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Human Rights In CambodiaHuman rights in Cambodia must be seen in the context of both its traditions deriving primarily from Indian culture and absolute rule of god-kings, and the Buddhist religion of most of the population, on the one hand, and, on the other, modern influences of French colonialism and a half century of radical change from constitutional monarchy, to a presidential regime under Lon Nol, to radical Marxism-Leninism under the Khmer Rouge, to Soviet-style communist party rule under Vietnamese occupation and a decade of rule by the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK),and finally to the restoration of constitutional monarchy under a United Nations-administered transition to a "liberal democracy on the basis of pluralism," based on the Paris Agreement on a Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodian Conflict in 1991. The Paris Agreement required that the Constitution include "basic principles, including those regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms ..." The Paris Agreement also required Cambodia to take effective measures to ensure that the policies and practices of the past shall never be allowed to return." The Constitution of 1993 does indeed contain a chapter on "The Rights and Obligations of Khmer Citizens" consisting of twenty articles (Articles 31-50), seventeen of which relate to rights and three to duties. In compliance with the requirement of the Paris Agreement that the constitution provide that "aggrieved individuals will be entitled to have the courts adjudicate and enforce these rights" and that "an independent judiciary will be established, empowered to enforce the rights provided under the constitution", the Constitution stipulates that Khmer citizens have the right to denounce, make complaints or file claims against the state of state agents, the settlement of which should be determined by the courts. Efforts to establish an independent judiciary have been considerable for over a decade but have not yet achieved hoped-for results. The judiciary remains corrupt and inefficient. Flagrant violations of human rights by state agents have been identified but prosecutions have been rare and impunity prevails. Since the adoption of the Constitution in 1993, the UN appointed a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights in Cambodia and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights opened a Cambodia office. These institutions and local and international human rights groups have documented a wide range of human rights violations, with limited results, in terms of reform and redress. The functioning of Cambodias parliament has been marred by political violence, a coup to eliminate the co-prime minister in 1997, and the failure to form a government for a year following the 2003 elections. Promises to form a tribunal to try the remaining Khmer Rouge in accordance with an agreement with the Untied Nations have not been kept. Violations of freedom of expression, including lack of access to the media, and freedom of assembly are endemic. Other serious and persistent human rights problems include political murder and abuse of labor leaders and opposition politicians, land confiscations, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, bonded and forced child labor, trafficking in women and children, discrimination and domestic violence against women, and abuse of children. In its 2004 report on Cambodia, Human Rights Watch stated that "Authorities continue to ban or disperse most public demonstrations. Politicians and journalists critical of the government face violence and intimidation and are barred from equal access to the broadcast media. In addition, the judiciary remains weak and subject to political influence. Trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation through networks protected or backed by police or government officials is rampant. The government continues to turn a blind eye to fraudulent confiscation of farmers land, illegal logging, and widespread plundering of natural resources."http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/13/cambod9804.htm Current issues of particular concern include the murder of union leader Chea Vichea, the removal of parliamentary immunity from opposition leader Sam Rainsy, the arrest of opposition MP Cheam Channy and the forcible repatriation of Vietnamese Montagnard asylum seekers. See also External links
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