Bon Voyage!

Few days before the Chinese New Year break, I was assigned by my organisation to take care of two Cambodian refugees. They were Men Nath (on my right) and Ir Channa (on my left). Men Nath is the president of CICA (Cambodia's Independent Civil Servants Association), while Channa is the deputy secretary general of the SMD (Student's Movement for Democracy).

Men Nath and Channa are among many other human rights activists in Cambodia who are feared to be at risk of arrest. Many have gone into hiding or fled the country. The crackdown was sparked by criticism of a controversial border deal reached with Vietnam by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in October 2005. In a statement (left), the Cambodia Watchdog Council (a coalition of 4 leading NGO in Cambodia, including CICA and SMD) criticised Hun Sen for "selling territory" to Vietnam.

Hun Sen said at the time that he would sue anyone who accused him of "selling territory", and since then a government lawyer has filed charges of "defamation", "incitement to commit a crime" and "disinformation" against civil society groups, people close to the former king, and human rights defenders.

Unlike thousands Burmese and Achehnese refugees, Men Nath and Channa were lucky. On the day they arrived KL, they obtained UNHCR's refugee status. After 5 days, they were resettled in a third country.


Amnesty International Report
Cambodia: Prisoners of conscience/human rights defenders at risk
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA230022006?open&of=ENG-KHM