VZCZCXRO6070
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #1491 3410907
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070907Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 001491 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT PERMITS NGO HUMAN RIGHTS MARCH 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  In a step forward for Cambodia on freedom of 
assembly, on December 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 
of Interior Sar Kheng gave a local human rights group, 
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), permission 
to organize a human rights march and rally in Phnom Penh on 
December 10.  Organizers expect 5,000 participants to turn 
out in honor of International Human Rights Day, celebrated as 
a national holiday in Cambodia.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On December 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 
of Interior Sar Kheng granted local human rights group 
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) permission to 
organize a human rights march and rally in Phnom Penh on 
December 10.  CHRAC originally applied for the permission 
through the Phnom Penh Municipality per the Cambodian 1991 
Law on Demonstrations.  CHRAC had requested that a 
two-mile-long march be allowed through many of the main 
streets of Phnom Penh during the morning rush hour.  The 
march was to convene for a rally at Wat Phnom in the central 
area of the city. (Note: Coincidentally, close to the U.S. 
Embassy. End note.)  The municipality bumped the request up 
to the Ministry of Interior (MOI) recommending the MOI deny 
the request based on public order and security concerns, two 
grounds for denial mentioned in the law.  CHRAC told poloff 
that, in a meeting with the municipality, the organizers 
stated they were flexible on the location, and were willing 
to drop the march part of the event.  However, they were 
adamant that the rally be allowed to take place in a public, 
non-enclosed space, going so far as to threaten to boycott 
official celebrations of the day if permission was not 
granted. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Early in the day on December 6, the MOI's initial 
response was to allow the rally but at the enclosed Olympic 
Stadium.  Later that day, the Ambassador handed a letter to 
Sar Kheng stating that Human Rights Day is an opportunity for 
Cambodia to show its progress as an increasingly open 
society.  He encouraged the RGC to transparently engage with 
CHRAC to find a way for the event to proceed while respecting 
valid logistical concerns.  The next morning, CHRAC met with 
the municipality and was told that a smaller march than was 
originally proposed could proceed with a rally following at 
Wat Phnom.  For the previous two years, Human Rights Day 
rallies without marches have occurred inside the Olympic 
Stadium. 
 
¶4.  (U) Comment.  Two years ago, banners flown during a Human 
Rights Day rally set off a chain of negative political steps. 
 Last year, the government allowed only a rally in an 
enclosed, and tightly policed, space.  This year's agreement 
to allow the march and outdoor rally are a step forward for 
Cambodia on freedom of assembly.  Freedom of assembly has 
consistently been noted in past years' Human Rights Reports 
as not respected in practice, and most human rights observers 
would have agreed with this statement.  For example, the 2006 
Freedom House Countries at the Crossroads report states, "The 
government has frequently refused to authorize 
demonstrations...".  More steps are necessary -- including 
greater transparency on the processes by which the RGC 
reviews requests for peaceful demonstrations.  However, the 
RGC's response in this case is encouraging.  End comment. 
MUSSOMELI