Cambodian Independence

    

After Angkor, Cambodia remained an important and powerful state up until the eighteenth century. From the thirteenth century on, however, it had to defend itself against two nations that gradually grew more and more powerfully, Thailand in the west and Vietnam in the east. By the nineteenth century, these two powers competed with each other to control Cambodia. To make matters worse, problems within the Cambodian royal family caused a number of civil conflicts with opposite sides going to Thailand and Vietnam for protection.

During the eighteenth century, Cambodia became involved with another nation, France. When King Norodom asked the French for protection in 1863, it was not because he preferred submission to France rather than to Thailand or Vietnam, but because he regarded France as a less dangerous alternative, being so far away. At the same time, he hoped France could be used as a screen to protect his country from those that threatened it.

Thus for ninety years the Cambodian people suffered under French protection. In order to free their country, many famous Cambodian heroes fought for independence. Eventually, on November 9^th, 1953, King Norodom’s great-grandson, King Norodom Sihanouk, achieved independence with peace. Since then Cambodia has been an independent nation. 

At the centre of the city, at the intersection of Norodom Boulevard and  Sihanouk Boulevard, stands the Independence Monument (Vimean Ekareach) which was built as a national symbol when Cambodia gained its freedom from foreign rule in 1953. It was designed by the renowned architect, Vann Nolyvann and officially inaugurated in 1958. 

The monument now also serves as a monument to Cambodia’s war dead. It represents Cambodia’s cultural achievements in the past as well as the nation’s hopes for the future. Also, it is the site of celebration and services on holidays such as Independence Day and Constitution Day.  

The Second National Workshop on Draft Law on Peacefull Assembly

On October 27, 2006, the second national workshop was held at Hotel Le Royal in
Phnom Penh which was organized by Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) and supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through East-West Management Institute and Program on Rights and Justice (PRAJ).

 

    

The whole day workshop on Draft Law on Peaceful Assembly was presided over by H.E Nuth Saan, secretary of state of Ministry of Interior (MoI) and many representatives of civil society and various foreign embassies. After welcoming remarks by Mr. Yeng Virak, executive director of CLEC, three crucial guest-speakers were invited to present their speech:-

1.      H.E. Nuth Saan, secretary of state of MoI presented the opening speech and the development process of draft law and position of the royal government.

2.      Ms. Erin Seto, mission director of USAID/Cambodia presented the enacting the peaceful assembly law–a concrete step in democratic development in
Cambodia.

3.      Mr. James Tupin, human rights officer of United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) presented the international standard for maintaining public order.

      

Students’ Movement for Democracy (SMD) was one of civil society participating in the workshop and sent her two representatives to participate 1). Mr. Moa Veasna, president. 2). Mr. Hing Soksan, Sport and Education Program Officer.

 

Be notified that the Small Group Discussion, Group Presentations, and Press Conference were put into workshop’s agenda.