• Home
  • About Us
  • Steering Committee
  • Press Statements
  • Activities
  • Internship
  • Member Login
  • Join Us
  • Contact
Search
 

Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Burma Cambodia China East Timor Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Laos Malaysia Mongolia Nepal North Korea Pakistan Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand Tibet Vietnam Regional




Press Statement

  

ARDA: A tragic day for democracy in Cambodia

For immediate release
4 February 2005


The Cambodian National Assembly achieved the two-thirds majority it needed on Thursday and overturned rules protecting Sam Rainsy and two of his colleagues from prosecution. Stripped of immunity, the three men fled Cambodia.  The Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia views the action by Hun Sen and the government as tragic day for democracy.


The unfortunate development involving Mr. Sam Rainsy and his party colleagues is disturbing sign. Cambodia's prime minister, Mr. Hun Sen, has repeatedly treated democratic principles and human rights with contempt and the latest move to lift parliamentary immunity so as to prosecute opposition MPs is but another example of the undemocratic leanings of the regime.


ARDA will rally Asian democrats to condemn the latest round of persecution of Mr. Sam Rainsy and calls on all responsible governments to denounce the actions of Mr. Hun Sen. The Alliance also calls for the immediate release of Mr. Cheam Channy who has been arrested.


Mr. Ung Bun Ang, in a statement to ARDA said, "The only opposition party in Cambodia has been removed out of all the committees in the national assembly. And now they have even removed the immunity of the leader. This is a blatant attempt to totally shut down and intimate the opposition."


ARDA is looking into sending a rapid response mission to Cambodia to meet with government officials and members of the Sam Rainsy Party. The objective is two-fold: One, to seek cooperation from the Cambodian Government to respect human rights and democracy in Cambodia and to desist in its persecution of members of the opposition and, two, to show solidarity with pro-democracy forces in Cambodia and lend support to their efforts to advance democracy in the country.


ARDA urges members and friends to write to the Cambodian embassies in their respective countries to denounce this grave violation of rights against Mr. Sam Rainsy, Mr. Cheam Channy, and Mr. Chea Poch.


Chee Soon Juan
Chairman
Copyright © 2010 ARDA - Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia