Supporting Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law in Cambodia

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 728) supporting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Cambodia, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 728

Whereas since the Paris Peace Accords in 1991, Cambodia has undergone a gradual, partial, and unsteady transition to democracy, including elections and multiparty government;

Whereas Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power in Cambodia uninterrupted since 1985 and is the longest-serving leader in Southeast Asia;

Whereas Freedom House rated Cambodia as ``Not Free'' in its ``Freedom in the World 2015'' report, noting that ``political opposition is restricted'', ``harassment or threats against opposition supporters are not uncommon'', ``freedom of speech is not fully protected'', and ``the government's tolerance for freedoms of association and assembly has declined in recent years'';

Whereas Cambodia held a general election on July 28, 2013, though widespread reports of irregularities largely related to the voter lists bring into question the integrity of the election;

Whereas a coalition of election monitors, including the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Transparency International Cambodia, and other domestic and international organizations, in a joint report on the 2013 election found ``significant challenges that undermined the credibility of the process'';

Whereas Transparency International Cambodia, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, conducted a survey during the 2013 election that found at 60 percent of polling stations, citizens with proper identification were not allowed to vote;

Whereas the Cambodian National Election Committee (NEC) was accused of lack of independence and pro-government bias during its oversight of the 2013 election;

Whereas the composition of the NEC was changed after the 2013 election to include equal membership from both political parties, and the NEC's continued independence is essential to free and fair elections;

Whereas the United States Congress has taken steps to protect democracy and human rights in Cambodia, making certain 2014 foreign aid funds intended to Cambodia conditioned upon the Government of Cambodia conducting an independent and credible investigation into the irregularities associated with the July 28, 2013, parliamentary elections and reforming the NEC or when all parties have agreed to join the National Assembly to conduct business;

Whereas United States aid to Cambodia has funded work in areas including development assistance, civil society, global health, and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, largely via nongovernmental organizations (NGOs);

Whereas both NDI and the International Republican Institute (IRI) operate in Cambodia, engaging local partners and building capacity for civil society, democracy, and good governance;

Whereas the Government of Cambodia has acted to restrict the right to freely assemble and protest, including the following instances;

Whereas, on January 3, 2014, Cambodian security forces violently cracked down on protests of garment workers, killing 4 people in Phnom Penh;

Whereas, on March 31, 2014, Cambodian police beat protestors with batons and clubs during a protest calling for a license for the independent Beehive Radio to establish a television channel;

Whereas in August 2015, the Government of Cambodia passed the ``Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations'' which threatens to restrict the development of civil society by requiring registration and government approval of both domestic and international NGOs;

Whereas, on October 26, 2015, 2 opposition lawmakers, including dual United States citizen Nhay Chamreoun, were violently attacked by pro-government protestors in front of the National Assembly;

Whereas, on November 16, 2015, the standing committee of the National Assembly expelled leader of the parliamentary opposition and President of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) Sam Rainsy and revoked his parliamentary immunity;

Whereas Mr. Rainsy is the subject of a Government of Cambodia investigation of 7-year-old defamation charges against him which is widely believed to be politically motivated;

Whereas the United States Embassy in Cambodia has publicly called on the Government of Cambodia to revoke the arrest warrant issued against Mr. Rainsy, allow all opposition lawmakers to ``return to Cambodia without fear of arrest and persecution'', and ``to take immediate steps to guarantee a political space free from threats or intimidation in Cambodia'';

Whereas political advocate and anti-corruption activist Kem Ley was shot and killed in Phnom Penh on July 10, 2016;

Whereas the Government of Cambodia continues efforts to prosecute CNRP leaders on politically-motivated charges, bringing Mr. Sokha's case to trial in Phnom Penh; and

Whereas national elections in 2018 will be closely watched to ensure openness and fairness, and to monitor whether all political parties and civil society are allowed to freely participate: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia;

(2) condemns all forms of political violence in Cambodia and urges the cessation of ongoing human rights violations;

(3) calls on the Government of Cambodia to respect freedom of the press and the rights of its citizens to freely assemble, protest, and speak out against the government;

(4) supports electoral reform efforts in Cambodia and free and fair elections in 2018 monitored by international observers; and

(5) urges Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party to--

(A) end all harassment and intimidation of Cambodia's opposition;

(B) drop all politically motivated charges against opposition lawmakers;

(C) allow them to return to Cambodia and freely participate in the political process; and

(D) foster an environment where democracy can thrive and flourish.

Mr. Speaker, I am rising here in strong support for H. Res. 728, supporting human rights and democracy and the rule of law in Cambodia.

We have all seen the consequences of land grabbing and the destruction of human liberty in that country. I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal), my colleague, for introducing this resolution. I want to thank him for his advocacy for the people of Cambodia.

Mr. Speaker, since Cambodia held its deeply flawed elections in 2013, we have seen significant attacks on those Cambodians peacefully opposing their government. Hun Sen's thuggish regime continues to crack down on the political opposition and on activists, and they continue to arrest and beat those who point out violations of freedom of speech, violations, frankly, of a stolen election.

As noted in this resolution, Freedom House's most recent report card rated Cambodia as not free, noting restrictions on and the harassment of the government's political opposition. And that is putting it mildly. Last year opposition lawmaker and American citizen Nhay Chamroeun was severely and brutally attacked by plainclothes bodyguards who repeatedly kicked and stomped him. He was hospitalized for months.

We have all seen the pictures of opposition figures who have been beaten and stomped and put in the hospital there. Several months later, Kem Ley, a popular Cambodian political commentator, was murdered in broad daylight for his outspoken protest of the regime. So much for freedom of speech in Cambodia.

Then just last week, Hun Sen took yet another step to consolidate his grip on power, to make it impossible for people to run against him. He sentenced the de facto leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, Kem Sokha, to 5 months in prison on the spurious charge of refusing to appear for questioning in a politically motivated case that was brought against him. Although his sentence is short, the repercussions are dire, as convicted criminals are prohibited from holding office; and that, again, was what this was about: intimidation and trying to force a system where the opposition party leader already in exile would then be in a position where they couldn't run somebody against Hun Sen.

Mr. Speaker, these attacks on the opposition must stop. This systemic persecution of the government's opposition completely undermines the legitimacy of upcoming local elections as well as the country's 2018 national elections.

Without the full and free participation of the CNRP, future elections will be deeply flawed and cannot be accepted. Hun Sen's continued attack on his political opponents is something we cannot accept, and for the sake of the Cambodian people, I urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution.

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Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party took yet another authoritarian step last week when they arrested and tried opposition leader Kem Sokha. In their attempts to consolidate power, they have utterly obliterated the opposition.

Mr. Speaker, the long-suffering people of Cambodia deserve the opportunity to elect a government of their choosing. By attempting to disqualify and harassing all the political opposition, Hun Sen is denying the people this opportunity.

By passing this resolution, Congress is sending a message to Hun Sen that the United States is watching and will not accept his brutality. It will send an important signal of support, I believe, to all Cambodians who wish to live under a government that respects the rights of the Cambodian people.

I urge passage of the resolution.

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