Police block NGO from holding public forum in Svay Rieng

Authorities in Svay Rieng province’s Romeas Hek district yesterday came to block an NGO from holding a public forum in a village, saying they had not obtained adequate permission. The Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community yesterday morning held a public forum with 40 villagers on the topic of community development in Romeas Hek district’s Ampil commune.

Meoun Rathana, a deputy secretary of CCFC, said that the organisation had already informed authorities but were still blocked from holding their meeting. “We held it with villagers on developing the community only, but the authority is afraid of us having a meeting with each other and talking about politics. That’s why they blocked us,” he said.

Mr Rathana added it wasn’t the first time a CCFC programme had been blocked by authorities even after it had already obtained permission “We only had 40 participants, not 100 people, so we first informed the commune level,” he said. “Those officials from the commune level will then inform the district and provincial level. The authority is truly discriminating against activity by our NGO.”

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