Cambodia: Land rights group suspended
25 Aug 2011The Cambodian government this month suspended land rights group Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT), which had been critical of government-backed evictions as a result of a railway rehabilitation project that would link Phnom Penh to Thailand. In another development, a draft law on associations and NGOs is on verge of being passed in the country, which has faced criticism for imposing registration on grassroots movements and community-based organisations.
Talk about this story
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
« Philippines: Radio commentator fatally shot • Syria: Famous cartoonist attacked »
Alex Jones
This past week we see the Minister for Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction, Im Chhun Lim, presenting honorary medals to Representatives from German, Finnish and Canadian Development agencies for their work in supporting land reform. Six of the ten medals awarded went to Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) included the GIZ project director Volker Mueller who continues to dominate land affairs of the country.
Herr Heinrich-Juergen Schilling, country director of GIZ, after receiving his medal commented that the medals are a recognition of all the hard work involved in land reform in Cambodia. Yes, very hard work in ensuring that this corrupt Ministry continues and violent land evictions are the standard.
Congratulations to the Finnish Embassy official who received her medal for similar efforts.
On 29 June we saw Linda Wishart, Head of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to Cambodia awarded a medal by the Minister for “untiring efforts in her mission here, especially on land management and reform”. Well done Ms Wishart for continuing to support land violations and violent evictions. Well done indeed.
Blood on the hands of all the recipients. You and your countries must be proud.