Last week, the Cambodian government arrested two of that country's leading human rights activists for criticising the government. Now, they've done it again. Pa Nguon Teang, deputy director of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, has been charged with criminal defamation over the same Human Rights Day protest that resulted in the previous arrests. According to the government, the protest included a banner which called Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen a communist and a traitor. According to CCHR, it said My vote is my life” and “I don’t vote for any party that sows fear to the people" - clearly a defamatory anti-government message.
Human Rights Watch is right - Cambodia seems to be going down the Burmese path of imprisoning peaceful critics. The question is how we can stop them...
I've traveled through Cambodia - it's a sleazy place. It was ruled by gangs then and it obviously still is. Hun Sen was not well liked and niether was San Ramsy (who employed the most obvious racial, divide-and-rule politics you can imagine). And they were the only show in town. Both were viewed with suspicion.
ReplyDeleteThey want our help. That is: a real police force and a real news media and a real way to combat corruption. In short; what we promised them years ago.
None of this would go on if we all looked at it, and then applied financial sanctions or support. I happens because we turn away
I've traveled through Cambodia - it's a sleazy place. It was ruled by gangs then and it obviously still is. Hun Sen was not well liked and niether was San Ramsy (who employed the most obvious racial, divide-and-rule politics you can imagine). And they were the only show in town. Both were viewed with suspicion.
ReplyDeleteThey want our help. That is: a real police force and a real news media and a real way to combat corruption. In short; what we promised them years ago.
None of this would go on if we all looked at it, and then applied financial sanctions or support. I happens because we turn away