LIBRARY

3 May 2022

The Compliance Advisor Ombudsman of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has accepted and will move ahead with its review of a complaint alleging human rights violations and violations of IFC performance standards committed by six microfinance institutions and banks that offer microloans in Cambodia.

The complaint was filed on behalf of affected borrowers by Equitable Cambodia (EC) and the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO). It details how the IFC failed in its obligation to conduct due diligence and supervise projects to ensure compliance with performance standards. As a result, grave harms resulted from IFC loans and investments in six microfinance institutions (MFIs) and microloan-providing banks in Cambodia – ACLEDA, Hattha Bank, Sathapana, Amret, LOLC, and Prasac – who together hold about 75% of the country’s microloans.

4 April 2022

We, the undersigned organisations, remain deeply concerned about Cambodia’s failure to conduct a thorough, independent, transparent, and effective investigation into the suspected enforced disappearance of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit and the resulting impunity. As the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) prepares for a preliminary review of the situation of enforced disappearances in Cambodia on 5 April 2022, we call on the CED to address Cambodia’s persistent failure to conduct a prompt and thorough search for Wanchalearm to determine his fate and whereabouts or to effectively and transparently investigate his disappearance.

We stand in solidarity with Wanchalearm and his family and all victims of enforced disappearance, and call on Cambodia to address apparent failures of the investigating to date, and to immediately disclose any information they may have about his fate and whereabouts, and to ensure truth, justice and reparations for his family”. We agree with the CED that “the very nature of enforced disappearance [is] a continuous crime” which presents grave risks to the rights to life, liberty, security of person, freedom from secret detention and torture, as well as the right to family life. Families of those disappeared have faced incalculable suffering, while being deprived of the right to obtain redress and have closure.

29 March 2022

We are deeply alarmed by Cambodia reopening intercountry adoptions and the Italian government’s apparent disclosure that at least nine potential adoptions from Cambodia are being processed by Italian adoption agencies. We fear these decisions will lead to more families being irreparably torn apart by a poorly regulated system that has failed to protect children’s best interests in the past.

Cambodia reports having sent 3,696 children abroad for adoption between 1998 and 2011. The country suspended intercountry adoptions following evidence of fraud and corruption. Cambodian officials forged documents to falsely change some children’s names or ages or claim they were orphaned or abandoned, before children were adopted abroad without their parents’ knowledge or consent.

25 March 2022

Authorities have alarmingly escalated the use of violence and mass detention of union members in front of NagaWorld casino in recent weeks, as well as increasing restrictions placed on human rights monitors and journalists covering the authorities’ worsening crackdown. We, the undersigned civil society groups, urge the government to de-escalate the situation and stop the repeated intimidation of strikers, including driving them to various areas far from the city center and leaving them stranded there late at night.

We are concerned by recent actions from authorities prohibiting human rights monitors and journalists from observing the continued use of violence against peaceful strikers, most of whom are women. On multiple occasions, authorities have barred human rights monitors and journalists from taking photographs or standing near the site of these heavy-handed detentions. Journalists have been threatened with arrest for covering the strike, and in several cases authorities have pushed monitors and journalists away as authorities violently drag strikers onto buses. They have also threatened to detain monitors alongside strikers at Covid-19 quarantine centers.

10 March 2022

We are deeply disturbed by reports of widespread human trafficking into Cambodia leading to forced labour, slavery and torture at compounds across the country. Dozens of media reports and numerous victim accounts collected by local and international organisations suggest that thousands of people, mostly foreign nationals, are entrapped in these situations. We call on the government to take meaningful and coordinated action to respond to these gross human rights violations, and to investigate alleged complicity between some government authorities and the criminal enterprises.

24 February 2022

We, the undersigned civil society groups, communities and trade unions, are dismayed by recent incidents of state-sponsored violence, including sexual harassment, against Cambodian women engaged in peaceful strikes and assemblies. Members of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU) – most of whom are women – have been subjected to violence, imprisonment, and arbitrary application of COVID-19 measures in response to their peaceful strike since December 2021.

Authorities have repeatedly pushed, dragged and carried peaceful strikers onto buses to take them to a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Prek Phnov district, Phnom Penh this week. On 22 February 2022, a male officer grabbed and squeezed the breast of one woman as she was being forced onto a bus. Similarly, on 29 December 2021, state authorities used vulgar sexual language toward a striker and threatened to sexually assault her.

10 February 2022

We, the undersigned civil society groups, trade unions and communities are extremely disappointed and concerned over the conviction of Mr. Chhorn Phalla, who was sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Ratanakiri Provincial Court on 10 November 2021 after a hearing on 29 September 2021. During that hearing the prosecutor changed the charge against Chhorn Phalla from “fell trees, encroached and cleared forest land, set forest fire, and bulldozed forestlands to claim ownership” under Article 62 of the Law on Natural Protected Areas to “clear forestland and enclose it to claim for ownership” under Article 97 (6) of the Law on Forestry, without substantial evidence to support this change. The change of the charges violated Chhorn Phalla’s fair trial rights, as it affected his right to have adequate time to prepare his defense. The court nevertheless convicted Chhorn Phalla under the new charges and sentenced him to five years imprisonment. During the trial, witnesses stated that Chhorn Phalla did not clear forestland and enclosed it to claim for ownership. Chhorn Phalla himself confirmed that he does not own any piece of land in that area.

24 January 2022

The UK-based “sustainable sugarcane” certification body Bonsucro violated its international human rights responsibilities, according to a statement released by the UK National Contact Point (UK NCP), a government body that handles complaints against British multinational enterprises. The NCP found that Bonsucro breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises when it admitted the Thai sugar giant Mitr Phol as a member after thousands of families were violently thrown off their land to make way for the company’s sugarcane plantations in Cambodia.

4 January 2022

We the undersigned civil society groups, including union federations, confederations, and associations as well as NGOs, are dismayed by the measures taken by authorities, led by the Phnom Penh Police Commissariat, to detain 9 union leaders and members on the night of December 31, 2021, and to further violently arrest LRSU union leader Chhim Sithar on the afternoon of January 4, 2022. We call for all arrested unionists’ immediate and unconditional release.

3 January 2022

We, the undersigned civil society groups, stand in solidarity with the families of the victims killed, injured, and disappeared eight years ago today when security forces opened fire on striking workers on Veng Sreng Boulevard in Phnom Penh. We continue to call for accountability for the violence and the disappearance of then-15-year-old Khem Sophath, who remains missing today.

On 3 January 2014, mixed government forces shot and killed at least four people and wounded at least 38 others when shutting down peaceful strikes on Veng Sreng Boulevard. The government’s response to the strikes of garment workers calling for a fair minimum wage was brutal and disproportionate. The eventual investigation into the shooting was reported to last just three weeks and failed to hold anyone accountable for the deaths of Kim Phaleap, Sam Ravy, Yean Rithy and Pheng Kosal. In contrast, 23 workers and human rights defenders were arrested and later convicted in a farcical trial on charges of aggravated intentional violence, aggravated intentional destruction of property, obstruction and insult related to the protests.

20 December 2021

We, as civil society organisations, trade union federations, confederations and associations working to promote and protect labour and human rights in Cambodia express our firm solidarity with striking employees at NagaWorld Limited who are currently exercising their fundamental rights to peacefully strike according to the Labour Law, the Law on Trade Unions and their statutes previously registered with the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training. We are extremely disappointed with the provisional disposition issued by the Phnom Penh Court of First Instance on 16 December 2021 which declared this strike to be illegal and call on NagaWorld to engage with its employees and their representatives directly and in good faith to resolve this dispute.

1 December 2021

We, as representatives of trade union confederations, federations, associations and civil society organisations working to promote human rights and labour rights in the Kingdom of Cambodia are extremely disappointed with the intention and attempts to dissolve the union leadership structure and the unreasonable and unacceptable planned systematic reduction of staff during the COVID-19 crisis at NagaWorld Limited.

24 November 2021

We the undersigned civil society groups welcome the release of more than 27 wrongfully imprisoned and unjustly convicted activists from prison in recent days and celebrate the fact that they are reunited with their families. However, many of these activists continue to face criminal charges or remain under judicial supervision with onerous conditions as a result of exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. No action has been taken to reform the laws and systems that led to their persecution and which have destroyed the space for activism and political participation in Cambodia.

Considering that many of the activists have been released on bail or remain subject to probation for several years following a suspended sentence, they are no longer able to undertake their work to defend human rights or the environment, speak out against injustices, or participate in political life without fear of arrest. Such releases also do not remedy the fact that the activists were wrongfully convicted and that many were detained for over one year in overcrowded prisons that one activist described as “hell”.

20 October 2021

We, Phnom Penh communities, have faced eviction and relocation as a result of the rapid growth of private and foreign investment. We, rural land communities, have similarly faced eviction as a result of unfair and unjust development projects, often implemented by both foreign and local investors.

Urban and rural development must be conducted in accordance with Cambodia’s laws, with fairness and equity, in order to create a foundation for true sustainable development.

21 September 2021

We, the undersigned national and international non-governmental organizations, unions, and communities, call on the Royal Government of Cambodia (“RGC”) to cease its intimidation of Cambodian analysts and other critical voices for their views and opinions on matters of public interest in Cambodia and uphold the freedom of expression.

In a speech made on 17 September 2021, the Prime Minister “warned” Cambodian analysts for their comments on Cambodia’s foreign policy. In particular, an analyst who recently made critical comments on Cambodia’s foreign policy with China, Dr. Meas Nee, was identified by name and told not to be “arrogant”. The Prime Minister also revealed that an arrest warrant was issued for another analyst who had made a Facebook post listing six conditions for the formation of a unity government. The analyst, later identified as Dr. Seng Sary, was warned that if the post was not removed from Facebook, he would be considered to be in fragrante delicto and arrested. However, on 20 September 2021, the Prime Minister said in a Facebook post he recognized the important work that political analysts carry out in the country’s national interests, and requested the court to end legal proceedings against Dr. Seng Sary.

24 August 2021

In light of the ever-worsening human rights situation in Cambodia, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, trade unions, associations and communities, are deeply concerned about the Royal Government of Cambodia (“RGC”)’s recent move towards the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution (“NHRI”). While such an institution is direly needed in the Kingdom, the environment in which it would come to operate raises concern as to its expected effectivity and credibility. We urge the RGC to prioritize redressing Cambodia’s human rights situation prior to its establishment to ensure that its creation is motivated by a genuine interest in promoting and protecting human rights rather than by attempts to provide a veneer of credibility to the RGC’s proclaimed commitment to human rights.

When establishing an NHRI, due consideration must be given to the Paris Principles – the international minimum standards for NHRIs to be considered credible and able to operate effectively. Of paramount importance is the requirement of independence from governments. Unfortunately, all the institutions previously set up to be independent from the RGC have ended up being inactive or fully controlled by it, making us fear that the NHRI will know no different fate.

9 July 2021

Today, in advance of the fifth anniversary of the unlawful killing of prominent political commentator and human rights defender Kem Ley, the 45 undersigned organizations reiterate their call for the Cambodian authorities to create an independent Commission of Inquiry tasked with conducting an independent, impartial and effective investigation into Kem Ley’s death.

22 June 2021

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Sunday charged four members of the Mother Nature environmental movement with plotting an attack against the state and insulting the king, part of the targeted and outrageous persecution of frontline environmental defenders and grassroots activists by the government. Authorities should stop imprisoning and start listening to our youth activists who are on the front line of documenting the risks Cambodia faces from natural resource exploitation and environmental degradation. These activists are tirelessly and selflessly working for the nation’s best interests.

We, the undersigned communities and civil society groups, demand the immediate release of the arrested environmental activists, dropping of all charges, and a halt to the relentless repression and prosecution of the environmental movement.

10 June 2021

We, as representatives of trade union confederations, federations, associations and civil society organisations working to promote human and labour rights in the Kingdom of Cambodia are extremely disappointed with attempts to dissolve trade union leadership and the plans to systematically, unreasonably and unacceptably lay off workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

On 18 April 2021, representatives of NagaWorld Limited announced the plan to lay off 1,329 of the more than 8,000 workers at the company claiming reasons related to the COVID-19 crisis. At the end of April, company representatives confirmed that for those workers to be laid off, the company would contact each of them individually, as well as call them for a personal meeting on company premises.

4 June 2021

Bangkok, Paris, Phnom Penh: On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit, our organizations reiterate our call on the government of Cambodia to determine his fate or whereabouts and deliver justice to his family. We also call on Thai authorities to fully cooperate with their Cambodian counterparts in the search for Wanchalearm and to actively assist Wanchalearm’s family members in their quest for justice.

One year after Wanchalearm’s enforced disappearance, his fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Several United Nations (UN) human rights monitoring bodies have repeatedly called on the Cambodian government to search and locate Wanchalearm. Despite its pledge to find out the truth about Wanchalearm’s “alleged abduction,” the Cambodian government has failed to undertake a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into his disappearance.