Cambodia has floor in Oz parliament debate

7 March 2014
The Phnom Penh Post
Government / Human rights / International laws and treaties / International relations / Law and judiciary / Social development
Australian aid / Hor Namhong / Hun Sen / Julie Bishop / Labor Party / Mark Coulton / National Party / Sar Kheng

A spirited debate on human rights in Cambodia was heard in the Australian parliament this week after an opposition Labor Party MP introduced a motion calling on the government to condemn state violence against striking garment workers and ask authorities to release detained protesters. Clare O’Neil, who represents more than 2,000 Cambodian-Australians in her Victoria electorate, on Monday accused Foreign Minister Julie Bishop of being “conspicuously silent” on rights abuses during a visit to Phnom Penh last month. … Earlier this week, Bishop – in response to a scathing opinion piece by former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans – said she had raised human rights in meetings with Prime Minister Hun Sen, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Interior Minister Sar Kheng. …

 Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-has-floor-oz-parliament-debate