(CACJE) Againts to Prime Minister that appeal on September 26th, 2008 asking Cambodian people living In Thailand to return to Cambodia

Cambodian Action Committee for Justice & Equity

No: 3 Fountain Ave. Cranston RI, 02920 Web: www.cacje.com, Email: cacje@cacje.com
"CACJE’s mission is working & advocating for Social Justice & Human Equity"

Immediately Press Release

Date: September 30, 2008

DECLARATION

In reference to the appeal of Prime Minister HUN SEN of the Royal Government of Cambodia of the fourth Assembly on September 26, 2008 asking Cambodian people living in Thailand to return to Cambodia, Cambodian Action Committee for Justice & Equity (CACJE) believes that HUN SEN appeal is demagogic in order to serve his own political purposes only for the following reasons:

1. The Royal Government of Cambodia is incompetent, and unable to create sufficiently jobs for the half million Cambodian people who live actually legally and illegally in Thailand.

2. Among Cambodian people living in Thailand were also civil rights activists, or members of Cambodian political Parties who fled to Thailand for the political reason. The Police State of Cambodia violates their civil rights and intends to throw them all in jail. For this reason, these civil rights activists cannot return to Cambodia.

3. Several million of Vietnamese immigrate illegally to Cambodia, hence, compete for jobs in Cambodia. The Royal Government of Cambodia was unable to stop the Vietnamese illegal immigration and unable to repatriate the illegal ones who were already living in Cambodia.

4. Thirty-five percent of Cambodian people were living under the poverty line with less than one dollar per day. They are jobless, without land, and under unbearable pressure of powerful people, and people in close relation with Prime Minister HUN SEN family members.

5. In 2008, Cambodia inflation rate is 20%. And Cambodia Corruption Perception Index is 2.0 which puts Cambodia at the 166th rank of the Worldwide Corruption Perceptions ranking of countries. Cambodia is a beggar state kept in life support by financial aids from donor countries.

6. Cambodia economy is instable. Economic gaps between rich and poor, between people in power and ordinary people are bigger and bigger every year.

7. Royal Government of Cambodia involves in money laundering through land speculation, and illegal or fictional import, export and investment.

For the above reasons, CACJE encourages Cambodian people living in Thailand not return to Cambodia: Live free where you are instead of living under the authoritarian regime of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

[Signed]

SOURN SEREY RATHA
Chief Mission