LIBRARY

29 May 2006

On June 1, 2006, LICADHO will commemorate this day through activities promoting children's rights and distributing essential material and food to children and pregnant women in prison.

The activities will highlight the situation of child trafficking, child sexual exploitation and child labour. In 2005, 304 cases of child rights abuse and exploitation were reported to LICADHO alone, a substantial increase of 20.2% from the previous year. Of these cases, rape represented the highest incident of abuse, at almost 70% of total reported cases.

25 May 2006

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 21 local NGOS, is pleased with the reported resolution of the long-standing land dispute in Kbal Spean Village, Poi Pet Commune, Banteay Meanchey province. But CHRAC remains concerned by the lack of justice provided over the killings of five people during the 2005 eviction of Kbal Spean community.

Provincial authorities, reportedly acting on the instructions of the Prime Minister, last week negotiated a settlement between 218 families living on the land and their village chief, who had laid claim to all their land. The settlement permits the families, who had previously each had 10-meter-by-20 meter plots of land, to retain 8-meter-by-20 meter plots of land. The remaining land goes to the village chief.

12 May 2006

On 5 May 2006 more than 50 representatives of Cambodian and international Human Rights NGOs gathered to launch a report prepared by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) with the active participation of the Cambodian Association for Human Rights and Development (ADHOC) on the implementation of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), ratified by Cambodia on 11 April 2002.

NGOs endorsed the recommendations contained in the Report on "ICC - Adaptation of Cambodian Law to the Rome Statute".

The ICC is the first permanent international criminal court with jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by nationals or on the territory of State Parties after 1 July 2002. Cambodia is one of the only Asian States to be a party to this historic institution.

4 May 2006

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 21 NGOs, is concerned with the measures taken by the Khan Daun Penh authority and the Phnom Penh municipality to relocate people who live in village 14 (Sambok Chab village) Khan Chamcarmon, Phnom Penh to a new location situated in Trapeang Anh Chanh village, Sangkat Trapeang Kra Sang, Khan Dangkor, Phnom Penh.

CHRAC has carried out a thorough investigation of this case and has found that it is unclear how the new land will be distributed in fairness, since the statistics put together by the people in six communities and the statistic of local authority are different. This has led people to feel unsure of whether they will be relocated or not. Furthermore, the authority has not yet built basic and adequate infrastructures and services such as health center, school, market, sewers, and electricity system at the new location.

2 May 2006

The members of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 21 NGOs, welcome the news that the Supreme Council of the Magistracy will this week select the judges and prosecutors for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC).

This is a very important decision and will have important implications for the future of Cambodia and Cambodians. The efficient conduct of the trials in accordance with the principles of international law will further enhance Cambodia's international reputation. Trials, open to the public, will also help Cambodians to move on from the long period of civil conflict which included the Khmer Rouge period. By participating in the Tribunal judges, prosecutors and lawyers will gain valuable experience and skills, which will help them to participate in the implementation of the Government's legal and judicial reform program.

1 March 2006

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGO members, welcomes this week's first meeting for 2006 of the Government-Donor Coordination Committee as a key opportunity to reflect upon the progress made in 2005 to achieve the benchmarks set by the Royal Government of Cambodia and Consultative Group and also to set out the indicators to measure progress for 2006.

CHRAC notes that the Royal Government of Cambodia has made some efforts in 2005 to progress its Strategy for Legal and Judicial Reform with the further development and launch mid-year of its Action Plan. However, we observe that the eight fundamental laws, identified in the CG benchmarks for December 2004 as essential to strengthening the rule of law, have not been passed.

17 February 2006

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 local NGOs, welcomes and supports the announcement to review decriminalization defamation in the draft Penal Code by the head of the Royal Government in Kandal province on 14 February 2006 further to public appeals made by civil society including CHRAC members.

CHRAC acknowledges that the proposed plan to change defamation from a criminal offense to a civil offense shows the Government's willingness to urge and motivate citizens and civil society organizations to fully express their views in a democratic way as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia. However, this announcement is only the first step.

6 February 2006

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGO members, welcomes the Royal pardons granted to Sam Rainsy, president of Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), and the SRP parliamentarian Cheam Channy by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni on 5th February 2006.

CHRAC welcomes the peaceful settlement of the dispute between important Cambodian political figures is a positive act showing their mutual respect and putting the interests of the nation and the people first.

1 February 2006

The Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC), a coalition of 27 member organizations, would like to express its deepest gratitude to all individuals, local and international NGOs, embassies, governments and international institutions who joined the recent struggle for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia. This timely and vehement support has constituted an effective influence on the Royal Government of Cambodia that led to the release on bail of five arrested individuals: journalist and radio manager Mam Sonando, unionist Rong Chhun and the NGO leaders Kem Sokha, Yeng Virak and Pa Nguon Teang.

AFEC regrets that the right to Freedom of Expression of civil rights activists has been violated. Therefore, AFEC welcomes that the Government withdraws its complaints against the above-mentioned persons, and urges that similar complaints against other individuals in Cambodia and abroad, namely Ear Channa, Men Nath, Chea Mony, Prince Sisowath Thomico, and Say Bory are also withdrawn. AFEC further hopes that all criminal defamation charges will be dropped speedily by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

26 January 2006

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), a membership-based regional organization holding a consultative status with the UN ECOSOC, and in accord with its Cambodian member organizations ADHOC and LICADHO, welcomes the resolution of IPU on Mr. Cheam Channy, Member of National Assembly of Cambodia, adopted on October 19, 2005. However, we would like to express our deep concerns and draw your attention to continuing human rights violations of Members of Parliament of Cambodia and to comment on the IPU Resolution.

17 January 2006

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGO members, welcomes the release on bail of Mam Sonando, Rong Chhun, Kem Sokha and Pa Nguon Teang, which follows the similar release last week of Yeng Virak. We are pleased that all of them have been temporarily freed from prison and are able to be reunited with their families.

We hope that this positive and encouraging news will be followed by the withdrawal of the criminal complaints against these five men and other individuals by the government, and the dropping of all charges against them by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. Such an action would be a further significant step toward ensuring the protection of freedom of expression, other human rights and future economic development in Cambodia.

12 January 2006

We, the under-signed members of Cambodian NGOs and civil society, deeply regret the arrest and detention of Cambodian Center for Human Rights president Kem Sokha, Community Legal Education Center director Yeng Virak, and Cambodian Center for Human Rights deputy president Pa Nguon Teang, on charges of defamation.

The arrests relate to the celebrations held in Phnom Penh to mark International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2005, which were attended by more than 10,000 people. This rare and important event was authorized by the government and organized by NGOs and other civil society organizations. The authorization and support for this mass gathering of people seemed to be a positive step to promote human rights in Cambodia. Therefore, we are deeply disappointed by the subsequent arrests of Kem Sokha, Yeng Virak, and Pa Nguon Teang, which have created fear within civil society and the public, restricted freedom of expression, and set back human rights in Cambodia.

23 December 2005

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGOs, is deeply concerned on resulting effects to democratic process and freedom of expression in Cambodia after seeing a series of government critics successively charged with criminal defamation under Article 63 of the 1992 UNTAC Criminal law.

CHRAC notes that, despite the government's "iron fist" policy in respect of alleged corrupted judicial system, it still remains weak and lacks the independence necessary for genuine rule of law to apply in Cambodia. CHRAC also notes that national and international organizations have expressed serious concern on the use of criminal defamation to silence critics and weaken freedom of expression guaranteed in the Constitution of Cambodia.

25 November 2005

(...) Making the criteria for selection and the list of recommended candidates public prior to final appointment are important steps to increase public participation and confidence in the outcome of the tribunal. In addition, publicizing the criteria and the candidates under consideration decreases the risk that the public will view the selection process as the result of political influence. The appointment of fair, impartial, independent, and experienced judges to the Extraordinary Chambers is critical to ensuring that the Extraordinary Chambers operates independently and consistently with international standards.

22 September 2005

Recently, CHRAC has learned about severe draughts in several provinces in Cambodia due to lack of rain, particularly in Kampong Speu Province, which has caused some Cambodian farmers to suffer from lack of food. In addition we have also heard poor people appealing to their leaders, without consideration of political loyalties, for immediate food assistance, as well as for water support to their rice fields and plantations. These calls follow a promise made by the head of government who claimed that he would not allow any Cambodian to die of hunger or to have violated his/her right to food and life.

19 September 2005

After receiving on 8 August 2005 the draft Law on Anti-Corruption dated 30 June 2005, civil society organizations have analyzed and found that, though the current draft has more comprehensive corruption related offence provisions than the earlier draft with a clearer role to the Secretary General to enforce the law, and includes a Chapter on international cooperation, it is necessary that some more improvements be made to the draft to meet international standards as committed by the Royal Government during the CG meeting with international donors in December 2004.

Therefore, we, the Civil Society Organizations against Corruption, would like to make some recommendations and would like to ask that the government carefully review the draft and incorporate into the draft the following important items:

14 September 2005

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGOs, is very disappointed at the authorities in Khan Russei Keo for pulling down the houses of 545 families in Sangkat Phnom Penh Thmey, Khan Russei Keo, Phnom Penh City.

On 9th September 2005, the Governor and Deputy Governor of Khan Russei Keo led approximately 100 civilian and military police and brought bulldozers and about 20 workers to demolish 200 private houses and destroy the property they were built on.

24 August 2005

The members of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGO members, is concerned about the lack of information concerning the process through which judges will be selected by the Royal Government of Cambodia. The government has not released a list of the candidates to be considered, the criteria by which they will be evaluated, or information about the process and timeframe for recruitment and selection. CHRAC respectfully asks the Government's Khmer Rouge Trials Task Force to make this information public, in order to strengthen this critical process.

17 August 2005

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 NGOs, would like to express its dissatisfaction with the Battambang Provincial Court for dropping charges against 128 police, military police and civilians accused of killing five villagers and injuring eight others during a forced eviction on March 21, 2005 in Kbal Spean Village, Poipet Commune, O' Chrov District, Banteay Meanchey Province. Victims sustained extensive property damage during the eviction.

8 August 2005

The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 18 local NGOs, closely followed the trial proceedings at the Military Court on August 8th, 2005 to try H.E. Cheam Channy, a member of parliament from the opposition party.

During the hearing, CHRAC observers noted that there was a lack of adequate evidence or credible testimonies to support the charges, of organized crime and committing fraud, against H. E. Cheam Channy by the prosecutor. CHRAC members observed many procedural violations, including the following: