In a resolution that doesn’t mention many of the contentious issues UN human rights envoy Peter Leuprecht had brought to its attention, the UN’s human rights commission has urged Cambodia to continue its efforts to improve human rights.
“The Human Rights Commission welcomes Cambodia’s progress in improving its human rights situation for the past decade,” UN members wrote Wednesday, “including freedom of media, freedom of religion, combating child labor and sexual exploitation and progress to improve democratic institutions.”
In the resolution, supported by Australia, Canada, the European Union and Japan, the UN commission also welcomed the formation of the new CPP, Funcinpec government in 2004, which Leuprecht had described as possibly unconstitutional.
The commission did note that “some human rights violations continue,” and urged the government “to strengthen its efforts to establish the rule of law.”
During his presentation to the UN commission in Geneva on Tuesday, Leuprecht decried the rampant impunity and corruption plaguing Cambodia as well as the crackdown on numerous rights such as the right to peaceful assembly.
Leuprecht had asked the UN commission to take a hard look at the situation in Cambodia.
“The international community and your commission are faced with a serious responsibility,” Leuprecht told the members.
“To be useful and effective, to help Cambodians out of the tunnel, the resolution you adopt should be based on the facts as they are and not as you would wish them to be,” he said.
