Click to watch the webinar

At this webinar, you will hear from Brad Adams, former executive Asia director of Human Rights Watch, where he will be direct and open about the successes and failures he has witnessed working with the Khmer community worldwide throughout the years. He will help us shift our perception and approach — a needed readjustment — so that we can become more focused and strategic in our efforts.

We will discuss what has happened since our last webinar on October 3, 2021, including the Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia, the meaning and implications of the French Criminal Court's decision, and how they both impact Cambodia and its people. Thayvie Sinn, Founder/President of Save Cambodia, will discuss how the Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia inspired the creation of the Khmunity Campaign, which has launched the Khmer Urgent Action Network and the Khmunity Freedom Park to help the Khmer community worldwide gather their strengths, to become more influential and impactful in their quest for justice and accountability.

Moderator:

• Thayvie Sinn, Founder and President

Speaker:

• Brad Adams, Former Executive Asia Director of Human Rights Watch

Watch the Special Session Here

The Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia is holding a Special Session in conjunction with the United Nations Human Rights Committee's official review session on Cambodia's compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Recognizing the need for a unified international effort to address major human rights abuses, we aim to highlight this reality and establish a coordinated approach by connecting our Commission's efforts with those of the UN Human Rights Committee. As part of this endeavor, we have submitted a "List of Issues" and an official statement summarizing key findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Committee.

The Statement presented by the Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia emphasized the concerning deterioration of the Hun Sen government's campaign of repression, showcasing five recent developments that display an alarming escalation in disregard for democratic principles and internationally accepted rule of law standards. They include the forced and unlawful return of Cambodian refugees from Thailand, ongoing mass criminal trials against opposition political party leaders and members, the extrajudicial execution of youth leader Sin Khon with indications of government involvement, and the forced closure of the environmental protection group Mother Nature.

Motivated by the Commission of Inquiry's efforts to draw international attention to the severe human rights and democracy abuses perpetrated by the Hun Sen government, the Khmer community has established an Urgent Action Case Alert System to mobilize action on the most critical cases. This system enables community members to write letters of concern and protest directly to high-ranking officials of the Hun Sen government, urging immediate attention and action in cases that demand urgent intervention.

Speaker:

• Louisa Coan Greve, Commissioner, Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia

• Seyla Nhean, Khmunity Campaign Coordinator, Save Cambodia

Voiceover:

• Mehgan Andrzejewski, Voiceover Professional

Watch the Opening Session Here

This is the opening session of the independent citizens-based fact-finding Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia designed to tell the truth to power about how and why democracy and human rights are being systematically destroyed in Cambodia by the Cambodian government. The Commission begins its work on October 23, 2021 marking the 30th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords, the international agreement that ended the Indo-China wars and established the internationally agreed-upon framework for the operation and governance of the modern state of Cambodia.

We will begin to see and hear in the strictest of terms the reality of how and why the Cambodian government has destroyed democracy and human rights in Cambodia for its benefit and at the expense of the Cambodian people. We will help everyone understand why these repressive policies and practices violated not only the Paris Peace Accords but numerous international treaties and international laws. We will identify the remedial actions that now must be taken to bring about meaningful and systemic change and improvement on the democracy and human rights fronts. 

The Commission's examination will focus on significant and widespread violations of international standards for democracy and human rights by the Cambodian government. These include the eradication of democracy, the suppression of press freedom and independent media, the curtailment of free speech and association rights, the abuse of the judicial system and law enforcement, as well as the unjustifiable use of arbitrary arrests and imprisonment to stifle government criticism.

Speaker:

• Keynote Speaker: Hong Lim, Former Australian Member of Parliament of Victoria

• Louisa Coan Greve, Commissioner, Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia

• Paul Hoffman, Commissioner, Commission of Inquiry for Cambodia

Testimonies:

• Rachana Bou, wife on behalf of the late political analyst, Kem Ley

Community Members:

• Rany Lushinski, Vice President, Cambodian Americans for Human Rights and Democracy (CAHRAD)

• Setha Duoc, President, Cambodia League for Human Citizens Rights

• Kiet Pen, Vice President, Cambodian Alliance for Paris Peace Agreements on Cambodia (CAPPAC Global)

• Riel Dararak, Member, Khmer Unity for Cambodia (KUC)

Voiceover:

• Mehgan Andrzejewski, voiceover on behalf of the late President of Cambodia’s Free Trade Union of Workers, Chea Vichea

• Deborah Wetzel, Voiceover Professional

This webinar is a follow-up session from the July 18 information sharing and strategic planning webinar with Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch that provided new insight on how to Khmer community needs to proceed with advocacy work. This webinar session will allow the Khmer community to share their reactions to his July 18 proposals and to move towards the more “meaningful, effective, and systemic” improvements in the democracy and human rights picture for Cambodia that he suggested. In addition, further information will be provided at the session on the work of the proposed citizens-based independent fact-finding Commission of Inquiry on Cambodia that will hold its opening session on October 23, 2021, as the centerpiece for the Khmer community’s joint, coordinated observance of the Paris Peace Accords.

Moderator:

• Thayvie Sinn, Founder and President of Save Cambodia

Speakers:

• Brad Adams, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Asia Division

• Morton Sklar, Founding Executive Director Emeritus, Human Rights USA

The purpose of this session is to provide an opportunity for you to share your recent work and advocacy activities this past year and discuss "action steps and pressure points" to help address urgent concerns and find effective coping strategies and remedies on:

1. How can we use the Paris Peace Accords Human Rights and democracy support provisions as a framework for evaluating and addressing the current deficiencies and concerns? Given the availability of the upcoming 30th Anniversary commemorations as a means for giving special attention to the Accords;

2. How we address the obvious deficiencies in the upcoming elections in 2022 and 2013, and provide for a more realistic opportunity for the political opposition to function on an effective basis, and for a true democratic, free and fair election to take place; and

3. How to deal with and what opportunities are available to address the current major series of repressive tactics and to prevent additional arrests, trials and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Moderator:

• Thayvie Sinn, Founder and President of Save Cambodia

Speakers:

• Brad Adams, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Asia Division

• Morton Sklar, Founding Executive Director Emeritus, Human Rights USA

49th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Palais Des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Romm XXII

We will engage in a comprehensive dialogue addressing various critical topics at this side event. We will begin by examining the alarming deterioration of human rights and the growing constraints on democratic space. Furthermore, we will analyze the effectiveness of the past 28 years, assessing both the accomplishments and the persistent challenges. Emphasizing the utmost importance of government accountability and transparency, we will discuss how these factors contribute to fostering inclusiveness within civil society. Finally, we will explore effective strategies for the international community to enforce the standards outlined in the Paris Peace Accord.

Moderator:

• Thayvie Sinn, Founder and President of Save Cambodia

Panelists:

• Morton Sklar, Founding Executive Director Emeritus, Human Rights USA, and Lead Attorney in the lawsuit against Hun Sen 2005

• Kol Preap, Executive Director of Transparency International Cambodia

• Kimsor Lim, Representative of Mother Nature Cambodia

• Sinon Sil, Secretary of Cambodian Alliance for Paris Peace Agreements on Cambodia, Australia

Partnerships:

• Cambodian Alliance for Paris Peace Agreements on Cambodia, Australia

• Khmer National Building Conference