‘Completely forsaken’: Sokha and NGOs ask France and Indonesia to help save Paris Peace Accords

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Leonie Kijewski, Ben Sokhean and Daphne Chen

 

Jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha, exiled former opposition leader Sam Rainsy and more than 50 human rights NGOs called on France and Indonesia to reconvene the signatories to the Paris Peace Accords yesterday amid fears that the historic treaty is in danger of being “completely forsaken”.

 

Yesterday’s call to action – delivered on the 26th anniversary of the signing of the agreement, which is credited with instituting democracy in the Kingdom – follows the government’s recent closure of NGOs and media outlets, its words wordsjailing of dissenters, threatening rhetoric from security services and, perhaps most significantly, its moves to dissolve the opposition and arrest its leader.

 

Warning of an “unprecedented” crackdown on human rights, a letter signed by 56 advocacy groups yesterday called for decisive action to ensure fair elections next year – even as analysts expressed scepticism that signatories would heed the call.

 

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/

 

 

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