Social development
Human rights
Exiled Cambodian opposition members set up new movement
Foreign-based members of Cambodia’s dissolved opposition party have launched a movement to demand the release of its detained leader and to call for free and fair elections and possibly protests. ...
Prak Chan Thul and Simon Cameron-Moore
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-politics/exiled-cambodian-opposition-members-set-up-new-movement-idUSKBN1F3083
Villagers evicted from national park
Authorities are to force about 40 families in Koh Kong province to relocate from their homes in Botum Sakor National Park. The villagers asked authorities to provide them with social land concessions, because they have no other place to live. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50102035/villagers-evicted-from-national-park/
Analysis: Cambodia signing up for Chinese billions – at a price
Arriving in Phnom Penh in the midst of a political crackdown on dissent, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang showed no qualms about signing 19 major development deals yesterday with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, making it clear that Chinese aid to the Kingdom remains unaffected by ...
Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/analysis-cambodia-signing-chinese-billions-price
Analyst Kim Sok's bail request denied at Supreme Court
Outspoken government critic Kim Sok was rejected bail at the Supreme Court this morning, with the prosecutor arguing that to grant Sok early release from an 18-month prison sentence would cause “chaos” in society. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/analyst-kim-soks-bail-request-denied-supreme-court
Monovithya appeals to US officials
Kem Monovithya, the daughter of jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha and a CNRP official, met with United States officials yesterday to discuss the possibility of further sanctions on the Cambodian government if measures taken in an ongoing political crackdown are not reversed. ...
Andrew Nachemson and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/monovithya-appeals-us-officials
Villagers asked to vacate national park
Koh Kong provincial authorities on Monday ordered 40 families living in Botum Sakor district to vacate their land and homes after it was determined they were illegally occupying a national park. On Friday, authorities went to inspect Botum Sakor National Park and found 40 families ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50101013/villagers-asked-vacate-national-park/
New media pass for journalists
The Information Ministry will use a new form of media pass for journalists working in Cambodia by the end of January in order to easily manage and collect data from journalists. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50100766/new-media-pass-journalists/
Hun Sen lashes out at journos, analysts over comments on reform record
The prime minister lashed out at journalists and analysts today for questioning the current government’s reform record, a seeming reference to a Post article from December about a speech in which he touted his administration’s progress. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-lashes-out-journos-analysts-over-comments-reform-record
Officials partially tear down home for road
Preah Sihanouk province authorities yesterday demolished part of one home and its fence, which had encroached on a road they are trying to widen in the province’s Prey Nop district. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/officials-partially-tear-down-home-road
As deadline passes, Borei Keila residents reject final offer
A deadline for a group of Borei Keila residents to accept compensation or leave their homes with nothing passed on Friday, with none of the residents agreeing to move to a resettlement site, and authorities saying they have no right to remain, but with no ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/deadline-passes-borei-keila-residents-reject-final-offer
Four parties to square off in February Senate vote
The National Election Committee (NEC) said only four political parties had registered to contest the February Senate elections, from which the country’s main opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, will be excluded following its widely condemned dissolution by the Supreme Court in November. ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/four-parties-square-february-senate-vote
Deadline arrives for Borei Keila residents
Villagers in one of Phnom Penh’s fiercest land disputes said yesterday they are determined to stay in Borei Keila despite today’s deadline to either accept compensation or leave with nothing. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/deadline-arrives-borei-keila-residents
Former deputy prime minister calls for protests
Former Funcinpec Deputy Prime Minister Lu Lay Sreng could be facing a new court case after calling for peaceful protests against the government in a video posted to Facebook yesterday, issuing comments similar to ones that recently saw former opposition leader Sam Rainsy slapped with ...
Niem Chheng and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/former-deputy-prime-minister-calls-protests
Cambodia is systematically squashing all forms of dissent
“THE logical approach now”, reckons Naly Pilorge of LICADHO, a Cambodian human-rights watchdog, “would be to continue attacking.” She is talking about a crackdown on all forms of political dissent launched in August by Hun Sen, who has been prime minister for 32 years and ...
The Economist
https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21732850-unions-ngos-and-environmental-activists-are-all-feeling-squeeze-cambodia-systematically
Information Ministry official denies wrongdoing following anti-corruption body’s allegations
A Ministry of Information department director denied wrongdoing yesterday after the Anti-Corruption Unit released a letter on Friday detailing allegations of bribery, nepotism and improper hiring practices, as well as the accused official’s response. ...
Activist swaps protests for rural life
The families who once lived around Boeung Kak lake in Phnom Penh have been protesting since 2007. Thousands have been relocated over the past decade after the lake was filled in to make way for a high-end housing development by Shukaku Inc. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5096166/activist-swaps-protests-rural-life/
European Parliament calls for actions against Cambodian government
The European Parliament passed a resolution yesterday calling on the European Commission and European External Action Service to impose visa restrictions on Cambodian officials and freeze their assets, and to review the human rights clauses of the Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement for a potential ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/european-parliament-calls-actions-against-cambodian-government
Rights defenders work in fear
Civil society this year marked International Human Rights Day much differently than last year, out of concern that any public gatherings would be likened to joining a colour revolution to overthrow the government. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5095403/rights-defenders-work-fear/
Land dispute protest drags on
Representatives of 175 families in Koh Kong province gathered once again in front of the Ministry of Land Management yesterday to ask for a quicker resolution to a decade-long land dispute. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5094769/land-dispute-protest-drags/
NEC body to fight bad press
Amid accusations of bias in favour of the ruling party – and following the removal of the main opposition party from the electoral field – the National Election Committee has announced the creation of a new press reaction team to “attack back at negative points”. ...
Niem Chheng and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/nec-body-fight-bad-press
PM, military officials say Rainsy will face ‘treason’ suit over Facebook post
Prime Minister Hun Sen and members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces yesterday announced their intention to formally accuse former opposition leader Sam Rainsy of treason, after Rainsy urged soldiers and policemen not to shoot protesters. ...
Mech Dara and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-military-officials-say-rainsy-will-face-treason-suit-over-facebook-post
Hun Sen: rights organisation CCHR will not be shut down
In an unexpected turn, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Saturday that the outspoken Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) will not be shut down, despite accusing the local NGO last week of serving foreign interests. In an article posted to government mouthpiece Fresh News, the ...
Leonie Kijewski and Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-rights-organisation-cchr-will-not-be-shut-down
Government rights head meets envoy
The interim representative of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia met yesterday with the head of the Cambodian government’s rights body, voicing concerns about the threatened closure of a prominent outspoken local NGO. ...
Ben Sokhean and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-rights-head-meets-envoy
PM tells workers CNRP is to blame for any sanctions
In a speech to workers yesterday, Prime Minister Hun Sen pinned the blame for any damage inflicted on Cambodia’s garment industry by potential economic sanctions squarely on the opposition party. “You must remember clearly that if the purchase orders are reduced, it is all the ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/pm-tells-workers-cnrp-blame-any-sanctions