Saturday, 29 June 2024, at 12:00 PM EST

For the past two years efforts of both the United Nations and the Khmer Community working in closer cooperation together have resulted in issuing findings including rule of law abuses, the elimination of the opposition political parties, the closing down of independent media outlets, and the criminal prosecution through “Mass Criminal Trials” of critics of the government. Since the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva this past May 2023, there have been additional developments that need urgent attention. Furthermore, we have been given important signals and opportunities about how to move forward effectively from Amnesty International’s new report on land evictions, such as alarming and thorough documentation of what Amnesty calls “mass illegal evictions” by the Cambodian government of over 10,000 families. The people within Cambodia face other alarming violations, such as the establishment of a major naval base by China in Cambodia and Hun Manet doubling down on widespread human rights and democracy abuses. The Khmer global community has the opportunity to join together and determine the next steps for positive action and change.  Over the next several weeks we will be working closely with Amnesty, UNESCO, and the World Heritage Committee, as well as the members of Angkor Wat community that have been evicted to stop these evictions and bring these and the other violations as well to the attention of the international community. Join with us in “speaking truth to power” in a forceful and effective way, and in promoting meaningful human rights progress for Cambodia!

Video will be available at the top of this webpage.