A COALITION of local nongovernmental organisations has welcomed Cambodia’s decision to accept 91 recommendations handed down by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva Wednesday, but urged the government to implement these in practice.

In a statement Monday, the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 23 NGOs, urged the government to “undertake credible steps to implement many of these recommendations within the next four years” when the country will again be reviewed by UNHRC.

“Accepting the recommendations is a first important step, and we hope that the Royal Government will now stand to its commitments and work hard to progressively improve the human rights situation in Cambodia in accordance with our Constitution,” CHRAC stated. The UN’s recommendations focused on issues such as land rights, freedom of expression and the rights of indigenous minorities.

In response, Sun Suon, Cambodia’s ambassador to the UN, cited this month’s passage of the Anticorruption Law as an example of the government’s commitment to human rights.

“We view that most of the recommendations are essential to the context of the effort for promoting human rights in Cambodia,” he added.