PETITION TO END CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN CAMBODIA

January 4, 2010

The Honorable Ann Syauta, Human Rights Officer
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

United Nations
Room DC1-640
New York, NY 10017


Dear Her Excellency Syauta: 

We, as American Cambodian origin, citizens of the United States, Cambodia, and other nationalities undersigned writing to ask for your support and intervention with respect to the declining state of human rights in Cambodia.

Cambodia has no real separation of powers; only on paper and in theory. Because the executive branch has total control over the legislative and judiciary bodies, people are extremely fearful to be on the wrong side of the government. The control runs deep, through a highly sophisticated patronage system, through reward and punishment.  Almost all judges and legal practitioners are members of the ruling party.   Justices of the Cambodian Supreme Court come from the elite ranks of the ruling party as well.  The highest court will not strike down any unlawful passage of law contravening the Constitution, particularly when it comes to placing limit on freedoms of its people.

On November 16, 2009, the National Assembly voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of Mr. Sam Rainsy, Members of Parliament (MP), without any regard for his rights or the people he represented, not to mention the integrity of the institution, itself something which is excessively abusive and ridiculous by any democratic standard. 

The revoking of MP Sam Rainsy's parliamentary immunity is a result of the abuse of power by the Cambodian government. We demands an end to the selective and undemocratic stripping of parliamentary immunity from Members of Parliament, whose duty is to represent the people and to act in their interest, particularly the MPs who speak for people who are deprived of their rights and abused by those in power. Two other opposition lawmakers, MP Mu Sochua and MP Ho Vann, were also stripped of parliamentary immunity after the government filed separate defamation lawsuits in June, 2009. This action is among several others recently taken by the Cambodian authorities aiming to silence dissents and intimidate the opposition.

The immunity-stripping of MPs is indicative to what lies ahead for a country which has become less and less tolerant on freedom of speech and expression by its people. Anything anyone says or does could be viewed as an act of incitement, a risk to the national interests or security of the nation.  One can be easily jailed for asking the wrong question or simply disseminating information considered to be critical of those in power. The government is determined to send a clear threatening message to other elected MPs and the public of its zero-tolerance policy on any dissent vis-%uFFFD-vis  its own interests. Allow criminal charges to be brought against them for exercising their freedom of speech regarding matters of public concern. 

We ask you to remain aware of the erosion of civil liberties in Cambodia, and to take any possible action to put the Cambodian government on notice that such abuse of power will not be tolerated by the international community. We are truly thankful for your concern about our issues of human rights and democracy in Cambodia. We hope that you and your colleagues will continue to play a vital role in re-directing Cambodia to be a nation with strong independent institutions.

We the undersigned, thank you for the opportunity to bring to your attention the key issues regarding the ongoing violation of human rights and democracy in Cambodia.  The United Nations was established for precisely this purpose, the sharing of information and coordinated response to international failures in law, security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and conflict resolution.


Petition:
As Cambodian/American, citizens of the United States, Cambodia, and other nationalities adhering to this petition, we invite and recall United Nations to liaise with the Cambodian ruling parties, local and international media, local NGOs, and the civil society for securing the political crisis, which had already proven severe consequences on human rights abuses.

We request the United Nations to unwaveringly endeavor to the social development of Cambodia: We ask the United Nations to concretely commit to:

* Defend the human rights of the Cambodian population from
   government abuses 
* Steadfastly restore and guarantee the freedom of speech and
   freedom of expression
* Guarantee the freedom for the protesters and human rights defenders
* Ensure the release of all villagers who jailed for protesting to defend
   their home, farm and land
* Solidly demand to restore immunity for MP Sam Rainsy, MP Mu Sochua
   and MP Ho Vann
* Condemn Cambodian government to withdraw the arrest warrant for
   MP Sam Rainsy

We request the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights Officer to:

* Increase the basic rights of freedom for Cambodian citizens from fear
* Decrease of the harassment on the civil society in Cambodia and
   Human Rights defenders
* End land confiscation and forced eviction in Cambodia
* Continue to mediate Cambodian government

Thank you for your precious time and your utmost consideration to this matter.


Respectfully Yours,

Undersigned, Cambodian/American Community
Cambodia and other nationalities adhering to this petition