អតីតនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីខ្មែរសម័យសាធារណរដ្ឋប្រជាមានិតកម្ពុជាទទួលមរណភាព
Sat the 13th Waning Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 29, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Phnom Penh, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) — Cambodian former prime minister and current opposition lawmaker Pen Sovann died on Saturday night at the age of 80 due to illness, the opposition party said in a statement.
“His Excellency Pen Sovann, a member of parliament and former prime minister during the People’s Republic of Kampuchea, died at 19:17 local time on Oct. 29, 2016 at the age of 80 due to illness at his house in (southern) Takeo province,” the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said in the statement.
Pen Sovann had suffered a stroke since January last year.
He used to be the prime minister of Cambodia for six months in 1981 after the fall of the Democratic Kampuchea in 1979.
Tue the 9th Waning Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 25, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Download Khmer version: rhona-smith-10202560kh
PHNOM PENH / BANGKOK / GENEVA (20 October 2016) – The time for the Government of Cambodia to blame the troubles of the last century for the situation today is surely over, United Nations Special Rapporteur Rhona Smith said at the end of her third visit* to the country to assess progress on issues of discrimination against ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, vulnerable groups as well as the current human rights situation.
“Cambodia has earned its place on the international stage as an equal sovereign state and, as such, the Government must take responsibility for fully implementing at the national, provincial and commune/sangkat levels all those rights and freedoms in the treaties it has so willingly ratified,” stressed the independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and advise on the situation of human rights in Cambodia.
On the eve of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1991 Paris Peace Accords which laid down the framework for the present Cambodian constitution and enshrined respect for human rights, Ms. Smith observed that the Cambodia of 2016 is very different from the Cambodia of 1991: “The progress and development is well worth celebrating, however imperfect aspects of that progress may be.”
Drawing on the text of the Accords, she identified particular issues with the realisation of human rights today. “The Cambodian constitution in Article 31 makes clear the emphasis to be placed on respect for human rights and on ensuring that the law is applied without discrimination on any ground. Yet, there are many examples of the law being applied in an apparently discriminatory or politicised manner,” she said. “Restrictions on freedoms of assembly, expression and association are particularly problematic.”
The Special Rapporteur commended Cambodia’s strong and vibrant civil society, symbolic of the post-1991 country. However, she underlined that “civil society is under a duty to respect the law of Cambodia and the rights and freedoms of others,” noting that “human rights defenders and activists are not, necessarily, political actors.”
The independent expert called on the Cambodian authorities to review and revise a number of laws to strengthen the protection of human rights, and called for judges to publish reasoning for all decisions in order to strengthen both real and perceived judicial independence.
Focusing on vulnerable groups not yet in a position of equality under the law, Ms. Smith commented that rounding up people in street situations is simply not acceptable, after a visit to the Prey Speu Drop In Centre. “There is a need for a holistic approach to economic and social rights to ensure no one is left behind,” she said in a reference to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Chronic overcrowding in the two main prisons was also a cause for concern, on which the expert recommended increasing the use of non-custodial sentencing and reducing the reliance on provisional detention as two ways to alleviate the overcrowding.
“The Paris Peace Accords provided for full and fair opportunities for everyone to organise and participate in genuine elections,” the expert said looking to the forthcoming local elections in 2017 and national elections in 2018. However, she warned that “there is a deep loss of trust between the two principal political parties.”
“I urge both parties, through intermediaries as necessary, to explore opportunities for working productively together,” Ms. Smith stated. “Both parties were elected in 2013 to serve the people of Cambodia. The people deserve that those they entrusted do so professionally in the best interests of the people.”
During her ten-day visit, the Special Rapporteur met in Phnom Penh with numerous senior Government officials, members of the UN system, the diplomatic community and representatives of a broad range of civil society actors and other stakeholders.
In addition, she undertook visits to various sites in and around Phnom Penh including Khmer Cham living on land and on the river, the Prey Sar commune correctional centres (CC1 and CC2) and the Drop In Centre (formerly Prey Speu). She also visited Kampong Speu Province where she had meetings with provincial authorities, members of indigenous communities, and communities claiming loss of land due to sugar concessions.
The Special Rapporteur will present her next report to the Human Rights Council in September 2017.
(*) Check the Special Rapporteur’s full end-of-mission statement:http://cambodia.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20-%20FINAL%20-%2019.10.2016.pdf
Ms. Rhona Smith was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2015. Ms. Smith is a Professor of International Human Rights Law in the United Kingdom. She has also taught international human rights law as a visiting professor in China and Canada and spent time as a distinguished visitor in Vanuatu. Professor Smith has also been a visiting professor in Cambodia where she worked on designing and developing course curricula for the re-launch of Cambodia’s first master level program in human rights law. To learn more, see:http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/CountriesMandates/KH/Pages/SRCambodia.aspx
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.
UN Human Rights, country page – Cambodia:http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/KHIndex.aspx
For additional information and media enquiries, please contact:
In Phnom Penh: Ms. Christine Pickering (+855 23 993 590/91, Ext: 213 / cpickering@ohchr.org)
In Geneva (before and after the visit): Ms. Jennifer Kraft (+41 22 928 9830 or write tosrcambodia@ohchr.org)
For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Mr. Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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Wed the 3rd Waning Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 19, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Download in Khmer: rhona-smith-statement-khmer
Download in English: rhona-smith-statement-eng
Phnom Penh – “The Cambodia of 2016 is very different from the Cambodia of 1991,” says Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, Prof. Rhona Smith, this evening. “The progress and development is well worth celebrating, however imperfect aspects of that progress may be. The time for the Government to blame the troubles of the last century for the situation today is surely over.” Prof. Smith made these remarks in a statement at her end-of-mission press conference, held at the OHCHR office in Phnom Penh. Covering a wide range of issues that were brought up in her various field trips and meetings, the statement included recommendations to the Government on vulnerable groups, land rights, rule of law and justice, prison reform, electoral preparations, and the general human rights situation in the country.
The Special Rapporteur reiterated her “pledge [to the Government] to assist by advising, monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in Cambodia.”
It’s bad enough for Vietnam to use vague laws to imprison peaceful critics and activists. But it’s even more outrageous to lock up someone for five years just because the government arbitrarily decides that they are preparing to criticize the government. Brad Adams, HRW Asia Director
Assembly Should Overhaul Laws Recently Used to Silence Blogger ‘Mother Mushroom’
Tue the 2nd Waning Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 18, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
New York – Vietnam’s National Assembly should reform the criminal law to respect basic rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion, Human Rights Watch said today. The National Assembly is considering revisions to the penal code during its session scheduled from October 20 to November 22, 2016. The laws were used in October’s arrest of prominent blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, known as “Mother Mushroom.”
“Many articles related to national security in Vietnam’s laws are vaguely defined and often used arbitrarily to punish critics, activists, and bloggers,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “The National Assembly should take this opportunity to strip provisions that have created so many political prisoners and bring Vietnam’s laws in line with international standards.” (more…)
សហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោមគាំទ្រសារាចររបស់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា ចុះថ្ងៃទី២០ ខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ២០១៦ យ៉ាងពេញទំហឹង ស្ដីពី ការថែរក្សាការពារបង្គោលព្រំដែនចាស់បោះដោយគណៈកម្មការកំណត់ព្រំដែនរវាងកម្ពុជា និងកម្ពុជាក្រោម (កូសាំងស៊ីន) នៅមុននិងក្រោយទសវត្សរ៍ឆ្នាំ១៨៧០ ព.ស.២៤១០
Sat the 7th Waxing Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 8, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
សហគមន៍ខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោមស្នើរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលនូវពីរចំណុចៈ
១. បង្កើតគណៈកម្មការចម្រុះមួយ ដោយមានការចូលរួមពីគណបក្សនយោបាយ ដែលមានអាសនៈនៅក្នុងរដ្ឋសភានិងសង្គមក្រៅរដ្ឋាភិបាលស្រាវជ្រាវរកការពិតនៃការបាត់បង់ទឹកដីខ្មែរកម្ពុជក្រោម (កូសាំងស៊ីន) និងមូលហេតុនៃការកំណត់ព្រំដែនរវាងកម្ពុជាក្រោម និងកម្ពុជាក្រោម (កូសាំងស៊ីន) ដើម្បីចងក្រងទុកជាឯកសារប្រវត្ដិសាស្ដ្ររបស់ជាតិ។
២.សូមអនុញ្ញាតឱ្យប្រជាពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរទូទៅ ដែលមានបំណងចង់ទៅស្រាវជ្រាវ ឬទៅមើលបង្គោលព្រំដែនទាំងចាស់ទាំងថ្មីដោយសេរី។
Fri the 6th Waxing Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 7, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Download Khmer: srs-visit-media-advisory-kh
Download English: srs-visit-media-advisory
GENEVA / PHNOM PENH (7 October 2016) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Rhona Smith, will carry out an official visit to the country from 10 to 20 October 2016 to examine the general political situation and various aspects of discrimination.
Thu the 5th Waxing Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 6, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
The Hon. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
President of National Assembly of Vietnam
Doc Lap Street, Quan Thanh
Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Dear National Assembly President Nguyen Kim Ngân,
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are writing to express our concerns about the proposed Law on Belief and Religion in Vietnam. The draft law, which has been revised several times and drawn strong criticism from many religious communities, is expected to be voted into law by the National Assembly at its session in October- November 2016.
The most recent draft was discussed at a high-level meeting of the Communist Party’s Fatherland Front on 17 August, and circulated to certain religious communities for comment. An examination of the draft law that was published on the National Assembly website shows that the 9-chapter draft law contains some improvements, but also continues to place unacceptable restrictions on the right to freedom of religion or belief and other human rights. Specifically, basic guarantees of the right to freedom of religion or belief continue to be undermined by onerous registration requirements and excessive state interference in religious organizations’ internal affairs. Indeed, this and the previous versions of the law inherit from previous rules and regulations this emphasis on government control and management of religious life which is contrary to the spirit and principle of the right to freedom of religion or belief.
Five of the six largest Asean economies see growing sales to U.S.
Thu the 5th Waxing Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 6, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Courtesy Bloomberg, by David Roman, October 5, 2016
After years of looking to China as a source of growth, Southeast Asian countries are turning their attention back to the world’s largest economy on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Exports to the U.S. from all but one of the six largest economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations increased in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to the most recent data from the International Monetary Fund. Shipments to China declined in four of the countries in the same period.
After years of looking to China as a source of growth, Southeast Asian countries are turning their attention back to the world’s largest economy on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
Exports to the U.S. from all but one of the six largest economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations increased in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to the most recent data from the International Monetary Fund. Shipments to China declined in four of the countries in the same period. (more…)
សូមអរគុណដ៏ជ្រាលជ្រៅចំពោះសប្បុរសជននូវវិភាគទានទាំងនេះ។