Photo by: AFP
Ethnic minority dancers perform Thursday during the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day in Phnom Penh.
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DIFFERENCES OF OPINION SHOULD NOT BE DEALT WITH THROUGH THREATS ...
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(Posted by CAAI News Media)
Friday, 11 December 2009 15:04 Post Staff
CAMBODIA celebrated International Human Rights Day on Thursday amid a stark warning from the United Nations’ top rights official in the Kingdom that land disputes and a crackdown on dissent represented “worrying trends” in the development of the country.
Christophe Peschoux, head of the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, said there had been some improvement in human rights, but urged the government to behave in a “tolerant manner” towards the issue.
“We have also observed some worrying trends in recent years,” he said in his speech at a rally of thousands of people to mark human rights day.
He mentioned people being forcibly evicted from their property in Phnom Penh as well as ethnic minorities who have been “robbed” of their land in northeastern areas of the country.
“As land has become a new source of wealth, [ethnic minorities] are being dispossessed of their lands,” Peschoux said.
“And day after day, villagers are robbed of their land by powerful economic interests, often with the support of the authorities,” he added.
Peschoux’s speech also criticised recent crackdowns on government critics who have been sentenced to jail or fined for their comments.
“In a tolerant political environment, differences of opinion should not be dealt with through threats, intimidation or criminal action, but through public debate,” Peschoux said.
Other rights advocates reminded the audience that the trafficking of women and children and discrimination against the disabled remain significant violations of human rights, and opposition politicians – conspicuously absent from the event – still “issued a statement to congratulate and support” the activities.
Government spokesman Tith Sothea, however, accused activists of manipulating the holiday to promote their own interests.
“They said respect for human rights in Cambodia was narrower than before. We do not accept this. What they said is not true. It’s just a way for them to benefit their groups,” he said by phone.
Elsewhere in the country, a network of grassroots rights groups calling itself the Friends of December 10 held nearly 70 events in 17 provinces and, despite fears that authorities would prevent celebrations, reported that most of the activities took place without incident.
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