Proposed Law Would Restrict Demonstrations

A new group of farmers has been protesting in the park opposite the National Assembly since Saturday, hoping lawmakers will help resolve a land dispute brewing for years.

Gathered beneath a tree earlier this week, they described how a re­tired RCAF soldier in Battam­bang prov­ince’s Bavel district had claim­ed the 1,000 hectares they had farm­ed for nearly a decade, selling it to other farmers and displacing 200 fam­ilies.

“[The soldier] sold plots of land to other landless farmers living outside the district,” said 36-year-old Voeun Vet, adding that the group’s sub­se­quent complaints to the local com­mune council had proved fruitless.

Voeun Vet said they were pro­test­ing because it was the last op­tion they had. But under a proposed law, NGO workers say, people’s op­tions for demonstrating may soon be un­dermined significantly.

If approved, the Law on Public As­sem­bly for a Peaceful Demon­stra­tion, drafted by the Ministry of In­teri­or, would outlaw spontaneous dem­onstrations, except in designated “freedom parks”—the locations of which are not stated.

The law would require potential pro­­testers to apply for a permit 10 days in advance. And it would give In­terior Ministry officials the final say on whether permits are issued.

“If you have to apply for a permit ten days in advance, it is, in effect, a re­striction on your freedom of ex­pres­s­ion. That’s the problem,” said James Turpin of the UN center for hu­­­man rights. “The regime is not flexible enough to allow spontaneous demonstrations,” he said.

He added that the government is keen to see the law in place, so it should be passed soon.

Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Pro­­ject, said requiring permits would especially harm farmers like those demonstrating in front of parliament.

“According to the draft law, their as­s­embly is illegal,” he said, adding that he believed the farmers were safe for now “because people are watching the situation.”

“The [draft] law restrains the free­d­oms of the people. It is trying to si­lence them,” he said.

Even before the law is in place, it has proved possible to remove protesters from in front of the As­sem­bly. In February, more than 100 Kom­­pong Speu province villagers scattered after police officers loaded their belongings into trucks and threatened them with eviction.

Daun Penh Police Chief Phan Pheng said police are not currently al­lowed to run the protesters from the park.

“We have no authority to crack down or harass those villagers,” he said. “Our police officers can only help those villagers by providing good security,” he added.