The 58th International Human Rights Day “Dec 10, 2006

 

Students’ Movement for Democracy (SMD) sent its 120 members and activists who are SMD networks at various educational institutions in Phnom Penh to participate in event, the 58^th International Human Rights Day Dec 10, 2006. 

   

On Sunday (December 10), thousand of Cambodians from around the country, including community activists, trade unionists, students and NGO workers, gathered at Phnom Penh’s Olympic  Stadium to commemorate the 58^th International Human Rights Day.

  

Jointly organized by more than 70 organizations under the theme “We Are All Human Rights Defenders”, the day-long event aims to acknowledge and promote the valuable roles that Cambodians from all walks of life play in protecting human rights. It will celebrate the achievements  made in human rights in Cambodia, but also focus on critical issues still facing the country’s citizen—including the theft and exploitation of land and natural resources; restrictions to the freedoms of expression, association and assembly; and violations of labor rights.

  

The event will feature songs, dramas and exhibitions by participating organizations, and a keynote speech by Hina Jilani, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders. 

  

The occasion served to highlights the need for greater protection of human rights defenders in Cambodia, who in 2006 have continued to face threats, harassment, physical assaults, and arrest and imprisonment. In the first 10 months of the year, there were more than 47  recorded cases of persecution of human rights defenders, according to a briefing paper complied by the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) which is being issued to coincide with the December 10 event. 

The briefing paper, entitled Attacks and Threats Against Human Rights Defenders in Cambodia 2006, stated that community activists and trade unionists are increasingly being targeted for violations such as physical assault or unjustified arrest and imprisonment.

In particular, the briefing paper notes a growing trend of perpetrators filing malicious criminal complaints against rural villagers who represent their communities in land conflicts with powerful individuals. Many community representatives have been summonsed to court of imprisoned on criminal charges in 2006, in an attempt to frighten communities into giving up their land and punish those who try to defend them. 

To mark this year’s International Human Rights Day, a statement of support for Cambodian human rights defenders has been signed by 110 human rights defenders from 32 countries around the world. Signatories include anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa; Doan Viet Hoat, a democracy activist who spent 20 years in prison in Vietnam; Angkhana Neelapaichit, who assist victims of violence in southern Thailand and is the wife of lawyer Somchai Neelapaichit who has disappeared and is presumed murdered; and Ivory Coast journalist Freedom Neruda, who has twice been jailed for criminal defamation of the country’s president. 

   

Last year’s International Human Rights Day celebrations in Phnom Penh, which were also held at Olympic Stadium, led to the arrests and jailing of three prominent rights defenders—Kem Sokha, Pa Nguon Teang and Yeng Virak. The three, charged with defaming the government in connection with a banner displayed at the event, were eventually released on bail after international and domestic condemnation of their imprisonment.

International Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and has been celebrated all over the world since 1950. 

News media and the public are invited to attend the December 10 event at Olympic Stadium, which will begin at 7 am and finish around 4 pm. 

SMD BORDER VISIT,THAI SOLDIERS BURNED KHMER PEOPLE’S HOUSES AT POIPET

Cambodian military officials claim Thai soldiers crossed into
Cambodia and burned people’s homes in Banteay Meanchey province on November 10, 2006. The officials, speaking by telephone Wednesday of Nov 11, 2006, said six homes were destroyed. They claimed some 300 Thai soldiers were involved in the incident.

The officials, including Col. Khuon Vanna of a border unit and Hay Nam Heng, a commune chief in the town of the Poipet, said the Thai soldiers told villagers that they destroyed the homes because they were illicitly built [at Tuol Prasat village, Poipet commune, O’ Chrau district] on disputed territory.

In order to find out the living situation of villagers and the geography where was invaded by Thai ambitious soldiers, the Students’ Movement for Democracy (SMD) set up a Dec 23, 2006 border visit led by SMD president, Mao Veasna.

Some 65 participants (4 monks) are SMD members and various partner-NGOs’ representatives such as Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC), Khmer Student Association (KSA), Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) and Free Trade Union (FTU), said Sorn Sarath, SMD secretary general, adding that FTU president Chea Mony participated in the visit as well.

“The border conflict, we would keep for Cambodian Border Commission president, Va Kimhong, to resolve”, said Col. Chhuk An, border police chief appointed to replace former border police chief, Khuon Vanna. We are not enough eligible to tackle this issue, we are only compromiser, he said.

 “There are 1270 families of villagers living at abovementioned scene; some of them are new residents and the others are old ones”, said Khuon Vanna, community chief. They have fed their lives by going to cut sugar-cane in
Thailand and they can get daily small income—they have been living hand-in-mouth, Vanna said.

Five key requests of the people who proposed SMD to help as below:

-         Creating a school for their children

-         Creating a health center to cure their diseases

-         Creating an irrigation system and hygienic water source

-         Resolving border dispute as soon as possible

-         Offering Col. Khuon Vanna the previous position

RIOT POLICE STOP AFEC MEMBERS FROM FLYING KITES

     

Many of participants who are the members of the Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC) congregating in the park in front of the National Assembly on Monday morning of Nov 27, 2006. The kites flying, organized by (AFEC), was aimed to fly 100 kites as part of a campaign to demand freedom of expression and to get the Assembly to adopt a law guaranteeing people’s rights to peaceful protest and the need to amend a law curbing the rights of free speech of lawmakers. The organizers also want the Assembly to scrap jail terms for those charged with disinformation, the criminal charge that has now become fashionable since the Assembly removed jail terms from the defamation law.

 

More than 100 armed police blocked unionists, NGO workers and lawmakers from flying kites in front of the National Assembly claiming the colorful demonstration could have interrupted air traffic or hoisted airborne explosives. The police, many armed with riot shields, electric batons, tear gas and AK-47 assault rifles, confiscated some 70 kites from the peaceful protestors who were trying to highlight the need of for freedom of expression.

 

AFEC members initially tried to run away from the police and hold onto their kites, which bore the words “Freedom of Expression,” but surrendered them after a short chase. Police then collected the kites in a large pile, before driving them away on two trucks. However, no one was arrested. The confiscation took place after negotiations collapsed between prominent leaders of civil society [CCHR secretary general Pa Gnuon Teang, Licadho president Kek Galabru, SRP lawmakers Son Chhay and Keo Ramy] with Daun Penh deputy governor Pich Socheata.

 

      

 

AFEC is a network of 28 Cambodian non-governmental organizations, independent labor unions and independent individuals who would like to advocate for the realization of the human rights to Freedom of Expression. SMD is one of AFEC members.