Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Civil rights and civil liberties in Cambodia are totally dead. Any protest will be crushed by the so-called “third hand” of Mr. Hun Sen. He calls it the “third hand”, which actually means the militia, which means the hired security guards. We have gone through so much. If they

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  As of today, Mr. Hun Sen is determined to have the elections conducted on July 29, 2018. He repeated it the day before yesterday and today because he is negotiating, actually, with the international community. It is his tactic. He is a great negotiator. However, what the interna

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Canada can join other countries that have already applied targeted sanctions, such as visa sanctions on the high-ranking officials of the Government of Cambodia. These people are coming to Canada. We know it for sure. It is symbolic. It gives to Mr. Hun Sen a very strong message,

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It continues every day under the eyes of the law officers who are supposed to protect our forests. There are good law officers and good environmentalists, and there are international organizations working in Cambodia right now, but they cannot confront, they cannot practise when

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Exactly, sir. That's why we're asking to have a coordinated effort to put forward a very strong message to Mr. Hun Sen. These sanctions, these pressures, come from the diplomatic sanctions as well as economic sanctions, and especially through potential foreign inventors and Canad

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The courts are used at all levels, from the lower courts to appeal courts to the Supreme Court. The members of the courts, the judges, are members of the ruling party. That alone shows you what kind of a judiciary we have. That is not permitted in a democratic country, and that i

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  As far as we know today, Mr. Hun Sen has not prepared a successor. He wants to remain in power for the next 10 years. However, the people of Cambodia will not allow him to stay for another term if they have the freedom to choose the leader they want. We are certain.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The Global Witness report covers thoroughly the names of the companies that are owned by the children of Mr. Hun Sen, including Madam Hun Sen. The Global Witness report also tells the readers very clearly that the illegal logging industry costs Cambodia billions of dollars every

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  As I said, the opposition party has 44% of the vote, representing over three million of about six million voters in 2013 and 2017. When Mr. Kong Sophea and his other member of Parliament were attacked, it was covered live on social media. Who covers these? Who uses social media

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Members of the United States Congress have been very friendly with us through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Members of Congress have also passed a bill just recently for the freezing of assets. We also have support from the members of the European Union, Sweden mainly,

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. We believe that Japan plays a big role and that Japan wants to be engaged with the Government of Cambodia. We believe that Japan has really strong respect in Cambodia in that region, and in the region representing Asia. We believe that with allies in the EU and the United St

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. I believe that until there is a very strong message sent to the high-ranking officials, which could be visa sanctions or looking into their assets, which they acquire through corruption, those high-ranking officials will continue to live above the law. Until such actions are

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  First of all, a high-level delegation of parliamentarians from Canada would have a direct-contact dialogue and conversation with members of Parliament in Cambodia and would then put pressure on the members of Parliament in Cambodia. Ask them these questions yourselves. Why are

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Honourable Chair, eminent members of the House of Commons Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, I am humbled by the opportunity to be here with my colleague Mr. Kong Sophea, with eminent members of the Buddhist community in Canad