Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to strongly condemn the comments made by Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen who launched a scathing attack on a UN envoy who criticised the government’s record on human rights. At the end of his second mission as the Special Representative of the Secretary General on human rights in Cambodia, Professor Yash Ghai said that the one-man rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen, was preventing the growth of democracy and the possibility of human rights protection in the country. In response, the prime minister said that Professor Ghai was no longer welcome in the country and should be sacked by the UN.
This attack calls for international condemnation as well as a response from the United Nations itself. The AHRC urges Secretary-General Kofi Annan to unequivocally condemn Prime Minister Hun Sens comments, and show his support to Professor Ghai and the work of UN agencies in Cambodia. Such intervention should not be delayed given that past experience in similar situations has shown that threats and intimidation often follow. The Secretary-General should therefore act promptly in letting the Cambodian government know of his support for the special representative and others working for human rights in Cambodia.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters of concern to the Prime Minister of Cambodia regarding the comments he has made. Please also write to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan calling for his intervention in this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Suggested letter to the prime minister:
Dear Prime Minister
CAMBODIA: Special Representative of the Secretary General on human rights in Cambodia
I write with deep concern regarding your response to comments made on your countrys human rights situation by Special Representative of the Secretary General on human rights in Cambodia, Professor Yash Ghai. I am aware that Professor Ghai voiced his concerns regarding the protection of human rights in Cambodia.
Professor Ghais comments could have been accepted as constructive criticism and used to assess and reform the current framework. Instead, you chose to publicly criticise Professor Ghai and question the future relations between your country and the special representative.
However, if the human rights situation in Cambodia is to progress, it is the responsibility of the countrys leaders, particularly yourself, to take steps in line with the suggestions made by Professor Ghai, and his predecessors, and to cooperate in trying to ensure that all of Cambodias citizens receive the rights that they are entitled to.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
Mr. Samdech Hun Sen
Prime Minister
Office of the Council of Ministers
Phnom Penh
Cambodia
Fax: + 855 23 426 054
PLEASE SEND A COPY TO:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Cambodia
N° 10, Street 302
Sangkat Boeng Keng Kang I
Khan Chamcar Mon
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Tel: +855 23 987 671 / 987 672, 993 590 / 993 591 or +855 23 216 342
Fax: +855 23 212 579, 213 587
P.O.Box: 108
Email: cohchr@online.com.kh
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Suggested letter to the UN General-Secretary:
Dear Mr. Annan
CAMBODIA: Prime Minister attacks UN representative over comments on the state of the countrys human rights
I write to you in relation to the response given by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in regards to comments made by the Special Representative of the Secretary General on human rights in Cambodia, Professor Yash Ghai. I am aware that Professor Ghai pointed to the stark fear present throughout Cambodia due to the one-man rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which prevents the growth of democracy and the possibility of human rights protection in the country.
Given Cambodias current human rights record, Professor Ghais comments could have been accepted as constructive criticism and used to assess and reform the current framework. Instead, the prime minister chose to criticise Professor Ghais comments and point to the situation in other countries, which in no way excuses Cambodia from its own obligations to protect and ensure the rights of its citizens. The prime minister also chose to personally insult Professor Ghai and called for his sacking, neither of which will in any way improve the human rights situation in Cambodia.
Such comments by the prime minister undermine the role of the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Cambodia and others working for human rights in the country. Accordingly, the prime ministers comments call for international condemnation, as well as a response from the United Nations itself. I ask that you immediately inform the Government of Cambodia of your support for Professor Ghai and ask that the comments be withdrawn.
In the past, such attacks by the prime minister on individuals have been followed by threats and intimidation. I therefore request that you act promptly in letting the Cambodian government know of your support for Professor Ghai and others working for human rights in Cambodia.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
Mr Kofi Annan
Secretary General of the United Nations
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations,
S-378, New York, NY 10017
USA
Tel: +1 212 963 5012
Fax: +1 212 963 7055 or 2155
E-mail: ecu@un.org, inquiries@un.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
