September, 2017
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Cambodia is in need of this Sergei Magnitsky Law to Responding Current Political Setback
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED
- Canada should not be used by those foreign nationals who grossly violated internationally recognized human rights, as a safe haven for themselves and their families, or to hide away the proceeds from their illicit activities;
- The U.S. has promulgated the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, Estonia has adopted a similar law, and Great Britain and Norway are considering actions, aiming at establishing restrictive measures towards those who violated internationally recognized human rights. It is expected that other countries which value respect for human rights will follow suit;
- As Canada celebrates its sesquicentennial (150th) birthday, there is no gift to those who aspire respect for human rights everywhere in the world more precious than a law passed by its Parliament to promote respect for human rights; and
- Officials in the Communist regime in Vietnam systematically violate human rights by brutally suppressing political dissidents. They should also be subject to the restrictive measures called for in both Bill S-226 and Bill C-267.
PETITION NO.: 421-01389
An open letter to Hun Sen by Phnom Penh Post
An open letter to Hun Sen by Phnom Penh Post
Dear Prime Minister,
Prime Minister Hun Sen addresses a crowd of garment workers on Phnom Penh’s Veng Sreng Boulevard last week, making a speech in which he vowed to hold office for another 10 years. Facebook
You say your recent actions are to avoid the repeat of Cambodia’s tragic history. However, your actions may ultimately lead to the repeat of that tragic history. You see the dangers posed by others, but yet you disregard the dangers you are creating for your own nation and people. You have condemned your predecessor’s dependency on a foreign power, which led to Cambodia’s genocide. Yet, you chose to follow the footsteps of your predecessors by creating a dependency on another foreign power. With your recent actions, you have disregarded the friendly hands of Western nations that would have mitigated Cambodia’s dependency and have instead allowed Cambodia to fall into the open arms of China.
You are about to place Cambodia into such a tight corner that when China sneezes, all of Cambodia will feel it. And if war breaks out between China and our neighbours over the Spratly Islands, you can be sure China will be knocking on Cambodia’s door asking Cambodia to return the favour (ie, perhaps to become its military base).
For centuries, Cambodia has been dependent on one foreign power in one form or another (Thailand, Vietnam, France and the United States), and you have continued this terrible legacy by adding China to this list. The disastrous consequences of your decisions today probably won’t be felt by you, but it will be paid for by future generations to come.
To maintain your definition of peace and stability, you have chosen to divide Khmers and create an environment for them to fight one another. You have chosen to silence a large portion of your people by imprisoning their elected representative. Let it be known, prime minister, there is no stability when you choose to silence and divide your people.
You once again walk in the wrongful path of your predecessors by choosing oppression over engagement and the spirit of compromise. And, like your predecessors, you will leave the next generation with a broken and divided nation. Your failure to unite and heal the hearts and minds of your people will forever haunt your legacy.
Prime minister, it is not too late for you to become a leader that represents all Khmers (present and future), your love for Cambodia must be more open, your vision for Cambodia must include the generations to come and Cambodia must be a friend to all nations. Most important of all, Khmers do not need to step on one another to succeed as a nation.
On behalf of the future generation,
Best,
Ms Ratha Panh,
A staffer at an international development organisation.
បទបង្ហាញពិសេសដោយសង្ខេប
Op-Ed: Khmer Oversea
ជាបថម ខ្ញុំព្រះករុណាសូមក្រាបថ្វាយបង្គំព្រះសង្ឃគ្រប់ព្រះអង្គ
សូមគោរពឯកឧត្តមយឹម សុវណ្ណ និងបងប្អូនជនរួមជាតិទាំងអស់ជាគោរពរាប់អាន
ថ្ងៃនេះខ្ញុំបាទសេង សុភ័ណ មានកិត្តិយសដែលបានធ្វើបទបង្ហាញដោយសង្ខេបអំពីកិច្ចខិតខំព្យាយាមរបស់គណកម្មការដើម្បីសិទ្ធិបោះឆ្នោតរបស់ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរនៅក្រៅប្រទេសនិងព្រឹត្តិការណ៏ថ្មីៗដែលកំពុងកើតឡើងនៅកម្ពុជា។
ខ្ញុំព្រះករុណាខ្ញុំបាទសូមអរគុណឯកឧត្តមយឹម សុវណ្ណដោយផ្ទាល់ ដែលលោកបានចុះហត្ថលេខាក្នុងចំណោមតំណាងរាស្រ្តទាំង៣៣រូបដែលផ្តួចផ្តើមឡើងដោយឯកឧត្តមសុន ឆៃ ក្នុងការដាក់សំណើរពង្រាងច្បាប់ទៅរដ្ឋសភាដើម្បីធ្វើវិសោធនកម្មច្បាប់អោយពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរនៅក្រៅប្រទេសបានមានសិទ្ធិចុះឈ្មោះបោះឆ្នោតនិងបានបោះឆ្នោតដោយងាយស្រួល។ គណកម្មការអចិន្ត្រៃយ៏បានអនុមត្តិសម្រេចហើយ សព្វថ្ងៃកំពុងឋិតក្នុងដៃរបស់គណកម្មការនិតិកម្ម។ បើយោងទៅតាមបទបញ្ជាផ្ទៃក្នុងរបស់រដ្ឋសភា គណកម្មការនីតិកម្មមិនអាចប្រើពេលវេលាយូរពេកទេ ដើម្បីបញ្ជូនទៅសភាពេញអង្គធ្វើការបោះឆ្នោតសម្រេច។ តាមមាត្រា៤០នៃនីតិវិធីបោះឆ្នោតក្នុងការធ្វើវិសោធនកម្មច្បាប់ម្តងៗ ទាមទារអោយមានការបោះឆ្នោតជាសំងាត់ ដើម្បីរក្សាការពារសុចរិតភាពរបស់តំណាងរាស្ត្រម្នាក់ៗ។
សំរាប់ការចាប់ខ្លួនឯកឧត្តមកឹម សុខា ជាតំណាងរាស្ត្រនិងជាប្រធានគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ គឺមានលក្ខណៈស្រដៀងគ្នានឹងការគំរាមកំហែងដល់លោកសម-រង្ស៊ី អោយលោកនិរទេសខ្លួនឯងអោយនៅក្រៅប្រទេសក៏ដូចជាលាឈប់ពីប្រធានគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិ។ គោលបំណងនៃការចាប់នេះគឺជាគំរាមកំហែលដល់ប្រព័ន្ធបោះឆ្នោតនៅកម្ពុជាក្នុងការធានាអោយមានសេរីនិងយុត្តិធម៍។ សូមបញ្ជាក់ថាបើការបោះឆ្នោតធ្វើឡើងគ្រាន់តែបង្គ្រប់កិច្ចអោយជនផ្តាច់ការជាអ្នកឈ្នះទេ នោះមិនអាចហៅថាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យទេ។ ឆ្លើយតបនឹងបញ្ហានេះដឺស៊ីរ៉ក់បានធ្វើលិខិតទៅឯកឧត្តមស៊ិក-ប៊ុនហុក ប្រធានគណកម្មការជាតិរៀបចំការបោះឆ្នោត ដើម្បីចង់ដឹងថាគ.ជ.បគួរផ្អាកការបោះឆ្នោតឬគួរបន្តកិច្ចការរបស់ខ្លួនក្នុងកាលៈទេសៈបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ ដោយសួរទៅរដ្ឋាភិបាលអំពីសមត្ថភាពក្នុងការរក្សានូវលទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសេរីពហុបក្សនៅកម្ពុជា? គណកម្មការយើងខ្ញុំមិនទាន់ទទួលបានចំឡើយទេមកទល់ពេលនេះ។
• ស្របតាមលក្ខណ្ឌបច្ចុប្បន្ននិងហេតុការណ៏រដ្ឋប្រហារនៅឆ្នាំ២០០៧ លោកហ៊ុន-សែន ប្រើអំណាចក្រៅរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញដើម្បីគំរាមកំហែងនិងកាត់បន្ថយកំឡាំងដៃគូរប្រកួតរបស់គាត់ ហើយធ្វើខ្លួនឯងអោយមានភាពប្រាកដនិយមថាខ្លួននឹងឈ្នះនៅរាល់ការបោះឆ្នោតតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។
• គណបក្សសង្គ្រោះត្រូវមានភាពប្រាកដនិយមនៅក្នុងខ្លួនជានិច្ច ស្របតាមតំណាងរាស្ត្រទាំង៥៥កៅអីដែលខ្លួនមានបច្ចុប្បន្នអាចបន្តការងាររបស់ខ្លួនយ៉ាងណាដើម្បីធានាថាជនមានអំណាចមិនអាចប្រើអំណាចក្រៅរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញរបស់ខ្លួនបាន។ បញ្ហានេះ ខ្ញុំបានសរសេរនិងធ្វើបទវិភាគច្រើនណាស់តាមរយៈ www.sophanseng.info ចាប់តាំងពីការចូលសភានៅឆ្នាំ២០១៤មកម្លេះ។
• ក្នុងចំណោមអ្នកនយោបាយខ្មែរគ្រប់គណបក្សនយោបាយទាំងអស់ ជាពិសេសបក្សដឹកនាំរដ្ឋាភិបាល គឺមានតែប្រហែលមិនដល់១០ភាគរយផងដែលរមែងប្រើអំណាចក្រៅរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញដើម្បីសំរេចបំណងនិងមហិច្ឆិតារបស់ខ្លួន សុទិដ្ឋិនិយមគឺថាតើចំនួនជាង៩០ភាគរយទៀតគួរធ្វើកិច្ចការអ្វីខ្លះដើម្បីអោយអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាមានសុខដុមរមនាក្រោមឆ័ត្ររដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញតែមួយទាំងអស់គ្នា?
• ជាការត្រេកអរដែលគណបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិមានគោលជំហរនឹងមិនលៈបង់ការតស៊ូរបស់ខ្លួន បន្តការងារទៅមុខទៀតឈានទៅរកការបោះឆ្នោតដើម្បីការផ្លាស់ប្តូរនៅឆ្នាំ២០១៨។ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងយុត្តិធម៏ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងពត៍មាន ឬក៏ប្រធាននាយកដ្ឋានពន្ធដាររឿងកាសែតខាំបូឌៀដែលលី ឬក៏អ្នកដែលរមែងប្រើពាក្យថាបដិវត្តព៍ណដោយខ្វះទំនួលខុសត្រូវជាដើម គួរត្រូវហៅមកសាកសួរនៅរដ្ឋសភាស្របតាមរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញដើម្បីបញ្ជាក់ពីគោលជំហរនិងការបំពេញតួនាទីរបស់ខ្លួនអោយបានត្រឹមត្រូវតាមច្បាប់។ល។និង។ល។
• ថ្ងៃ២៣ ខែតុលា ខាងមុខ យើងខ្ញុំនឹងជ្រើសយកទីនេះម្តងទៀតដើម្បីរំលឹកខួប១៧ឆ្នាំនៃកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងសន្តិភាពទីក្រុងប៉ារីស។ យើងខ្ញុំសូមអំពាវនាវដល់បងប្អូនទាំងអស់ចូលរួមអោយបានច្រើនកុះករដើម្បីចូលរួមជាមួយបងប្អូនខ្មែរយើងជុំវិញពិភពលោក រំលឹកនិងជំរុញអោយមានការបដិបត្តិតាមកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងដែលមានជាធរមាននេះអោយមានផ្លែផ្កាជាវិជ្ជមានសំរាប់នាវាកម្ពុជា។
ទីក្រុងវ៉ែនកូវើរ ថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ ទី១៧ ខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ២០១៧
សូមអរព្រះគុណនិងសូមអរគុណ
សេង សុភ័ណ
ប្រធានគណកម្មការដើម្បីសិទ្ធិបោះឆ្នោតរបស់ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរនៅក្រៅប្រទេស
Should Western countries impose sanctions on Cambodia?
Op-Ed: Asia Times
Cambodian politics reached a new boiling point with the arrest of the opposition leader last week. Kem Sokha was handcuffed in the middle of the night in his house and accused of “treason” by the government.
Foreign governments have reacted to the arrest, and members of the opposition have called for them to take action against the Cambodian government. The questions now are these: What actions should the West take? And how tough should these actions be?
Political conditions in Cambodia have worsened in recent years, most notably after local-government elections in June this year. The 2013 national elections and the June 2017 local-government elections threatened the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which has been in power since the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.
Among a range of actions to weaken the opposition, in July this year, despite a boycott by the opposition, the CPP passed an amendment to the Law on Political Parties. The amendment allowed the government to ban convicted political leaders from running for political office, while the parties run by them would be disbanded altogether. Sam Rainsy, the former opposition leader, had to resign from his Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) to save it from being dissolved.
Last week, the CPP regime jailed Kem Sokha, Sam Rainsy’s successor, and charged him with colluding with a foreign power to topple the government. The accusation appears to be based mainly on a speech Kem Sokha made in 2013 to his supporters in Australia. At that time, he had boasted of the support he receives from Americans to advance his political career and unseat the CPP.
His arrest followed the government’s expulsion of a US-based non-governmental organization and the closures of The Cambodia Daily and local radio stations linked to Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America.
A number of foreign governments reacted promptly to the arrest. Australia and Japan expressed their concerns about the deteriorating political conditions in Cambodia and suggested that the CCP-led regime maintain a political environment favorable for a free and fair national election, to be held next July.
The US and the European Union went further, calling for the immediate release of Kem Sokha, but stopped short of announcing punitive measures if the government ignored their call.
China, however, opted not to pressure the Cambodian government and promised to stand by its side.
US Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt speaks during a press conference at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh on September 12, 2017, sharply denying ‘extraordinary accusations’ that the US was involved in a plot to overthrown the government.
Members of the opposition are calling for the international community to take tough action against the Cambodian government, but have fallen short of prescribing specific actions. Nevertheless, it is customary for the opposition to seek international intervention when their political fortunes are under threat from the CPP-led government. Sam Rainsy called on the West to cut off aid and impose economic sanctions on Cambodia on many occasions in the past. Similar appealshave been made now in the aftermath of the arrest of Kem Sokha.
The question now is this: Should the West impose sanctions on Cambodia to restore political order?
Some countries, such as Japan, are certainly facing a dilemma, and their policy options are limited. The West and for that matter Cambodian citizens have to make a hard choice between accepting the status quo and potentially pushing Cambodia into China’s complete sphere of influence and wiping out the gains made in the past two decades in terms of economic development and democratization.
Slashing aid and imposing economic sanctions would definitely undermine Western countries’ past efforts to contribute to the development of Cambodia, which have been significant over the past two decades. They contributed to peace-building processes that culminated in the October 1991 Paris Peace Accords. They aided the reconstruction of postwar Cambodia, channeling significant development assistance to the country. (Western aid accounted for more than 60% of the total in 2015.)
The United States’ and the EU’s special preferential trade agreements helped Cambodia develop its export sector, particularly the garment and footwear sector and related industries, which account for about 80% of the country’s exports.
The US extended Most Favored Nation status to Cambodia in 1996 and the Generalized System of Preferences last year. The EU extended its Everything but Arms scheme to the country in the early 2000s. Cambodia exported more than 60% of its products to the US and European markets in 2016.
Cambodia has also benefited from the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, but its exports to China accounted for only 6% of the total last year.
Garment workers walk in front of factories in Phnom Penh in October 2015 after government promises of wage increases fell short of their demands.
Thanks in part to Western assistance, the Cambodian economy has grown extraordinarily well over the past decades, averaging 7% per year since 1993 and helping poverty to fall more than 1 percentage point per year on average since 2003. Cambodia graduated from the status of a Least Developed Country in 2015.
In the event of Western economic sanctions, parts of the Cambodian export sector are most likely to collapse. In the short to medium terms, Cambodia is unlikely to be able to count on China to fill the vacuum left by the US and the EU, given that the two Asian countries are competitors in the global garment and footwear market.