Cambodia4Kids.Org

Online Sexual Harassment of a Blogher in Cambodia

The Cambodian Blogosphere is, for the most part, a warm and supportive online community of Cambodians in Cambodia and spread around the world, ex-pats in country blogging about their experiences, and others like me who are interested in the country's beautiful culture.

Sadly, there is a dark side.   Read about it over at the blogher site.

Flickr Photos of March for Freedom of Expression and Non-Violance in Cambodia

There are 100 photos in the flickr account for the Cambodia Center for Human Rights. You can find press releases on their site describing what happened during day 1 and day 2 of the march.   No first hand blogger's accounts or commentary, athough some have reblogged the press release announcing the march.  I thought Jinja might be on scene, but he is attending a conference in Malaysia and will be attending a Malaysian Blogger meetup!

I also heard that someone from witness who is planning a trip to country to see if there are any potential human rights vloggers.

Technorati Tags: freedomofexpression, cambodia, humanrights

Bon Meak Bochea is on February 13th

In response to my question to my Camboida colleagues about the March for Freedom of Expression and Non-Violence in Cambodia, Khmerak posted some more information.  The March will take place from Feb. 11-13th and participants will March from Phnom Penh to Udong Mountain.  The march will consist of a core group of 50 nominated by member
organizations of the AFEC. The public along the way will be invited to
participate in the march during the whole time or on a part of the way
that is about 50 kilometers totally. Human
rights monitors from LICADHO and CCHR will accompany the marchers.

What I didn't know was the symbolism associated with the timing ...

The marchers are heading to Phnom Oudong where they will participate
in the celebration of “Bon Meak Bochea” on Monday, February 13th. This
commemoration of Buddha’s funeral is traditionally linked with the
ideas of peace, tolerance and non-violence.

All participants will wear Yellow Ribbons as symbols for the demand
for Freedom of Expression. The core group will wear t-shirts with the
same symbol and hold large foam models of it.

The marchers will be accompanied by two ox-carts carrying big
banners with the message of the march. The participants are invited by
the Pagodas of Chetha Udom and Pakdemakor to stay overnight. 

Message from Kem Sohka's Daughter

I'm behind in posting this good news and apologize.  I received an email message (see below) from Monovithya Kem, Kem Sokha's daughter who is now in the US and is applying to law schools when not calling attention to freedom of expression issues in Cambodia. 

Monovithya had a quick exchange about blogging.  She is interested in setting up a blog to continue to tell this story (I offered to help teach her), but after she finishes her law school applications which are due next month!  In the meantime, she gave me permission to reblog her update emails.

Dear friends,

 

Hun Sen announced yesterday that the government will drop the charges. This is a victory for us, the people of Cambodia. This victory came from the support of national and international friends inside and outside of Cambodia, and we appreciate and thank everyone including my father, Mam Sonandao, Rong Chhun, Pa Ngounteang, and Yeng Virak who put their life on the line and consumed the risks.

 

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) under the leadership of Kem Sokha has been working closely on the ground with the people of Cambodia to build a democracy and is continuing to stand firmly to carry out its mission. Non-partisan CCHR recieves the respect and support from the entire civil society and the diplomatic community in Phnom Penh on this mission. More people are rallying to support CCHR, participants at the public forums are increasing since the release of my father. For more detail information on CCHR's recent activities, please email virak_ou@yahoo.com.

 

We applaud our activists for their courageous and continuing commitment for Cambodia!

Daughters Fight for the Father and Freedom of Expression in Cambodia

Photos courtesy of Warren Anderson, UCIC

Kem Monovithya, 24, and Kem Samathida, 18, the daughters of imprisoned Human Rights activist Kem Sokha are working with Cambodian Americans to garner support for their father's release and to call attention to the absence of freedom of expression and democracy in Cambodia.

On December 31, 2005,  Kem Sohka, Cambodian Center for Human Rights' director, and Yeng Virak, head of the Community Legal Education Center, were arrested for allegedly defaming the government in connection with a banner displayed on International Human Rights Day.  So far, five individuals, either journalists, trade unionists, or prominent human rights activists have been arrested based on complaints filed by the government or its leaders.  Most relate directly to opinions expressed about Prime Minister Hun Sen of the dominant Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), and criticisms over sensitive border issues with neighboring Vietnam.

Critics, including the United States, the United Nations, World Bank and international human rights groups, have condemned the government's actions and said they show Cambodia, under Hun Sen's rule, is becoming more authoritarian than democratic.

While their father was being taken to Prey Sar prison, Kem's daughters were en route by jet to the United States where they attend school.  They did not know of the arrest until they arrived in Washington, DC where the younger daughter Samathida will begin classes on January 17th. 

A Candlight Vigil was held at the White House last night organized by an umbrella organization, United Cambodian International Council (UCIC), made up of many Cambodian diaspora groups.  Monovithya Kem was one of the featured speakers and updated the audience on her father's condition in prison. The United Cambodian International Council (UCIC) co-chairs, Suykry Path from Minnesota and the Venerable Monk Rithipol of Massachusetts, also made remarks.

“I am encouraged by these efforts made by Cambodians in America and around the world,” said Monovithya Kem.   "I feel certain that my father and his fight for democracy in Cambodia is not and will not be forgotten.”

Today, Loving-Kindness Ceremonies ("Bon Psay Meta" in Cambodian) were held at major Buddhist Temples across America.  I reached Kem Sokha's younger daughter, Samathida, by phone who told me that she was touched by support she and her sister are receiving from Cambodian Americans and others.  "I feel that Cambodian Americans will not forget my father."

She went on to say that her father's arrest is very wrong. "Cambodian people have brains, they think and they want to be able to speak their minds.  But, if the government doesn't like what you say, you are put in jail.  We are voiceless in our own country."  She urged those who care about freedom of expression to put pressure on the Cambodian government to release her father and all those who have been jailed.   "Please do not abandon Cambodia."

The two daughters will meet with U.S. Representatives and Senators in  Washington, D.C. tommorrow to make a personal appeal and deliver letters of support from the Cambodian American community and others.

Perhaps they will start a blog to continue to tell their story and plead for their father's release and demand freedom of expression in Cambodia.

Technorati Tags: cambodia, humanrights, freedomofexpression

Report & Photos from White House Candlelight Vigil for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia

"We are here to speak on behalf of the people of Cambodia who are being intimidated by the Cambodian government to suffer voiceless in their own land," stated Venerable Monk Rithipol, a Cambodian Buddhist Monk from Massachusetts.

According to a report and photos posted on the KI Media blog, over 75 Cambodian Americans from the east coast and Minnesota and their friends and supporters gathered last night in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. for a Buddhist candlelight vigil for human rights and democracy in Cambodia. While the main focus was on the plight of illegally detained human rights and democracy advocate, Kem Sokha, the ultimate goal was to highlight the absence of freedom and democracy in Cambodia.

Photos from Warren Anderson, UCIC Advisor and posted into my flickr account with permission

Technorati Tags: cambodia, globalvoices, freedomofexpression, khmer

Support Freedom of Expression in Cambodia Campaign

If you are a regular reader of the Cambodia4kids Blog or read Global Voices Online, you already know about the Cambodian Government's actions to silence critics of the ruling party  hit its peek when Human Rights activists Kem Sokha, Yeng Virak and Pa Nguon Teang were all arrested regarding banners displayed on Human Rights Day December 10, 2005. These newly detained activists were thrown into Prey Sar prison with journalist Mam Sonando and teacher's union leader Rong Chhun, who were both arrested 3 months ago for offering critical views on government's actions related to sensitive border issues between  Cambodia and Vietnam.

Licado, a Cambodian human rights NGO, has launched an awareness campaign to call attention to these abuses and garner support from the International community for the detainees by putting the Association for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia yellow ribbon on your website and link to this page.

Cut and paste the following code in your side bar:

<a href="http://www.licadho.org/campaign/"><img width="200" height="97" border="0" alt="Ribbonfull184x89" title="Ribbonfull184x89" src="http://www.licadho.org/campaign/img/ribbon-text.gif" /></a></p>

 

UPDATE:  Good news!  Yeng Virak has been released on bail.  We still need continue keep the pressure on so the others will be released too.

 

Free Sokha Web Site Launches

A new web site called Free Sokha has just launched.  It is tracking all news and information related to the arrest of Cambodian human rights leader Kem Sokha.

It isn't clear from reading the site, but it appears to be connected to the United Cambodian International Council which grew out of the Cambodian World Conference held in December and focused on organizing around Cambodia's border issues as well as other human rights and freedom of expression concerns.  The UCIC is organizing this weekend's events at Cambodian temples throughout the US prayer and action for Kem Sokha and "all the people of democracy starved Cambodia" as well as a candlelight vigil at the White House.

The organization has also started a blog.  Perhaps they will provide photos and other first-hand accounts.

Technorati Tags: freekemsokha, freedomofexpression, humanrights, freespeech, cambodia

RFA Interviews Arrested Human Rights Leader's Daughters

KIMedia has posted an english translation of an interview in Khmer with Kem Sokha's daughters who were enroute by jet to the United States at the time of the arrest.   His daughter, Kem Monovitya, 24, attends school in the US.  Her sister, Kem Sammathida, 18, was accompanying her for a visit.

When asked if the words written on the banner could be construed as defamation, Kem Monovitya answered:

"I believe that anybody who has a shred of education can understand what defamation is or is not, what critics mean. Therefore, I believe that all these words are merely the expression, the worries and the critics of the people. They were not defamation, furthermore, he is the prime minister, hence a public figure. Public figures, whether there are prime ministers, MPs, or ministers, they are subjected to criticisms by the people on the work they have accomplished. The people have the right to criticize these public figures, their work. These criticisms are normal and necessary in a democracy. You all must already know that for example, even in the US, during the last election campaign, there were disputes, and President Bush was attacked. One party will attack the other party, that is normal. If all the criticisms are construed as defamations according to International laws, then half of the world population would have to be jailed because they criticized Mr. Bush on the airwave."

I wonder if they will participate in the candlelight vigil in front of the White House this Friday night?

Meanwhile, here's the official State Department Press Statement on the arrest.

Technorati Tags: cambodia, freedomofspeech, freespeech, freexpression

Another Arrest: Squashing of Freedom of Expression Continues

Source:  Photo from CCHR Fact Sheet

According to news reports, the Cambodian Center of Human Rights says police have arrested another staff member, the organization's vice-director, Pa Nguon Teang.  (Via KI Media Blog.)

The defamation charges stem from the above banner displayed at a human rights rally in December.   A fact sheet released by CCHR on its web site provides detailed background about the banner:

On December 10, 2005, a group of 63 NGOs, including CCHR, organized the celebration of the 57th international human rights day with programs and booth displays where participating NGOs displayed their activities and products such as books, handicrafts, pictures, and audiovisualmaterials. The event was participated by thousands of people invited by each participating group. The event was guarded by police officers and closely monitored by plainclothes police officers. One of the booths was occupied by CCHR. It displayed materials such as books, stickers, brochures,and yellow ribbons for distribution. The booth which was prepared a night before that day was decorated with an old banner which served as the “signboard” of the booth.

Another old banner was used as backdrop inside the booth. The banners which were used sometime in 2003 had prints in Khmer texts: “My vote is my life” and “I don’t vote for any party that sows fear to the people.” The bannershad handwritings on them written by the people who participated in one of the public activities of CCHR. The handwritings were written using marking pens.

At around 11:00 a.m., CCHR staffs manning the booth were informed by the steering committee that the police authorities complained about the banners used by CCHR in its booth. Upon knowing it, CCHR staffs decided to remove the banners away. After the celebration at around 4:30 p.m. on that day when CCHR carried its things using a truck going back to the office, police and traffic officers stopped the truck and demanded to be searched. CCHR staffs refused because the police did not have the court order to do so.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) issued a statement expressing “deep regret” over the Cambodian Government’s arrest of human rights activists and warned this trend "threatens to undo efforts to build a just society in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation."