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Cambodia Human Rights

Cambodia Human Rights

 

Will Cambodia Ever See Human Rights Enforced?

 

Human rights in Cambodia are virtually non existent though there are various organizations set up throughout the country.  ADHOC (The Cambodia Human Rights and Development Association) is one such organization whose purpose is to support the citizens against discrimination and lack of basic human rights.  Cambodia does not have a specific government department to support basic human rights.  It does have a department to support women and children, but it does little to enforcement their rights.

 

Law supporting human rights in Cambodia are guided by the United Nations.  In 1993, the United Nations appointed a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights opened offices in Cambodia with little results even 20 years later.   There are major human rights violations that go unreported due to lack of assistance by police and government officials. 

 

Violations by government officials are vast.  Numerous people have filed complaints only to undergo criticism from the officials. Women and children virtually have no rights. 

A history of tortures, arrests, illegal detentions, land rights and forced evictions are ongoing.  In 2012, Chut Wutty was shot to death for defending land a protected forest.   Police officials will often find human rights defenders and charge them with bogus violations.  When police officials interview witnesses, the stories will change making the human rights defenders appear guilty.  There are restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association found throughout the country.  However, there have been numerous assignations of prominent figures, journalists, and celebrities. 

 

Progress in changing the rights of people in slow performance been held by Cambodia.  In 2011, Cambodia finally put a ban on immigration to Malaysia because of allegations of abuse, but it was only a temporary ban rather than permanent.  Indonesia banned workers migrating to Malaysia in 2009 because of the conditions.   Defenders of human rights have been under attack threats against their lives against Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). 

 

The citizens of Cambodia have an upward struggle for the basic of human rights.  Women are not treated fairly and can only have a job as a domestic.  Spousal abuse and abuse against women are some of the leading complaints.  However, the government rarely prosecutes the offenders.  Men who are land owners fight to keep their land if the government wants it often resulting in being forcibly removed.  The Human Rights in Cambodia are in such a dire state that even government officials who are fighting for the basic rights are often ousted. 

 

While the United Nations has stepped in to help the citizens of Cambodia achieve the basic human rights they deserve, many government officials fail to uphold and prosecute the offenders.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is not treated as a serious pronouncement.  The government of Cambodia must be held to higher standards.  They must treat its citizens, at minimum, with the basic human rights each person deserves.

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