Law Journal of Cambodia(LJC) is a non-political and independent team who volunteer working for disseminating laws and information regarding development and human rights situation in Cambodia. All comment or idea of LJC cannot be claimed in front of court and other purpose. LJC just provide ways for people to understand the context of law and other issues. LJC wants people to understand the law and live in peaceful means.
When Doeur Phou’s wife, Chea Dara, called on Tuesday night to tell him she was about to jump off the Chruoy Changva bridge because authorities had condemned their family to homelessness, the 55-year-old at first thought she was kidding.
“But when I heard her telling me to look after the children well, and she told me she was on the bridge handrail, I was shocked and drove my motorbike to see her,” he said yesterday.
To his impassioned pleas, the 33-year-old mother, who was convinced her family's eviction from their home at Boeung Kak lake had just been sealed, told her husband, “Look after the kids” and was gone, he said.
“[I said] don’t think in the short term, a few days later, we will think again’,” he said. “She told me that later authorities would force us to move to another place, because they did not agree to give us land ownership – if we didn't have a house, how could we live?”
Loss to Shukaku On Friday, Chea Dara learned her household was the latest to be cut from a 12.4-hectare onsite relocation area that Prime Minister Hun Sen set aside in August for more than 750 families yet to be evicted at Boeung Kak from land leased to a private company for a real estate development in 2007.
An estimated 4,000 families will have lost their homes by the time a project, headed by ruling party Senator Lao Meng Khin’s Shukaku Inc, finishes reclaiming the Boeung Kak lake and seals the boundaries of its new satellite city.
Chea Dara’s elder sister, Chea Thavy, said her younger sibling had protested for years against the development, demanding fair compensation and even spending a night detained at the Phnom Penh Municipal Police commissioner’s office for her trouble.
But while Chea Thavy said eventually she was granted a title for onsite relocation, her sister, who lived in the adjacent house, was not so lucky.
Both their houses are located in a cluster of residences near the French embassy off street 70 in Daun Penh district’s Srah Chak commune.
A Right of Abode
Chhay Rithy Sen, the director of Phnom Penh’s department of urbanization, construction and Cadastral Survey, said residents at Boeung Kak with houses less than 39 metres from the middle of street 70 were not affected by the Shukaku project, and thus had not been offered resettlement.
Chea Dara’s house is just seven metres from street 70.
But both residents and rights groups yesterday said they did not believe authorities had any intention of allowing the residents of street 70 to remain.
Sia Phearum, secretariat director of the Housing Rights Taskforce, said his understanding was that authorities needed to expand the street and had already begun marking houses for demolition. “So far, the authorities sprayed the red paint and remarked that they will not get land titles because they are affected by the road expansion,” he said.
Resident Son Lorn, 49, who also lives adjacent to Chea Dara’s house, said he had been excluded from the resettlement program but received assurances he would not lose his house.
“But they banned us from making repairs and did not give us land titles,” he said.
Forty-seven families from villages 1, 6, 22 and 24 at Boeung Kak have also been cut out of the 12.44-hectare onsite relocation area since the agreement was announced in August.
In late September, police beat Boeung Kak resident and Sam Rainsy Party activist Suong Sophoan unconscious as excavators driven by Shukaku employees tore down several resident’s houses. Mathieu Pellerin, a consultant for the rights group Licadho, said the continual exclusion of families from the relocation area was “a huge injustice”. “It’s a huge concern and it’s twice as egregious when we hear that Lao Meng Khin has been issued land titles in the 12.44 hectares that were supposed to be put aside for the remaining families, while well over 10 per cent of them have been arbitrarily excluded,” he said.
In September, Srah Chak commune officials revealed that more than 21 plots in the relocation area had been granted to Shukaku.
Ek Tha, a spokesman for the council of ministers, said nobody should be drawing conclusions about Chea Dara’s death at this early stage.
“In general, the local police need a full investigation, and nobody can make any early conclusion if she commits suicide in this case or that case — we just do not know,” he said.
Chea Dara’s family tried but were unable to find her body.
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We write to bring your immediate attention to Cambodia’s draft Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO). The draft law poses a serious threat to civil society’s freedom of association and freedom of expression as it contains broad and vague provisions that could be used to arbitrarily deny registration or close NGOs or associations. The ADB should convince the Cambodian authorities to immediately withdraw the draft law.
The implications of the third version of the draft law could not be more serious because it requires all associations and organizations to register before they are permitted to conduct any activities in Cambodia.
In a recent statement from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights criticizing the draft law, Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, noted that mandatory registration schemes and prohibiting activities by unregistered groups clearly infringe on the right to freedom of association. Mr. Kiai also highlighted that “legal status is not necessary for the enjoyment of the right to freedom of association.”
....................................................... Law Journal of Cambodia(LJC) is a non-political and independent team who volunteer working for disseminating laws and informaton regarding development and human rights situation in Cambodia. All comment or idea of LJC cannot be claimed in front of court and other purpose. LJC just provide ways for people to understand the context of law and other issues. LJC wants people to understand the law and live in peaceful means. If you need inquiry, please drop your e-mail to cambodianlawjournal@gmail.com. Welcome all comments on this blog ព្រឹតិ្តច្បាប់កម្ពុជា (ព ច ក)គឺជាក្រុមឯករាជ្យ និងមិនមែនជាបក្សនយោបាយទេ ជាក្រុមស្ម័គ្រចិត្តដែល ធ្វើការ សម្រាប់ធ្វើ ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយអំពីច្បាប់ និងព័តមាន ដែលទាក់ទងនឹងការអភិវឌ្ឍ និងស្ថានភាព សិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា។ រាល់មតិ យោបល់នៅក្នុងព្រឹត្តនេះមិនអាចយកទៅធើ្វជាអំណះ អំណាង ចំពោះមុខ តុលាការ រឺក្នុងគោលបំណងអ្វីផ្សេងទៀត ឡើយ។ ព ច ក គ្រាន់ផ្តល់នូវចំណេះដឹងច្បាប់ និងចំណេះដឹងផ្សេងៗទៀតដល់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឌប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ប្រសិនលោក អ្នកចង់ដឹងព័តមានបន្ថែមអំពី ព ច ក សូមផ្ញើអីម៉ែលមកយើងខ្ញុំ។ យើងខ្ញុំសូមស្វាគមន៌រាល់មតិលំអដល់ ព ច ក៕
Demand for Cambodian domestic workers has sharply increased in Malaysia since 2009, when the Indonesian government responded to several high-profile abuse cases by imposing a moratorium on its nationals working as domestic workers there. Recruitment agencies immediately turned to workers from Cambodia to fill the shortage. Large cash advances to impoverished families, wages that greatly exceed what can be earned in villages, and the promise of work in a home rather than a sweatshop or brothel, are attractive incentives. And there are Cambodian women who have positive employment experiences in Malaysia and whose earnings contribute significantly to family income.
More information please click her for Khmer and English
This report is a product of staff of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the findings and conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of its Member States or their representatives to its Executive Board. IFAD does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IFAD concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The designations “developed” and “developing” countries are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process.
....................................................... Law Journal of Cambodia(LJC) is a non-political and independent team who volunteer working for disseminating laws and informaton regarding development and human rights situation in Cambodia. All comment or idea of LJC cannot be claimed in front of court and other purpose. LJC just provide ways for people to understand the context of law and other issues. LJC wants people to understand the law and live in peaceful means. If you need inquiry, please drop your e-mail to cambodianlawjournal@gmail.com. Welcome all comments on this blog ព្រឹតិ្តច្បាប់កម្ពុជា (ព ច ក)គឺជាក្រុមឯករាជ្យ និងមិនមែនជាបក្សនយោបាយទេ ជាក្រុមស្ម័គ្រចិត្តដែល ធ្វើការ សម្រាប់ធ្វើ ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយអំពីច្បាប់ និងព័តមាន ដែលទាក់ទងនឹងការអភិវឌ្ឍ និងស្ថានភាព សិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា។ រាល់មតិ យោបល់នៅក្នុងព្រឹត្តនេះមិនអាចយកទៅធើ្វជាអំណះ អំណាង ចំពោះមុខ តុលាការ រឺក្នុងគោលបំណងអ្វីផ្សេងទៀត ឡើយ។ ព ច ក គ្រាន់ផ្តល់នូវចំណេះដឹងច្បាប់ និងចំណេះដឹងផ្សេងៗទៀតដល់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឌប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ប្រសិនលោក អ្នកចង់ដឹងព័តមានបន្ថែមអំពី ព ច ក សូមផ្ញើអីម៉ែលមកយើងខ្ញុំ។ យើងខ្ញុំសូមស្វាគមន៌រាល់មតិលំអដល់ ព ច ក៕
Core group of NGO Law sent letter to development partners to inform about the restrictive freedom of association in Cambodia. PLEASE SEE THE CONTENT BELOW
Dear Development Partners,
The 4thdraft of the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO) is confirmed by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) as being completed and endorsed by its leadership. We also heard from reliable high level sources of the MOI that:
·The 4thdraft has been approved by MOI Minister and DPM subject to very small wording review/comments
·The MOI will submit a note to the leadership of the RGC requesting clearance and budget for large scale meeting with CSOs (MOI intends to use own budget to host this meeting)
·The meeting may happen in mid-December unless otherwise advised by the leadership of the RGC
·It is also believed that the MOI may share the 4thdraft publicly 4 days prior to the consultative meeting
While we thank the DPs for hearing and sharing our concerns, we feel that it is important that we share with you a briefing note on the perspectives of CSOs on this issue at this critical time of the LANGO processing stage. These perspectives are discussed and prepared by the Core Group on the LANGO as per the attachment.
We trust this updated information will better inform the DP community about the status of the LANGO and CSO’s perspective on this matter.
....................................................... Law Journal of Cambodia(LJC) is a non-political and independent team who volunteer working for disseminating laws and informaton regarding development and human rights situation in Cambodia. All comment or idea of LJC cannot be claimed in front of court and other purpose. LJC just provide ways for people to understand the context of law and other issues. LJC wants people to understand the law and live in peaceful means. If you need inquiry, please drop your e-mail to cambodianlawjournal@gmail.com. Welcome all comments on this blog ព្រឹតិ្តច្បាប់កម្ពុជា (ព ច ក)គឺជាក្រុមឯករាជ្យ និងមិនមែនជាបក្សនយោបាយទេ ជាក្រុមស្ម័គ្រចិត្តដែល ធ្វើការ សម្រាប់ធ្វើ ការផ្សព្វផ្សាយអំពីច្បាប់ និងព័តមាន ដែលទាក់ទងនឹងការអភិវឌ្ឍ និងស្ថានភាព សិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា។ រាល់មតិ យោបល់នៅក្នុងព្រឹត្តនេះមិនអាចយកទៅធើ្វជាអំណះ អំណាង ចំពោះមុខ តុលាការ រឺក្នុងគោលបំណងអ្វីផ្សេងទៀត ឡើយ។ ព ច ក គ្រាន់ផ្តល់នូវចំណេះដឹងច្បាប់ និងចំណេះដឹងផ្សេងៗទៀតដល់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឌប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ប្រសិនលោក អ្នកចង់ដឹងព័តមានបន្ថែមអំពី ព ច ក សូមផ្ញើអីម៉ែលមកយើងខ្ញុំ។ យើងខ្ញុំសូមស្វាគមន៌រាល់មតិលំអដល់ ព ច ក៕
The Anti-Corruption Unit had been overwhelmed with complaints and lacked the resources to adequately investigate allegations, ACU chief Om Yentieng admitted yesterday.
Speaking after the swearing-in of more than 70 national police officers as ACU judicial officers, Om Yintieng said he recognised there were critical weaknesses in the operations of the year-old unit.
“We know we do have not enough officers to investigate all these complaints, so our new sworn-in police officers will help our work,” he said. “We have very little operational forces, so it makes our investigations slow.”
Complaints needing investigation were piling up, Om Yentieng said, although he could not offer a precise number of complaints awaiting action.
The addition of 74 national police officers would improve work in the provinces, he said, adding that people outside Phnom Penh knew very little about the ACU’s work -– a shortcoming it vowed to change.
About 200 officials worked with the ACU, which had been fully operational for only about one year and had chiefly been focused on drug-related cases, Om Yentieng told reporters.
The first high-profile ACU drug case involved the January arrest of Moek Dara, former secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs. The disgraced former three-star general was charged with dealing drugs and taking bribes as part of a larger drug racket. He goes to court on Thursday.
“The arrest of Moek Dara is a key to the arrest of more drug criminals,” Om Yintieng said.
The ACU chief also praised the work of corruption investigators to date.
“Each investigation has been precise,” he said, adding that at the recent trial of former Banteay Meanchey police chief Hun Hean and his deputy Chheang Sonn, lawyers for the accused drug criminals could not argue the ACU’s watertight case against them.
“They could only ask the court to reduce their clients’ sentences,” he said.
Moek Dara had 38 separate drug charges stacked against him and, given his high-ranking position, “only one or two convictions out of 38 charges will spell a lifetime in prison for him,” Om Yintieng said.
“This is a big case . . . and shows the capacity of our court system,” he said.
Yim Sovan, spokesman for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said he did not believe the ACU’s work was effective. “Corruption is everywhere, from the top to the bottom,” he said. “ACU is just to hide the corruption of senior and powerful officials.”
