UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to Cambodia Surya P Subedi. The UN, bowing to
international pressure to affect a peaceful settlement of the long standing
Cambodian conflict, had had to undertake the role of midwife in relations to
the warring parties and their respective patrons sitting at its influential
Permanent Council body, armed with one of the largest funding budgets in its
history - over $2 billions US for a single project - in this mission. Whilst
some of its initial accomplishments - repatriation of Cambodian refugees along
the border with Thailand, institution of a multiparty political model, getting
the Cambodia government to sign Human Rights Charters etc. - its overall
success rate has been modest - and some might argue - congruous with its
limited and superfluous or ambiguous influence in seeing out its own aims and
visions. In fact, multiparty political assembly along with the UN's presence in
the country, constitutional monarchy, the Paris Peace Accords had all been
effectively squashed or neutered and/or dead in the water from the time of the
violent coup of 1997. The ending of armed conflict has seen the influx of
foreign investors into the country, the resurgence in largely free market
activities as well as the growth in services sectors, especially, in
international tourism which all contribute to the nation's increased 'budget'
and a healthy GDP. But these benefits are generally and systematically reaped
by the ruling political and economic elite through in-built backhanded channels
and mechanisms and enforced non-transparency, leaving the vast population mired
in dire condition of subsistence and hand-to-mouth fight for survival. If the
social situation is as bleak as I have just described, why then has there been
no real popular outcry or reaction against the ruling party on a vaster scale,
and strong enough to threaten its stranglehold on power? Well, that is for you
- the reader - to reflect upon. What I would like to add is that for whatever
factors or dynamics, whoever had ruled Cambodia from December/January 1979 [or
even before then] to September 1989, and up until the UN's brief
intervention in 1993 are/is still in de facto control of her today. In effect,
this is largely made possible because not only 'opposition forces' and the
conditions they need to prevail by - multiparty climate or pluralism - had been
denied them ["I want the Opposition dead!": Hun Sen], but the Midwife
to the Cambodian drama had also been pacified or ostracized as a counter
interested party, and has remained so for some time now, and Mr/Prof Subedi is
probably more conscious of this fact than anyone else is. If he had not been
so previously, he is now - after having been heckled and barracked by those
mobs affiliated to the ruling party and Mr Hun Sen. Exercise of free speech?
Try disrupting Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam or the Chinese Premier on their next
visit to Phnom Penh and see what happens! - School of Vice
 |
|
But, Prof
Subedi is just a ghost specter sent into town to haunt - periodically - a few
control freaks, that's all...really...
|
Good job, lad! One
of the hecklers – Mr Chea Chheng - during
Prof Subedi’s recent lecture at the Mekong University seen here
receiving gifts
from Mr Hun Sen. Chheng’s attack on Prof Subedi appears to centre on his
report's 'unfavourable'/ ‘biased’ contents as these relate to
Cambodia’s overall civil
and human rights conditions which in Chhen’s argument can do damage to
the
country’s international ‘image’. Such a scenario - the argument goes -
could dissuade potential
investors from considering investing in Cambodia. This is a specious and
unfeasible
argument to advance not only in light of Cambodia’s mass misery brought
about
by corrupt commercial deals and ‘unsound’ business practices and by the
loss of
national sovereignty in the immediate and long terms, but also in face
of
worldwide economic developments and patterns that have overwhelmingly
shown
economic well-being or prosperity and a strong investment climate to be
inseparable from, and synonymous with favourable democratic and civil
right
environments. For instance, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma [Myanmar]
recently
called upon [potential or prospective] foreign investors to press their
local Burmese
counterparts for maximum transparency at all levels in their business
dealings.
This is because sound business practices tend to foster business
confidence, helping
to engender long term socio-political stability that rests upon having a
well-represented [unionised] workforce at the one end, and a body of
sound-ethical
investors themselves, at the other – School
of Vice
Visiting UN Special Rapporteur for Human
Rights to Cambodia Surya P Subedi has appealed to all political parties and the
election body to do everything in accordance with law in order to ensure that
July’s general election would be free and fair.
“I once again urge all parties and National
Election Committee to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections,” he said at a
press briefing after a one-week fact-finding mission on the human rights
situation in Cambodia. “All sides should play by the rules, demonstrate
maturity in debate, and not engage in insulting games. “
The envoy also urged for fair and equitable
access to the state media and the strict prohibition of use of state resources
by any political party during the election campaign, Xinhua reported.
Moreover, he appealed to all sides concerned
to refrain completely from exploiting racial sentiments to garner support for
their election campaign. “I will continue to monitor the electoral system and
process in the country,” he said.
Cambodia is scheduled to hold a general
election on July 28, according to the National Election Committee.
from:http://ki-media.blogspot.com/
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