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	Cambodia’s NGO Bill threatens a free and independent civil society by Global Witness, agencies   July 13, 2015   A controversial law passed in Cambodia today could signal an end to the democratic freedoms that have allowed Cambodian citizens to voice any criticism of their famously corrupt government, Global Witness warns. Cambodian parliament today voted unanimously in support of the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO), that will give the government far-reaching powers over civil society, allowing it to shut down or ban any organisation that speaks out against its policies.   All 55 members of the opposition, Cambodia’s National Rescue Party, boycotted today’s vote in protest over the law, which they have called unconstitutional. Global Witness is calling on the Cambodian government to revoke it.   Cambodian groups have been marching against the LANGO for weeks, demanding it be dropped. Joining their opposition, UN human rights expert Maina Kiai described it as “a clear infringement of the right to freedom of association.”   The US has also spoken out against it, with the Ambassador to Cambodia, William Todd, warning that it could seriously deter foreign investment. On Friday, the European Parliament followed suit, issuing a resolution calling for the law’s withdrawal. But other donor governments, such as Japan and EU member states, have shied away from condemning the law publically. This despite the fact that foreign governments provide around a third of Cambodia’s annual budget.   Under the LANGO, Cambodia’s government can crack down on any activities that might ‘jeopardize peace, stability and public order or harm the national security, national unity, culture and traditions of the Cambodian national society’. It requires all civil society groups, however informal, to register with the Ministry of Interior, allowing the government complete discretion over which organisations are allowed to exist.   “We are calling for the law to be scrapped,” said Global Witness campaigner Josie Cohen. “Cambodians have struggled for decades to keep their notoriously corrupt government in check, acting as important watchdogs in the face of a kleptocratic elite that prioritises its own personal enrichment over the public good. This new law will make it almost impossible for Cambodian civil society to hold their leaders to account. The government can now ban any group that voices its criticism too loudly.”   The LANGO is the first of four planned laws that threaten to cut deeply into Cambodian democratic space. An equally repressive Trade Union Law is already in the pipeline, followed shortly by proposed Cyber Crime and Telecomms Laws, which would criminalise online criticism of the government and allow the authorities to monitor all online communication.   “With Cambodian civil society no longer able to organise on- or offline, opposition to the government and its policies will become almost impossible, guaranteeing them an easy win in the upcoming 2017 and 2018 elections”, added Cohen. “We could be witnessing the end of more than two decades of relative freedom in Cambodia.”   Following today’s National Assembly vote the LANGO will have to be passed by the Senate and ultimately the King before becoming law, steps that have traditionally been little more than a rubber stamp. Cambodian groups are still holding out hope, however.   “There is still time for foreign governments, which provide Cambodia with millions of dollars in aid, to use their influence to push for the law to be dropped,” said Cohen. “Without civil society watching over their government, donor money risks being syphoned off by corrupt elites instead of ending up where it should - helping alleviate poverty and securing a better future for Cambodia’s citizens.”   http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16240&LangID=E Visit the related web page
	President Obama support civic activists who risk their lives for the protection of human rights by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center, agencies   July 2015   Today, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, together with Front Line Defenders, Open Society Foundations, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, the World Movement for Democracy and other civil society groups, delivered a letter to President Barack Obama, welcoming his decision to once again visit the sub-Saharan Africa region. The letter highlighted particular human rights concerns in both Kenya and Ethiopia -- the two stops on the official visit -- and called on President Obama to meet publicly with pro-democracy and human rights activists from both countries. The letter received the full endorsement of more than 50 civil society organizations from around the world, as well as local human rights groups from across the African continent.   “President Obama''s upcoming visit to Sub-Saharan Africa is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with the brave activists who have risked their lives for the protection of human rights,” said Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. “At a time when the human rights situations in Kenya and Ethiopia are worsening, the United States government must demonstrate that it stands on the side of the good and the just and that respect for human dignity remains at the core of its foreign policy.”   Several supporting organizations will co-host a human rights forum later this month in Nairobi that will coincide with President Obama’s visit to Kenya, including participation from prominent human rights defenders from the East and Horn of Africa region. The two-day event will seek to raise attention about the evident crackdown on civil society groups in the region, including issues related to shrinking civic space, repressive anti-NGO laws, and the declining respect for basic civil liberties.   “The United States has a vital role to play in helping to protect civic activists in Africa and across the world,” said Santiago A. Canton, Executive Director of RFK Partners for Human Rights. “Universally recognized human rights standards, which includes respecting the legitimacy of civil society actors, should inherently guide U.S. relations with Kenya and Ethiopia, as well as with the international community writ large.” http://rfkcenter.org/ Visit the related web page
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