The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 17 local Human Rights NGOs, condemns the actions of the Provincial authorities of Kratie and Ratanakiri, in banning people from traveling from Ratanakiri to an Environmental Seminar in Phnom Penh.

According to human rights groups based in Kratie Province, on June 8, 2004, two representatives from the Ratanakiri-based aid group Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) and 7 persons from the Se San community network, were traveling by car from Ratanakiri to Phnom Penh. On arriving in Sandan commune, Sambo district, Kratie Province, they were stopped and detained overnight in Sandan market by commune police and the district sub-regional military commander. The next morning, the two representatives of NTFP were allowed to continue their trip to Phnom Penh but the remaining 7 were sent back to Ratanakiri.

According to the Sambo district authorities, this ban on travel was ordered by the Ratanakiri Provincial governor, who asked the Kratie Provincial authorities to prevent the passengers from continuing to Phnom Penh because they hadn't informed him in advance. At a meeting in Ratanakiri on June 10, 2004, the Provincial governor informed NGO representatives that in future, permission would be required to leave the province.

CHRAC strongly supports people’s right to travel freely and condemns any attempt to prevent people from doing so as guaranteed by the Cambodian constitution article 40, which states that people of both sexes have the right to travel. CHRAC calls upon the Royal government of Cambodia and local authorities to immediately withdraw all such restrictions on travel.

For more information, please contact:
▪ Mr. Thun Saray, President of ADHOC at 016 880509
▪ Mr. Sok Sam Oeun. Chairperson of the CHRAC Sub-Committee on Legislation, Executive Director of CDP at 012 901 199

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