Dara In, permanent representative of Cambodia to the UN Office and Other International Organisations in Geneva. CAMBODIA'S UN PERMANENT MISSION
Cambodia’s Permanent Mission to the UN Office and other International Organisations in Geneva categorically dismissed what it called “selective and highly politicised” remarks of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) Volker Turk, claiming that his comments disregard the actual situation of the Kingdom’s civil-political space in the run-up to the national election in Cambodia.
In a June 18 press release, the mission explained that it was responding to a June 16 UNHCR statement which called on the Cambodian government to take immediate action to open up citizens’ rights and create an environment “favourable to a free and fair” July 23 election. Turk’s statement followed the disqualification of the Candlelight Party (CP) from the election.
It said that Cambodia’s commitment to multiparty democracy and the promotion and protection of human rights remains steadfast. Civil societies are “indisputably free and open”, as attested to by the roles of 6,000 NGOs and nearly 2,000 media outlets which operate “freely without censorship or restriction”, and also contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights.
“Moreover, 18 political parties have been registered to the upcoming election, a true indication of the pluralistic and democratic nature of the country, as guaranteed by the Constitution,” it said.
The mission explained that in a bid to deliver a free, fair, just and transparent voting process, the National Election Committee (NEC) has applied a single standard to all applicants.
“The Candlelight Party was not the only one with failed registration due to its own mistakes. The Khmer National Unity Party also failed to meet the required documentation criteria, but willingly accepted the decision of the authorities concerned. The absence of two political parties from the electoral process due to their non-compliance with the law does not negate in any way the liberal, pluralistic and democratic nature of the Kingdom,” it said.
It added that an affiliation with a political party, trade union or any purported rights organisation does not entitle a person to break the law with impunity. Individuals are charged on the basis of legally-prescribed offences, rather than who they are.
Turk called on the government to open up the space of citizens’ rights in a multi-party liberal democracy and expressed concerns that this space was narrowing in the lead-up to the general election.
He criticised the government for the “restrictive” implementation of laws for civil society organisations (CSOs), activists and opposition politicians, especially through amended election laws.
“The Paris Peace Accords and the International Human Right Convention are the guarantor of peace, prosperity and a better future for Cambodia,” Turk said.
Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin said the UNHCR had made the comments based on one-sided information.
He said it was obvious that the UN body had only received information from the opposition parties and anti-government CSOs, without examining the facts or the current laws in force in Cambodia.
“The conclusion of the UNHCR was incorrect in terms of its assessment of human rights. The UNHCR should check the reasons the government took legal action and take note that only activists and other individuals who committed acts prescribed as offences under Cambodian law were prosecuted,” he explained.
He denied the allegations that the exercise of human rights and democracy in Cambodia was narrowed, stressing that they certainly were for anyone who broke the law, just as they were in many countries.
