City Hall Denies Teachers’ Day, International Habitat Day Rallies
Phnom Penh City Hall has turned down two requests by non-governmental groups to hold rallies and marches to mark both International Teachers’ Day and the international day for housing rights. Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF), a local NGO, was denied permission to organize a rally at Wat Phnom and march to City Hall to mark International Habitat Day today. The Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) was denied permission to gather at Freedom Park and march to its offices in Chamkar Mon district on Sunday. Municipal government spokesman Long Dimanche said the threat the events posed to tourists and traffic trumped the people’s constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression. “Both CITA and the HRTF can celebrate the events at their offices or rent any private place to do it,” he said. ... Mr. Dimanche added that Wat Phnom was particularly off limits because “it would cause traffic disorder, so we don’t want them to exercise their freedom of expression by taking the public streets hostage.” The Law on Peaceful Assembly requires groups to notify municipal or provincial governments of their plans and gives those authorities the right to reject plans if they fall on certain public holidays or if there is “clear information” they may jeopardize security, safety and public order. ...
Kuch Naren
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/city-hall-denies-teachers-day-international-habitat-day-rallies-44785/
