Rhona Smith: I regret that I was unable to get permission in order to go and meet with … Kem Sokha and the investigating judge was not able to meet with me either.
Rhona Smith: I see no tangible changes to the political space in Cambodia since my last visit.
Ils lui ont rappelé qu’ils n’ont pas reçu de réponse
de sa part
à leur lettre du 1 Novembre 2018.
We are concerned that the labor and human rights in Cambodia is posing a risk to trade preferences for Cambodia. Recently the European Union announced its decision to review Cambodia’s Everything But Arms (EBA) benefits. Members in the U.S. Congress have introduced bills that would require the U.S. Gouvernment to review Cambodia’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits based on the declining respect for labor standards, including freedom of association, and other issues related to respect for Human Rights issues in Cambodia.
Des signes qui ne trompent pas : Un Article de VoA à lire.
1 – Conflits frontaliers maritimes et terrestres.
2 – L’asservissement du Cambodge à la Chine dans le contexte du Conflit en mer de Chine du Sud.
3 – Le Vietnam a peur d’un encerclement par la Chine au travers de sa politique Belt and Road Initiative de plus en plus visible au Laos et au Cambodge.
Après avoir usurpé le pouvoir depuis toujours, détruit la Démocratie, violé les Droits de l’Homme et pris le Peuple Cambodgien en otage, HUN Sen accuse l’UE de prendre elle-même le Cambodge en otage.
Les Etats-Unis de concert avec l’UE vont prendre des mesures de sanctions sur les importations de Vêtements et Chaussures fabriqués par des sociétés chinoises implantées au Cambodge.
Le principal parti d’opposition a été dissous et son dirigeant emprisonné avant les élections générales de juillet dernier, où le régime de Hun Sen a raflé tous les sièges au Parlement, faisant du Cambodge un pays au parti unique.
Et le Cambodge est prêt à accepter de payer les taxes induites par ce retrait :
“We are ready for the tax increase,”Phay Siphan, government spokesman.
George Edgar, EU ambassador, said in an email on Tuesday that starting the procedure for removing Cambodia from the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme reflected the concerns in Brussels over the deterioration of human rights and basic freedoms.
“The formal withdrawal procedure for the Everything But Arms arrangement in relation to Cambodia has not yet launched. Preparations are being made for the formal decision by the European Commission that would launch the procedure,” he wrote in an email.
I’m in beautiful Innsbruck, Austria, where we have had an informal Ministerial meeting today. The way forward as regards the much-needed reform of the World Trade Organisation was high on our agenda, as was our trade relationship with the United States.
But on a different topic, one that was mentioned at the press conference here today but worth outlining a bit more in detail – the EU’s response to the human rights situation in Myanmar and Cambodia, respectively.
In Myanmar, we have seen a deeply worrying and worsening situation for the Rohingya minority. A recent report from a United Nations fact-finding mission calls for the prosecution of top military leaders for genocide and crimes against humanity. The report describes indiscriminate killings, widespread rape by the military, assaulting of children, and the burning down of entire villages. The country’s leadership has repeatedly disregarded calls from the EU and the international community to put a stop to this.
In Cambodia, meanwhile, we are seeing very troubling developments with a clear deterioration of human rights and labour rights, without convincing improvements in sight. Our recent EU mission to the country demonstrated serious and systemic violations of, for instance, freedom of expression, labour rights and freedom of association. This comes on top of longstanding issues as regards workers’ rights and land-grabbing.
Both Cambodia and Myanmar benefit from the Everything But Arms arrangement, or EBA, which guarantees completely tariff-free access to the European market for all exports except for weapons and ammunition. However, this access is not without conditions. It comes with a responsibility to uphold and respect the values enshrined in 15 fundamental conventions of the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation.
As I have underlined many times as Commissioner for Trade, our EU trade policy must be led by our values. Accordingly, when we are faced with blatant disregard for those values, the EU must act.
Therefore, the European Commission and the European External Action Service will notify the Myanmar authorities of our intention to send an emergency, high-level EU mission to the country in the coming days to assess the situation on the ground. This high-level mission is within the framework of a potential withdrawal of Myanmar from the Everything But Arms arrangement. There is a clear possibility that a withdrawal could be the outcome.
With Cambodia, we are a step further in the process. Many of the issues here date back several years, and in some cases the country has gone backwards. The elections in July of this year – coming after our EU mission to the country – were marked by harassment and intimidation, as well as severe restrictions when it comes to essential political rights. Today, High Representative Federica Mogherini and I have therefore notified Cambodia that we are launching the process for the withdrawal of their Everything But Arms preferences. Without clear and evident improvements on the ground, this will lead to the suspending of the trade preferences that they currently enjoy.
Needless to say, we will keep our channels of dialogue with both countries open. There will be space for negotiation and dialogue with both countries throughout this process, and we will also keep EU Member States informed of the next steps.
We are not yet at the cliff edge and there is still time for Cambodia and Myanmar to draw themselves back from the brink. However, the consequences of the course that these countries are on are now clearly in sight.
HUN Sen enterre la Démocratie éphémère instaurée par la communauté internationale il y a bientôt 27 ans (avec la signature des accords de Paix de Paris du 23 Octobre 1991) et impose sa Dictature en organisant les élections pour la 6ème législature sans le principal parti d’Opposition, le CNRP !
Pour l’heure, les Etats-Unis, le Canada, l’Union Européenne et l’Australie ont condamné la tenue de ces élections qualifiées de truquées, lesquelles ne reflétant pas les vœux du Peuple cambodgien.
EU : Statement by the Spokesperson on the general elections in Cambodia
The 29 July general election in Cambodia took place in a highly restrictive political climate. Over the past year, the Cambodian authorities have used the country’s judicial system and other forms of pressure to restrict the space for political opposition, for criticism and dissent, including by civil society. This culminated in the enforced dissolution of the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), the arrest and prolonged detention of the CNRP’s leader, Kem Sokha, and the banning from political activity for five years of 118 senior CNRP members. Free and independent media have been severely restricted.
In its Conclusions of 26 February 2018, the EU Foreign Affairs Council underlined that an electoral process from which the main opposition party has been arbitrarily excluded is not legitimate.
In this context, the EU had declined to observe the 29 July election and suspended its financial assistance to the Cambodian National Election Committee.
The lack of genuine electoral competition and the absence of an inclusive political process mean that the 29 July election is not representative of the democratic will of the Cambodian electorate, and therefore its outcome lacks credibility.
The European Union expects the Cambodian authorities to restore democracy, to engage in dialogue with the opposition, and to create conditions conducive to free political debate and competition, in which the media and civil society, including human rights and labour rights defenders, can freely exercise their rights without undue restrictions. The EU stands ready to actively contribute to this endeavour.
White House Press Release on Cambodia’s Flawed Parlementary Elections
UK : Minister for Asia & the Pacific statement on Cambodia’s election
Statement by Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field following the election in Cambodia.
Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said:
The Cambodian national election was undermined by the authorities well before campaigning started and resulted in an election that was neither fair nor credible.
The potential for a legitimate, free and fair election was stymied when the main opposition party – the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved in November 2017. This was particularly disappointing following the more open Commune elections in June 2017.
The Cambodian authorities have demonstrated clear disregard for the key tenets of a functioning multi-party democracy. As well as the dissolution of the CNRP, examples include the imprisonment of CNRP President Kem Sokha, the banning of 118 CNRP members from politics for five years, and a crackdown on independent media.
There was no credible opposition party with the opportunity to challenge the Government. In a democracy, no government has the right to choose its opposition.
The UK will continue to urge the Cambodian Government to demonstrate its commitment to its citizens by lifting restrictions on political debate and media freedom and by creating the conditions for proper functioning democracy.
Germany : Statement by the Federal Foreign Office on the elections in Cambodia
The German Government has noted that the parliamentary elections in Cambodia were conducted peacefully.
However, that alone is not enough to lend the election results legitimacy, as the elections were preceded by the arrest of the leader of the largest opposition party in September 2017, the dissolving of the opposition party in November 2017 and a ban on 118 leading opposition politicians from engaging in political activity.
The German Government urgently calls on Cambodia to return to the democratic principles enshrined in the constitution and the Paris Peace Accords and is willing to support the country on its path to this.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has expressed New Zealand’s concern over Cambodia’s general elections in which the main opposition party was excluded.
“For Cambodia to have legitimate democracy it is essential that opposition voices can be heard. New Zealand calls on Prime Minister Hun Sen to reinstate the main opposition party and release all political prisoners, including opposition leader Kem Sokha,” Mr Peters said.
In the lead up to the elections, Cambodia’s Supreme Court dissolved the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), and its leader Kem Sokha was imprisoned. Without the main opposition party participating, the election resulted in a landslide victory for the governing party.
“New Zealand is a long-standing partner of Cambodia and has invested considerable effort in supporting Cambodia’s UN-supervised transition to democracy in the early 1990s.
“We stand ready to work with Cambodian partners to restore its democratic institutions and processes to allow free and fair elections to be held,” he said.
Communiqué du Quai d’Orsay
Elections législatives au Cambodge (29 juillet 2018)
La France regrette que les élections législatives cambodgiennes se soient déroulées en l’absence du principal parti d’opposition (parti du salut national), dissous le 16 novembre 2017, tandis que son président, Kem Sokha, est incarcéré depuis le 3 septembre.
Ces élections se sont tenues dans un climat qui n’a pas permis à l’opposition, aux médias et à la société civile de fonctionner sans entrave.
Nous appelons à la libération de Kem Sokha et à la levée de l’interdiction faite à 118 membres du parti du salut national de mener pendant cinq ans des activités politiques.
Nous exhortons les autorités cambodgiennes à respecter les droits fondamentaux permettant de garantir un processus démocratique crédible.
This is by far the worst, least democratic election in the post-UNTAC (United Nations peacekeeping operation in Cambodia) period, because the main opposition party was barred from participating,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), told DW. “This election is looking more like the Soviet-style elections of yesteryear than a genuine democratic contest,”
“To ensure a genuine multi-party democracy in Cambodia which respects its citizens’ participation rights, the Government must immediately release detained opposition leaders and lift a ban on the opposition taking part in the July 29 general election”.
“Those who currently rule the country have one final opportunity to reverse the current trajectory, and return instead to the constitutional path of multi-party democracy and genuine elections – ensuring a level playing field for all political parties”.
“All Cambodians have a right to openly debate and discuss political affairs; the media must be allowed to scrutinise and criticise, as well as inform the public; and civil society, including NGOs, should be encouraged to play an active role in State affairs,”.
“A liberal multi-party democracy is an essential, entrenched and non-amendable feature of the Constitution of Cambodia.”
Le 10 Mai 2018, date historique en Malaisie et en Asie du Sud-Est : le désaveu populaire qui a fait sauter la dictature de Najib après celle de la Junte Birmane le 8 Novembre 2015. Les Peuples de l’Asie du Sud-Est aspirent à la Démocratie !
Najib et sa femme ne sont pas autorisés à quitter le pays.
… analysts say after the first round, the differences between the two sides are huge. Some believe the differences are so fundamental and big that an escalation of tariffs is unavoidable.
Devant sénateurs affiliés à HUN Sen, N. Sihamoni utilise des vocables vidés de leur sens : sur fond de crise politique très grave où la Constitution est piétinée, la Démocratie anéantie, les Droits de l’Homme sont bafoués et la Justice utilisée par la dictature HunSennienne pour réprimer l’Opposition.
Norodom Sihamoni aurait dû prononcer cet appel devant le Parlement face à HUN Sen contrairement au Sénat qui n’a qu’un rôle d’entérinement des lois.
Pourquoi ce geste inutile?
En tant que Roi, Norodom Sihamoni a des prérogatives qui lui sont attribuées par la Constitution.
HUN Sen, a thug : un voyou, malfrat, bandit, criminel ?
“Il est scandaleux de voir ‘ce voyou’, HUN Sen (avec du sang sur les mains) au sommet Australie-ASEAN à Sydney serrant la main du premier ministre Malcolm Turnbull”.
“It is shameful that we see this thug, Hun Sen, come to this Australia-Asean summit, walking with blood on his hands and shaking hands with prime minister Malcolm Turnbull,”
“Hun Sen is a violent man … grave human rights abuses have been committed. We are here today to appeal to the leaders that are attending the Australia-Asean summit to tell Hun Sen that enough is enough.”
Australia has not commented directly on Hun Sen’s threats to protestors, but said in a statement that “it goes without saying that violence, or the threat of violence, is not acceptable in Australia.”
Rhona Smith, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia, on Wednesday called on the government to ensure “full rights of political participation” and warned that human rights could not be sacrificed for the sake of “stability and development.”
Separately, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the high commissioner for human rights, on Wednesday said that he was seriously concerned by developments in Cambodia.
“Since this [Human Rights] Council last met, the Supreme Court has dissolved the principal opposition party, disenfranchising opposition voters. Recently adopted amendments to the Constitution and Criminal Code are likely to further erode political rights and fundamental freedoms,” he said.
I call on the Government to guarantee the political rights of the people, to respect the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and to release human rights defenders and political actors,” he added.
While U.S. has been has been a committed development partner of #Cambodia over past quarter century, recent setbacks to democracy are concerning & have compelled us to review our assistance to ensure American taxpayer funds are not being used to support anti-democratic behavior.
