, villagers in Proneth Preah district said Im Chaem was feared in the region and had been in charge when a number of crimes were committed under the Khmer Rouge.

Im Chaem has denied any wrongdoing, saying people who were killed or went missing there did so before her arrival as chief in 1978.

However, Khmer Rouge scholars say she could be among a tier of the regime’s leaders to face indictments. The Pre-Trial Chamber have now allowed five indictment submissions from the prosecutors office to move to the investigating judges, despite warnings from Hun Sen and other Cambodian officials more arrests could lead to instability.

Knut Rosandhaug, a UN coordinator for the tribunal, told VOA Khmer in an e-mail “it is a clearly established international standard that courts do not seek approval or advice on their work from the executive branch.”

“I expect that the ECCC will comply with this internationally recognized standard and make its decisions independently,” he said, referring to the tribunal by its official initials, for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

The tribunal is currently trying its first Khmer Rouge suspect, the former prison chief known as Duch, and is holding four more: Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary, and Ieng Thirith.

READ MORE - Former Rebel Leader ‘Won’t Go’ to Tribunal

Land Crisis in Cambodia: Evictees' Testimonies

LICADHO

September 9, 2009 - In the past 5 years LICADHO has documented cases of land grabbing that have affected more than a quarter of a million Cambodians. The rampant land grabbing has seriously undermined the development of Cambodia, depriving entire communities of their livelihoods and dignity.

(This video was shown at the US congress during a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on Cambodia on September 10, 2009)

From:http://khmernz.blogspot.com

READ MORE - Land Crisis in Cambodia: Evictees' Testimonies

Pair of reports on land rights face cynicism

A man stands on the railway tracks near Boeung Kak lake in Phnom Penh last week. Plans to rebuild the lines have left residents in Tuol Kork and Daun Penh next in line for eviction. (Photo by: Sovan Philong)

Thursday, 10 September 2009
Robbie Corey-Boulet and Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

"The strongest reason for the government to be concerned is the fact that this is the biggest issue that could undermine the ruling party" - Ou Virak, CCHR President

TWO new reports addressing land rights in Cambodia argue, as others have, that the pursuit of development has led to widespread rights violations, including forced, sometimes violent evictions.

But they also share a conciliatory message that emphasises the importance of government dialogue with affected communities and civil society.

That message has drawn scepticism from civil society and opposition figures, who on Wednesday said they doubted such an approach would amount to much in light of the government's tactics in recent land-dispute negotiations.

An overview of land disputes released today by the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of NGOs, offers "a painful look into the lives of people affected by forced evictions and intimidation".

It then positions the coalition as "a bridge to support genuine and productive dialogue between communities and policymakers".

Similarly, a report to the UN Human Rights Council, released Monday, expresses concern over the "commonplace" evictions of families who had been living in their homes for years.

The report's author, Surya Subedi, a UN envoy on human rights in Cambodia, later adds: "This is an area where I will be happy to offer my advice and seek to foster cooperation in the search for long-term solutions to this painful issue."

In interviews Wednesday, observers said this faith in dialogue might be misplaced.

CHRAC Executive Secretary Suon Sareth acknowledged that several past attempts by affected residents and civil society to engage constructively with the government had failed.

He cited a case last month in which about 300 Cambodians involved in land disputes in 19 different provinces petitioned the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Interior and the National Authority for the Resolution of Land Disputes.

The effort was an attempt to circumvent unresponsive provincial authorities, but Phnom Penh officials also failed to respond to the villagers' petition, Suon Sareth said.

"The complaints have been ignored," he said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said Wednesday that all complaints were forwarded to the ministry's inspection department. He added, as did other officials, that the government was more than willing to engage with residents affected by land disputes.

"The ministry has always welcomed complaints from people about land cases," he said.

But Yim Sovann, spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said he believed threats and other forms of intimidation were often conveyed under the pretense of constructive dialogue, citing as examples meetings between officials and residents of the evicted Dey Krahorm and Group 78 communities.

"I get a lot of complaints from people who say they were forced to leave there, that they were forced to take compensation," he said. "Then the government tells the media, 'Oh, the people have agreed to leave, they have agreed to take the compensation.' There are threats and intimidation behind that."

Naly Pilorge, director of the rights group Licadho, also said officials' interactions with villagers involved in land disputes were often of little benefit to the villagers themselves.

"Information about the dire situation of people and abuses committed on people related to land are often dismissed despite credible evidence," she said.

For his part, Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said the stated goal of the UN and CHRAC to foster more good-faith government engagement might not be unrealistic given that government officials want to keep donors happy and retain voter support.

"The strongest reason for the government to be concerned," he said, "is the fact that this is the biggest issue that could undermine the ruling party."

From: ki-media.blogspot.com

READ MORE - Pair of reports on land rights face cynicism

Official announcement for the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Cambodia

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC)

Hearing Announcement:

Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Cambodia
1-3 p.m.
Thursday, September 10
2200 Rayburn HOB

On July 29, The Washington Post reported “a heightened crackdown on journalists and opposition activists…has provoked new concern that the government [of Cambodia] is engaging in widespread abuse of the nation’s legal system to muzzle its detractors.” On August 4, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court found opposition parliamentarian Mu Sochua guilty of defaming Prime Minister Hun Sen.

According to the 2008 State Department Human Rights report, current labor law in Cambodia provides only private-sector workers the right to join a trade union without prior authorization, but the government’s enforcement of the law has been selective. Additionally, despite the 2001 law requiring land titling for communal lands of indigenous peoples, little was done to implement this law and there have been several reported incidences of indigenous peoples being forced to leave their land without compensation. These issues are part of a concerning trend in the Cambodian government’s overall human rights record.
To discuss these issues, we will welcome as our witnesses:***

• Mu Sochua, member of Parliament, Sam Rainsy Party
• Pung Kek, founder, LICADHO
• Moeun Tola, head of labor program, Community Legal Education Center
• Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director, Human Rights Watch

***Witness list subject to change.

If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Hoffman (Rep. Wolf) or Hans Hogrefe (Rep. McGovern) at 202-225-3599.

Frank R. Wolf, M.C.
Co-Chairman, TLHRC

James P. McGovern, M.C.
Co-Chairman, TLHRC

The Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights
House Committee on Foreign Affairs

READ MORE - Official announcement for the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Cambodia

Flooding in Kampot province

People are traveling by boat in Kampot city (All photos: Neay Keub, Koh Santepheap)

Rain still pouring while the city is flooded
The Samaky market in Kampot city
Flooded market stalls
Access to Kampong Bay bridge is flooded, traffic is stranded on the bridge

READ MORE - Flooding in Kampot province

Did Hun Sen avoid visiting the evictees in Tuol Sambo on purpose?

Srey Leak, 10, a member of one of many evicted families, stands in her house in Toul Sambo, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh September 7, 2009, while her parents work as garbage collectors near the capital. Cambodia said on Monday it had pulled out of a World Bank project aimed at settling land disputes, raising further concern about forced evictions in the impoverished Southeast Asian country. Prime Minister Hun Sen said the World Bank's administrative procedures were too complicated and Cambodia no longer wished to be part of the project. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Dang Saren, 12, a member of one of many evicted families, plays with his neighbour in Toul Sambo, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh September 7, 2009, while his father works as a taxi driver in the capital. Cambodia said on Monday it had pulled out of a World Bank project aimed at settling land disputes, raising further concern about forced evictions in the impoverished Southeast Asian country. Prime Minister Hun Sen said the World Bank's administrative procedures were too complicated and Cambodia no longer wished to be part of the project. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Dang Saren, 12, a member of one of many evicted families, plays with his neighbour in Toul Sambo, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh September 7, 2009, while his father works as a taxi driver in the capital. Cambodia said on Monday it had pulled out of a World Bank project aimed at settling land disputes, raising further concern about forced evictions in the impoverished Southeast Asian country. Prime Minister Hun Sen said the World Bank's administrative procedures were too complicated and Cambodia no longer wished to be part of the project. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

READ MORE - Did Hun Sen avoid visiting the evictees in Tuol Sambo on purpose?

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen visit to flood-affected Kampot province

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen rides a motorbike during his visit to flood-affected Kamport province, Cambodia, September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/Stringer

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen greets the crowd as he visits flood-affected Kamport province in Cambodia September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/Stringer

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen examines a flood-affected house during his visit to Kamport province, Cambodia, September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/stringer

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is greeted by flood-affected villagers during his visit to Kamport province, Cambodia, September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/Stringer

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) questions a gasoline vendor during his visit to flood-affected Kamport province, Cambodia, September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/Stringer

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) walks through flood-waters during his visit to Kamport province, Cambodia, September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/Stringer

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen talks to flood-affected villagers during his visit to Kamport province, Cambodia, September 8, 2009. Two men were killed when trying to flee flooding in the province caused by torrential rain which affected almost 5,000 families and damaged 330 hectares of crops over the weekend. REUTERS/Stringer

READ MORE - Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen visit to flood-affected Kampot province

Hun Sen: Cambodia Stopped the Partnership in Land Titling with the World Bank First – Tuesday, 8.9.2009

Posted on 8 September 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 629
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“The partnership in the Land Management and Administration Project [LMAP] between the World Bank and the Royal Government of Cambodia has been completely terminated by a declaration of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akkak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen, as stated on 7 September 2009. He claimed that it was done because the World Bank set many complicated conditions which would make it difficult to cooperate.

“During a public announcement of the results of the general census of the Cambodian population in 2008, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen said, ‘I ended the partnership with the World Bank in land titling, and the World Bank can take back all the remaining resources, because their conditions are complicated, making it difficult to cooperate. Formerly, we did not do it like this, but now, we have to continue with our own national resources. Do not try to be bossy.’

Note:

The following two documents give details about developments before the termination of the Land Management and Administration Project:

16 July 2009: Development Partners Call for Halt to Evictions of Cambodia’s Urban Poor

29 August 2009: World Bank Holds Discussions on Reforms

“Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen added that Cambodia ended the contract fist, but not the World Bank. He confirmed, ‘We declared to end it first. Do not be tricky. Cambodia stopped it first. Do not act like a prestigious one by confirming to terminate the project first. Do not act as a big brother to control other partners.’

Note:

Actually, the World Bank release, “Statement from the World Bank on Termination by Royal Government of Cambodia of the Land Management and Administration Project” speaks clearly about which side declared the cooperation to be ended: “Following a decision by the Council of Ministers on Friday, 4 September 2009, to terminate World Bank financing of the Land Management and Administration Project (LMAP), World Bank Country Director for South-East Asia, Annette Dixon, made the following statement…”

Together with this announcement, there is also a document Related Content: Enhanced Review Report of LMAP (size 657kb, PDF format) at the same web site, offered for download.

“Regarding the Prime Minister’s statement about the ending of the partnership, officials of the Sam Rainsy Party expressed regret, saying that it leads to a loss of benefits for all Khmer citizens. Speaking via telephone on Monday evening, the spokesperson of the Sam Rainsy Party, Mr. Yim Sovann, said, ‘The conditions of the World Bank benefit Khmer citizens by protecting the land ownership of Khmer citizens. Therefore, I really regret the ending of the above contract.’

“Mr. Yim Sovann added that the World Bank brings money to help us and to benefit us, but we ourselves do not help ourselves, but care only about partisan benefits.

“However, the Sam Rainsy Party spokesperson suggested to the Royal Government to reconsider the ties with the World Bank, saying, in short, ‘Otherwise, citizens will condemn this decision.’

“Furthermore, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen said, ‘They are still not modest, sometimes they demand this condition, sometimes they suspend that. Now there need to be no more suspensions, let it end due to too many conditions. Though there will be some quarrel to be addressed later, it still will be halted – but to provide aid is your obligation.’

“Regarding the discontinuation of the partnership in land titling, some economists in Cambodia could not offer detailed comments on Monday, when they were asked about the positive and the negative impact of this decision on the economy. Both the president of the Cambodian Economic Association, Mr. Chan Sophal, and a Cambodian independent economist, Mr. Kang Chandara, said, ‘I cannot comment on this case, but wait until I study this case in detail first.’

“On 6 September 2009, the World Bank, through Ms. Annette Dickson, the World Bank Country Director for South-East Asia, released a statement regarding the above case. She said in the statement, ‘Land security and a fair, transparent approach to resolving land disputes and resettlement are among the greatest challenges facing Cambodia today.’

“The statement also pointed out that the project had issued more than 1.1 million land titles, mostly to poor people in rural areas, and the World Bank provided finance for the land administration, and that the Land Management and Administration Project had achieved success in rural areas, but failed to achieve the agreed goals in urban areas where land disputes are on the rise.

“Nevertheless, the director of the World Bank said, ‘We are encouraged by the Government’s statement of its commitment to continuing reforms in the land sector and working towards an improved policy and legal framework for resettlement that reflects their commitment to international treaties.’

“She added in the statement, ‘We remain committed to working with Government and other development partners through the Technical Working Group on Land to support Cambodia’s efforts to secure land tenure, reduce poverty, and improve economic opportunity for all of its people.”

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #283, 8.9.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 8 September 2009

READ MORE - Hun Sen: Cambodia Stopped the Partnership in Land Titling with the World Bank First – Tuesday, 8.9.2009

8 killed, 3 missing in flash floods in Turkey

People work to clean their property after flash floods left them swamped out with debris piled high, in Selimpasa, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Flash floods were triggered by torrential rains in the region have caused deaths, washed away a bridge and caused massive damage to many hundreds of homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

Damaged cars and boats, seen in Selimpasa, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Flash floods triggered by torrential rains killed six people and left swaths of lands in northwestern Turkey awash. At least three people were reported missing. Heavy rains caused floods in the Silivri and Catalca suburbs of Istanbul, as well, immersing homes and roads, officials said. Heavy rains that began late Monday washed away one bridge and inundated hundreds of homes in the Saray region. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

People survey the area with roadways washed away following flash floods in Selimpasa, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Flash floods were triggered by torrential rains in the region and have caused deaths, washed away a bridge and caused massive damage to many hundreds of homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

Cars lay abandoned following flash floods near the sea in Selimpasa, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Flash floods were triggered by torrential rains in the region and have caused deaths, washed away a bridge and caused massive damage to many hundreds of homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

A rescue helicopter flies over a flooded area in Selimpasa, a suburb of Istanbul, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Flash floods triggered by torrential rains killed six people and left swaths of lands in northwestern Turkey awash. At least three people were reported missing. Heavy rains caused floods in the Silivri and Catalca suburbs of Istanbul, as well, immersing homes and roads, officials said. Heavy rains that began late Monday washed away one bridge and inundated hundreds of homes in the Saray region. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

Cars are partially submerged near the sea, following flash floods in Selimpasa, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Flash floods were triggered by torrential rains in the region and have caused deaths, washed away a bridge and caused massive damage to many hundreds of homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

ANKARA, Turkey — Flash floods triggered by torrential rains killed eight people and left swaths of land in northwestern Turkey awash Tuesday. At least three people were reported missing.

Nazmi Coban, the mayor of the town of Saray, said rescue workers there recovered the bodies of a mother and her three daughters, and were still searching for the father who was swept away by floods.

Rescuers also found the bodies of an elderly couple whose house collapsed in the floods, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported. Saray is in Tekirdag province, close to the border with Greece.

Two bodies were discovered in the Istanbul suburb of Catalca, local Mayor Yuksel Ayhan told private NTV television.

Heavy rains that began late Monday washed away bridges and roads, and inundated hundreds of homes in the region. Dozens of farm animals were swept away by gushing waters.

Heavy rains caused floods in Istanbul's seaside Silivri suburb, as well, and two people were reported missing. One was a girl whose mother and sister managed to get out of a car safely before the girl was dragged away by the floods, Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler said.

In Silivri, police and military helicopters were sent to rescue people confined to their homes, according to television footage. Dozens of cars were swept away, some ending up in the sea. A fire truck could be seen lying on its side.

People climbed on top of rooftops waiting to be rescued, NTV reported.

Two international highways linking Istanbul to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria were closed temporarily, Anatolia reported.

On Monday, a Cambodia-flagged freighter broke into two and sank in heavy storms off the Black Sea coast of Istanbul. All 12 crew members were rescued.

More rain was forecast for the area Wednesday.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Flash floods triggered by torrential rains killed six people and left swaths of lands in northwestern Turkey awash Tuesday. At least three people were reported missing.

Nazmi Coban, the mayor of the town of Saray, said rescue workers there recovered the bodies of four people, including a 6-year-old girl, and were searching for another member of the family who was swept away by floods.

Rescuers also found the bodies of an elderly couple whose house collapsed in the floods, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported. Saray is in Tekirdag province, close to the border with Greece.

Heavy rains that began late Monday washed away one bridge and inundated hundreds of homes in the Saray region. Dozens of farm animals were swept away by gushing waters.

Heavy rains caused floods in the Silivri and Catalca suburbs of Istanbul, as well, immersing homes and roads, officials said. Two people were reported missing. One was a girl, whose mother and sister managed to get out of a car safely before the girl was dragged away by the floods, Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler said.

In Silivri, police and military helicopters were sent to rescue people confined to their homes, according to television footage. Dozens of cars were swept away. A fire truck could be seen lying on its side.

Two international highways linking Istanbul to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria were closed temporarily, Anatolia reported.

On Monday, a Cambodia-flagged freighter broke into two and sank in heavy storms off the coast of Istanbul. All 12 crew members were rescued.

More rain was forecast for the area Wednesday.

READ MORE - 8 killed, 3 missing in flash floods in Turkey

Acid Attack Victim To Appeal Suspects’ Release

Ya Soknim, a victim of an acid attack

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Washington
08 September 2009

The family of an acid attack victim has vowed to fight on in court, despite living in fear and hiding since a recent court decision to release the alleged perpetrators.

Ya Soknim, 39, who was assaulted in May 2008, said Monday that her whole family has limited its movement since the Phnom Penh court dropped charges against a former military police officer, Chea Ratha, and six alleged accomplices.

“For fear of our family’s safety, we regularly change our hiding place,” Ya Soknim said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

The family has decided to appeal the release, despite the appearance of strangers who seem to be watching them following last week’s decision.

Ya Soknim took burn damage to nearly half her body, after her niece, In Soklyda, a former beauty queen, broke off a love affair with Chea Ratha, a former military police deputy chief of staff.

In Soklyda, who also appeared on “Hello VOA,” said that since she left Chea Ratha, most of her family has not been able to work, as they continue to move around to stay safe.

In Soklyda (L) and her aunt, Ya Soknim, appeal for help in their court case against a Cambodian military police officer.

“We will continue to take our case to the Appeal Court, even though we know that we have little hope,” she said. “Our lives are in the hands of the perpetrators. We now live in fear. Our lives are meaningless. We are only waiting for our dying day.”

Chea Ratha was reportedly on a trip overseas for a medical check-up when the attack took place and has herself been in hiding for fear of arrest. However, In Soklyda said the female officer had made threatening phone calls to her relatives.

“She threatened and mocked at my aunt’s suffering,” In Soklyda said. “It was the same threats as before I left her.”

READ MORE - Acid Attack Victim To Appeal Suspects’ Release

A Move to Register Sex Offenders Globally

An US national accused of having sex with minors is taken into custody in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
TANG CHHIN SOTHY / AFP / Getty

TIME/CNN
http://www.time.com

By Deena Guzder Monday, Sep. 07, 2009

While the world's attention was focused on Phillip Garrido, who is accused of abducting 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard in 1991 and holding her hostage for 18 years as a sex slave, three other alleged sexual predators were quietly brought back to the United States to face prosecution for abusing countless children in Cambodia. The horrifying ordeal of Garrido's victim is now well documented; however, the stories of an estimated 1.8 million other children worldwide who are forced into the multi-billion dollar commercial sex trade every year remain largely unheard.

One of the men arrested in Cambodia, Jack Sporich, 75, spent nine years in a California prison for molesting as many as 500 boys during camping trips. Although Sporich was placed on a public registry and barred from living or working within 1,000 feet of a school or a child-care center anywhere in the U.S., Cambodian authorities were not notified when Sporich relocated to Phnom Penh in 2006. Sporich was arrested after an investigation by a local agency — Action Pour Les Enfants-Cambodia — alleged that he had lured three Cambodian boys aged 9 to 12 to his home with toys and candies. Court documents state that Sporich also enticed them by dropping Cambodian currency in the street as he rode along on a motorbike.

The case has reinvigorated support for H.R. 1623, the "International Megan's law," which Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, introduced in March 2009. If passed, the bill would alert officials abroad when U.S. sex offenders intend to travel, and likewise encourage other countries to keep sex offender lists and to notify the U.S. about offenders' travel plans to the United States. U.S. law can grab American predators overseas. Sporich, along with Ronald Boyajian, 49, and Erik Peeters, 41, were charged under the PROTECT Act, which was enacted six years ago to strengthen federal laws related to predatory crimes committed outside the U.S. (A federal magistrate ordered the three held in custody until their arraignment on Sept. 21. Each could face up to 30 years in prison per victim if convicted.)

(The Czech Republic's extreme solution to sexual predators.)

But human rights organizations say their alleged crimes never should have occurred because all three men were previously convicted of sex offenses in the U.S. and listed in the domestic sex offender registry. "Sex offenders still think they can come to East Asia and commit new crimes with impunity," says Giorgio Berardi, Program Officer for Combating Child-Sex Tourism at ECPAT International, an organization working to eliminate child pornography, prostitution and trafficking. "We need far better collaboration between countries to prevent sexual exploitation of children."

(Read about Iraq's unspeakable crime: Mothers pimping daughters.)

Human rights organizations say an International Megan's Law would be a step in the right direction. "If we know someone is committing serious crimes at home or overseas, we want to accurately identify them," says Karen Stauss of the Polaris Project, an organization dedicated to combating human trafficking. Amanda Bissex, UNICEF Thailand's Chief of Child Protection, agrees H.R. 1623 would benefit vulnerable children. "We need to improve law enforcement and the economic welfare of children," says Bissex, "but we also need to address people's attitudes and create an environment where there is zero tolerance for abuse of children whether in their home country or oversees."

Commercial sexual exploitation of children is booming, and governments are not doing enough to protect young people, according to a global report released by ECPAT-International in August 2009. "The recent economic downturn is set to drive more vulnerable children and young people to be exploited by the global sex trade," says Carmen Madrinan, Executive Director of ECPAT International. "The indifference that sustains the criminality, greed and perverse demands of adults for sex with children and young people needs to end."

UNICEF surveys indicate that 30% to 35% of all sex workers in the Mekong sub-region of Southeast Asia are between 12 and 17 years of age. Women and girls from poor rural families make up the majority of sex workers in Southeast Asian countries, says Bissex. "Even in situations where a child knowingly goes into this, it's not a choice a child can make, or ever would make if they had other [economic] options."

Rep. Smith is one of the few prominent U.S. politicians who has proposed legislation to curb America's role in the international sex industry, an industry that he notes is intimately linked to child prostitution and human trafficking. "The buyers of commercial sex must be sensitized to the harm they cause women and girls and to the fact their money fuels modern day slavery," Smith said at a joint briefing of the Congressional Caucus on Human Trafficking and the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus in July 2009. "A cultural shift that recognizes the link between commercial sex and the trafficking of women and girls would starve the modern-day slaveholders. If potential buyers knew of the unspeakable lives of servitude and degradation these victims suffer, I think they would think twice before laying down their money."

Earlier this year, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) stated in "Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 2009" that 79% of all global trafficking is for sexual exploitation, which is one of the world's fastest growing criminal activities. The report said the proportion of minors involved in all forms of human trafficking has increased between 2003 and 2007 from about 15% to nearly 22%. In June 2009, the Obama administration expanded the U.S. watch-list of countries suspected of not doing enough to combat human trafficking, putting more than four dozen nations — including Cambodia and the Philippines — on notice that they might face sanctions unless their records improve.

Sex tourism, whether targeting children or adults, creates huge monetary incentives for human traffickers, according to Siddharth Kara, a board member of the Washington D.C.-based NGO Free the Slaves and author of the 2008 book Even within the exploding human trafficking industry, which according to Kara generated $152.3 billion in revenues in 2007, trafficked sex workers are by far the most profitable of slaves — although they constitute only 4.2% of the world's slave population, trafficked sex workers contribute 39.1% of slaveholders' profits. Destination countries often turn a blind eye to sex tourism because of these enormous revenues. The International Labor Organization estimates that sex tourism contributes 2% to 14% of the gross domestic product of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

This article was reported with a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

READ MORE - A Move to Register Sex Offenders Globally