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Human Rights in Cambodia
On
November 10, 2003
,
the Professor Peter Leuprecht, Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in
Cambodia
,
presented his report for human rights in
Cambodia
.
Claire Laganne, a Global Action on Aging Intern from October 2003 to June
2004, reports on the UN General Assembly Third Committee activities.
Here, she summarizes the
November 10,
2003
, presentation
of Professor Peter Leuprecht,
Special Representative of the Secretary –General in
Cambodia
,
on human rights issues in
Cambodia
.
She made a summary about what was said and focuses on interesting
points that were underlined during the meeting.
According
to Professor Leuprecht, respect for human rights in
Cambodia
does not work well.
Even if the General election of July 2003 appeared as an important step
toward democracy, it is not enough. Racism against Vietnamese people is
still there, and access to public service (health, education, justice) is
not equal.
Poverty,
violence, corruption and lawlessness are still present in
Cambodia
, and without the
support of the international community,
Cambodia
won’t be able to
fight against this. If
Cambodia
does not respect the
agreement signed in June 2003 with the United Nations, it will be
difficult for him to press for the Khmers Rouge trial.
Of
course, the international Community was silent during the
Cambodia
war.
However, today it aims at protecting human rights in this country.
That’s why the United Nations mustn’t reduce their involvement
and commitment regarding the human rights situation in
Cambodia
. The people of this
country must benefit from the international community’s support to
improve democracy, dignity and human rights in that country.
The
Response of the Ambassador of
Cambodia
.
Cambodia
is now a democratic
society that decided in its judiciary reform of
June 2002 to guarantee its legal process. Regarding economic and
financial improvements, the government has developed the infrastructure
and agriculture to help improve people’s living conditions.
The
ambassador of
Cambodia
also answered Prof.
Peter Leuprecht on the topic of the Khmer Rouge trial. He said the
Cambodia
government wants to
bring them to justice. He denied the position of
Pr. Leuprecht about unequal access to justice that is different for
the poor and the rich and the fact that the heavy concentration of lawyers
Phnom Penh
means legal aid is
difficult to obtain in rural and small towns..
Declaration
of the Senora Gabriella Rodriguez Pizarro, special reporter on the human rights of the
migrants.
Ms.
Pizarro, reviewed the situation of migrants in
Cambodia
.
She said that migrants suffer from inaction in the international
community. According to her, the rights of the migrants are not respected.
The migrants have needs, such as food or medical needs, particularly
surgery. The migrant women are victims of prostitution, abuse and physical
dangers.
She
urged
Cambodia
to create a public
health program for migrants. Detained migrants face alarming health
situation.. Some are trafficking victims. More, they have severe
psychological needs. The issue
of reintegrating migrants in their own country is also important. Children
(minors) suffer from lack of protection when they have to return to their
birth country.
She
made a distinction between the slave trade and the human dealing.
The slave trade (traite) is possible because the migrants enter illegally
in a country and after passing the border, they become a slave. If they
entered illegally, they had to ask smuggler for help which costs them
money. The smuggler keeps the migrants’ identification papers.
With no choice, the migrant must become a slave worker.
The
human dealing (traffic) can be done with legal immigration. The migrants
are to work after passing the
border and then they enter a human dealing network (usually for
prostitution) that did not know about at their arrival.
Ms.
Pizarrro made another distinction between the permanent migrants and
temporary migrants. The temporary just come in a country for few days of
weeks and then try to go on to another country.
That’s what happened in
Europe
with migrants who
arrive in
Italy
and then want to go on
to
France
. Some stay, the other
aim at joining the
United Kingdom
.
The
officials of
Canada
,
Burkina Faso
,
Italy
and
Mexico
spoke and expressed
their views. They all spoke about the rights of migrants’ workers, which
have to be respected, the issue of political asylum, the jail problem for
migrants, and the violation of the fundamental rights of migrants.
Canada
’s delegate
underlined their government’s attention to protecting migrants in order
to prevent the trafficking. The Canadian Immigration Protection Act was
adopted thanks to the Ms. Pizarro’s work and action for the migrants.
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