Freedom of Expression Under Renewed Pressure

Wed the 1st Waning Moon of Phagguṇa B.E.2559, March 23, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat

New York – The Vietnamese government should release and drop all charges against two prominent bloggers, Human Rights Watch said today. The trial of Nguyen Huu Vinh and his colleague Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy is scheduled for March 23, 2016, before the People’s Court of Hanoi.

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ឈ្មោះផ្លែឈើ និងបន្លែ នៅកម្ពុជា
Mon the 14th Waxing Moon of Phagguṇa B.E.2559, March 21, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat

អ្នកជំនាញការ អ.ស.ប ស្នើសុំឲ្យមានមធ្យោបាយផ្សេងៗដើម្បីជៀសវាងការរំលោភបំពានសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ក្នុងអំឡុង ពេលមានការតវ៉ាជាសាធារណៈ

Thu the 3rd Waxing Moon of Phagguṇa B.E.2559, March 10, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat

ទីក្រុងហ្ស៊ឺណែវ (៩ មីនា ២០១៦) – របាយការណ៍ថ្មីមួយ ដែលបានដាក់បង្ហាញនៅថ្ងៃនេះ ជូនដល់ក្រុមប្រឹក្សា សិទ្ធិមនុស្សអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ ផ្តល់អនុសាសន៍ជាច្រើនស្តីពីការរៀបចំ និងការបង្ការទុកមុនឲ្យបានត្រឹមត្រូវ ដើម្បីការពារសិទ្ធិរបស់បាតុករ អ្នកឈរមើល និងនគរបាល ក្នុងអំឡុងពេលមានការជួបជុំជាសាធារណៈនានា។ របាយការណ៍នេះ ត្រូវបានដាក់បង្ហាញរួមគ្នាលើកដំបូងដោយអ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេសស្តីពីការសម្លាប់ភ្លាមៗ ឬតាមអំពើចិត្ដ ក្រៅប្រព័ន្ធតុលាការ លោក គ្រីស្តូហ្វ ហ៊ីនស៍ (Christof Heyns) និងអ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេស ស្តីពីសេរីភាពក្នុងការជួបប្រជុំដោយ សន្តិវិធី និងការបង្កើតសមាគម លោក ម៉ៃណា គីអៃ (Maina Kiai)។

សូមទាញយកសេចក្ដីថ្លែងការណ៍ជាភាសាខ្មែរ Download full statement in Khmer: UN_experts_suggest_ways_to_avoid_human_rights_violations_during_public_protests_KH

Geneva (9 March 2016) – A new report presented today to the United Nations Human Rights Council offers recommendations on proper preparations and precautions to protect the rights of the demonstrators, bystanders and police during public gatherings. The report is the first presented jointly by the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai.

Christof Heyns

“The proper management of assemblies can in many cases serve to prevent an escalation of the situation and the eventual outbreak of violence,” the UN experts said in a press release based on their presentation in Geneva.

During the briefing, they discussed a wide range of rights impacted, and emphasized the State’s obligation not only to protect, but also facilitate, the exercise of these rights.

Their recommendations include State obligation to facilitate assemblies, notification procedures and permission limitations of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, the use of force and surveillance in policing of assemblies, access to information and accountability.

Maina Kiai

“Assemblies can play a vital role in the protection and fulfilment of human rights,” the experts recalled. “They should not be viewed or treated as a threat, but rather as a means of dialogue in which the State should engage.”

Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. Courtesy the United Nations

អ្នកជំនាញការ អ.ស.ប ជម្រុញឲ្យគោរពសិទ្ធិស្ត្រីជនបទ ទទួលស្គាល់តួនាទីដ៏សំខាន់របស់ពួកគេ ក្នុងការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ និងការកាត់បន្ថយភាពក្រីក្រ
For International Women’s Day, Tuesday 8 March 2016 Respect rights of rural women, recognize their vital role in development and poverty reduction, UN experts urge

Tue the 1st Waxing Moon of Phagguṇa B.E.2559, March 8, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat

សូមទាញយកសេចក្ដីថ្លែងការណ៍ជាភាសាខ្មែរ Download full statement in Khmer: International_Women’s_Day_KH

ទីក្រុងហ្ស៊ឺណែវ (៤ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ២០១៦) – នៅមុនទិវាសិទ្ធិនារីអន្តរជាតិ ថ្ងៃអង្គារ ទី៨ ខែមីនា គណៈកម្មាធិការ ទទួលបន្ទុកការលុបបំបាត់រាល់ទម្រង់នៃការរើសអើងប្រឆាំងនឹងស្រ្តីភេទ (ស៊ី ដ) អំពាវនាវឲ្យមានការផ្តោតលើស្ត្រីនិងកុមារីជនបទ និងការអនុវត្តន៍មានប្រសិទ្ធភាពនូវគោលដៅអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ប្រកបដោយនិរន្តរភាព (SDGs) ដែលក្នុងនោះភាគច្រើននិយាយអំពីស្ថានភាពស្ត្រីជនបទ។ គណៈកម្មាធិការនេះ ដែលឃ្លាំមើលការអនុវត្តន៍របស់រដ្ឋ ភាគីនៃអនុសញ្ញាស្តីពីការលុបបំបាត់ការរើសអើងប្រឆាំងនឹងស្ត្រីភេទ បានសង្កត់ធ្ងន់ ពីតម្រូវការ ក្នុងការការពារនិងការលើកស្ទួយសិទ្ធិស្ត្រីនិងកុមារីជនបទ អនុលោមតាមមាត្រា១៤ នៃអនុសញ្ញានេះ និងស្របតាមអនុសាសន៍ទូទៅលេខ ៣៤ ដែលគណៈកម្មាធិការនេះ ទើបតែបានអនុម័តស្តីពីសិទ្ធិស្ត្រី ជនបទ។”*
“ស្រ្តីជនបទ មានមួយភាគបួននៃចំនួនប្រជាជនសរុបនៃពិភពលោក គឺជាស្ត្រីដែលរស់នៅតាមជនបទ។ សន្និសីទ អ.ស.ប ជាច្រើន បានទទួលស្គាល់ការរួមចំណែកដ៏សំខាន់របស់ពួកគេដល់ការអភិវឌ្ឍជនបទ ស្បៀងអាហារ និងអាហារូបត្ថម្ភ ព្រមទាំងការកាត់បន្ថយភាពក្រីក្រ។ ទោះជាដូច្នោះក្តី ពួកគេបន្តជួបប្រទះបញ្ ហា​ប្រឈមជាច្រើន រាប់ទាំងរបាំងដ៏រឹងរុសនិងជាប្រព័ន្ធ ដល់ការអនុវត្តន៍សិទ្ធិស្រ្តីឲ្យបានពេញលេញ។ សូមអានប្រកាសព័ត៌មានទាំងស្រុងជាភាសា អង់គ្លេស​ | ខ្មែរ​ ។

Geneva (4 March 2016) – Ahead of International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8 March, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is calling for a focus on rural women and girls, and effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), many of which reflect on the situation of rural women. The Committee, which monitors implementation by States Parties of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, stresses the need to protect and promote the rights of rural women and girls in accordance with Article 14 of the Convention and in line with the General Recommendation No.34 it has just adopted on the Rights of Rural Women*:
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ភាពគ្មានផ្ទះសម្បែងធ្វើឱ្យប៉ះពាល់ដល់ប្រទេសនិមួយៗ ហើយបានរីករាលដាលប្រកបដោយនិទណ្ឌភាព

Sat the 12th Waning Moon of Māgha B.E.2559, March 5, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat
ទីក្រុងហ្ស៊ឺណែវ (៣ មីនា ២០១៦) – ភាពគ្មានផ្ទះសម្បែងគឺជាស្ថានភាព ពិតនៃជីវិត ដែលកើតមាននៅគ្រប់ប្រទេសទាំងអស់ ដោយមិនគិតពីកម្រិតនៃការអភិវឌ្ឍប្រព័ន្ធសេដ្ឋកិច្ច ឬអភិបាលកិច្ចរបស់ប្រទេសទាំងនោះឡើយ ហើយបញ្ហានេះបានរីករាលដាលនូវនិទណ្ឌភាព អ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេសរបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ ស្តីពីសិទ្ធិលំនៅដ្ឋាន លោកស្រី លេឡានី ហ្វារហា (Leilani Farha) បានរំលឹកនៅថ្ងៃនេះ នៅពេលបង្ហាញរបាយការណ៍ចុងក្រោយបំផុតរបស់លោកស្រី ជូនក្រុមប្រឹក្សាសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស អ.ស.ប។ នៅក្នុងរបាយការណ៍នេះ ដែលអាចទាញយកមកអានជាភាសាអង់គ្លេស អ្នករាយការណ៍​ពិសេសពិនិត្យមើលអំពីរបៀប ដែលភាពគ្មានផ្ទះសម្បែងបង្កឡើងដោយសារតែការខកខានរបស់រដ្ឋក្នុងការឆ្លើយតបទាំងទៅនឹងករណីមួយៗ ទាំងទៅនឹងបុព្វហេតុជារចនាសម្ព័ន្ធ ការបោះបង់ចោល ទំនួលខុសត្រូវ ចំពោះកាតព្វកិច្ចការពារសង្គម និងអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យមានការរកម្រៃលើអចលនទ្រព្យ និងការវិនិយោគដោយមិនបានធ្វើនិយតកម្មត្រឹមត្រូវ ផាត់មនុស្សជាច្រើនចេញពីលទ្ធភាពទទួលបានលំនៅដ្ឋាន។ សូមអានសេចក្តីប្រកាសព័ត៌មានទាំងស្រុងជាភាសាអង់គ្លេស។ [ចុចតំណភ្ជាប់ទៅសេចក្តីប្រកាសព័ត៌មាន – សូមមើលខាងក្រោម]។ អង់គ្លេស ។

Geneva (3 March 2016) – Homelessness is a fact of life in all countries of the world, regardless of the level of development of their economic or governance systems, and it has been spreading with impunity, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, Leilani Farha, warned today during the presentation of her latest report to the UN Human Rights Council.

In the report, which can be read in English here, the Special Rapporteur examines how homelessness is caused by States’ failures to respond both to individual circumstances and to a range of structural causes, abandoning responsibility for social protection and allowing unregulated real estate speculation and investment to exclude a growing number of people from any form of housing.
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រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីការបរទេសសមាគមប្រជាជាតិអាស៊ីអគ្នេយ៍ព្រួយបារម្ភចំពោះសមុទ្រចិនខាងត្បូង

Sat the 5th Waning Moon of Māgha B.E.2559, February 27, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat

By Jerry Harmer | February 27, 2016

Vientiane, Laos (AP) — Foreign ministers from the 10 countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations said Saturday that they were “seriously concerned” by recent developments in the disputed South China Sea region and will seek a meeting over the issue with China.

Map of the South China Sea showing location of Spratly Islands and Paracel Islands. (Map courtesy of CartoGIS, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University)

At the end of their annual retreat, held this year in the Lao capital of Vientiane, they noted their worries and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability in the area.

The strategically important South China Sea is at the center of a territorial dispute involving China on one side and a number of ASEAN countries on the other, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Tensions have ramped up since China began a massive land reclamation program in 2013. Recent satellite imagery suggests that China has installed surface-to-air missiles in a disputed area in the Paracels chain, prompting accusations that Beijing is militarizing the area.

A joint statement said the ASEAN foreign ministers “remained seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some members on the land reclamations and escalation of activities” in the South China Sea.

The statement added that the activities have “eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region.”

Vietnam’s foreign minister, Pham Binh Minh, told reporters as he left the meeting that he was “seriously concerned about the situation” and called for the “non-militarization” of the South China Sea.

Cambodia’s foreign minister, Hor Namhong, said ASEAN would seek a meeting with China over the matter, though no date or venue had been set.

Other matters were on the agenda too. The ministers reiterated their perennial call for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. They also addressed Islamic extremism, in the wake of an attack in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta in January that left eight people dead.

“The threat is real. It’s no longer fictitious or mere imagination,” said Malaysia’s foreign minister, Anifah Aman.

Other topics included ways to bring about ever closer economic cooperation since the advent of the ASEAN Economic Community at the end of last year.

តើប្រទេសណាបានកាន់កាប់ប្រជុំកូនកោះនៅដែនសមុទ្រដែលមានជម្លោះច្រើនបំផុតក្នុងទ្វីបអាស៊ី? ពុំមែនប្រទេសចិនទេ។

Wed the 2nd Waning Moon of Māgha B.E.2559, February 24, A.D.2016 Year of the Goat

The location of the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. Photo courtesy Wikipedia

When Taiwan’s Department of Land Administration was surveying the disputed South China Sea in 2014 to see which country had what, it noticed a lot of landfill. Everyone knew China was expanding atolls in the ocean’s Paracel and Spratly archipelagos, and they know now that China has parked anti-aircraft missiles in the Paracels. China grabs attention because it worries officials as far away as Washington about possible designs to control the whole 3.5 million-square-kilometer body of water, which is crucial to international commerce as well as resources from fish to oil. Control over even tiny land features implies rights to much bigger tracts of water.

Taiwan claims the sea, too. What did it find?

It was Vietnam that had reclaimed the most islets, reefs and rocks. Hanoi has now fortified 27 such land features in parts of the South China Sea off its east coast, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative under U.S. think tank CSIS. Vietnam wants to shore up rights to a continental shelf off its 3,444 kilometer-long coast. That mission explains Hanoi’s claims to the Paracel and Spratly chains, also not far offshore. China’s effort to occupy those islets naturally outrages Vietnamese leaders. Their dispute led to the ramming of boats and riots in 2014 when China let an offshore oil driller place a rig in a tract both sides claim.

A Vietnamese activist wears a sign during a protest in front of the White House July 25, 2013. (KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)

“Vietnam has extended a claim over the Paracels and Spratlys since the French did so in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” CSIS initiative director Greg Poling says, referring to the country’s former colonizer. “It is no more going to give up those territorial claims than any other claimant.”

One of Vietnam’s developed islets sits in view of Taiwan’s biggest holding and storm-battered Vietnamese fishing boats sometimes call on the Taiwanese for help. Last year Vietnam began reclamation at Cornwallis Reef in the same archipelago and dredged two channels deep enough for large ships, CSIS found. Small artificial islands took shape along the channels for total reclamation of four acres, or 16,000 square meters.

But Vietnam has not stirred up regional resentment or raised alarm in Washington as China has. Chinese landfill work covers about 3,000 acres. Reclamation overseen by Beijing has used dozens of ships to break up coral and pour it on top of remaining reefs, CSIS found. The initiative director calls Vietnam’s reclamation approach “far less environmentally destructive” than China’s. Beijing also runs the largest military of the six ocean claimants. Chinese officials base their claim to nearly the entire ocean on historic documents, rather than an interpretation of international law cited by Vietnam.

“Vietnam claims sovereignty over this part and it’s reasonable for them to do so,” says Nathan Liu, an international affairs and diplomacy professor at Ming Chuan University in Taiwan. Compared to China, he adds, “I don’t think we should be worried about their military buildup.” Courtesy Forbes