Cambodian Youth Network Association (CYN) was participating The MRC International Conference was launched today with the theme “Enhancing Joint Efforts and Partnerships towards Achievement of the SDGs in the Mekong River Basin.” Speaking at the opening ceremony, H.E. Mr. Lim Kean Hor, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology , Member of the MRC Council for Cambodia, emphasized: “Our vision is that of an economically prosperous, socially just and environmentally by[…]

Close to 300 farmers from four provinces affected by longstanding land disputes marched and delivered petitions to government institutions in Phnom Penh today. Farmers from Tbong Khmum, Svay Rieng, Sihanoukville and Kandal went to the Council of Ministers, National Assembly and the Ministry of Land Management. They called for intervention to resolve decade-long conflicts affecting the land of thousands of families which they say was grabbed by powerful individuals and[…]

Are you a group of youth between the ages of 15 and 30? Are you looking for funds to run your project? So this is an opportunity for all of young people, young human rights defenders, officially registered youth groups, as well as grassroots youths who can apply for a budget proposal to implement your plan by the Danish Church Aid (DCA) in collaboration with the Cambodian Center for independent[…]

Checkpoints went up on national roads, barricades were dumped in front of the Supreme Court and police paid unannounced visits to civil society organisations and opposition officials as darkness fell yesterday ahead of today’s Supreme Court hearing on the dissolution of the opposition CNRP. The security measures coincided with reports of a sharp uptick in harassment and surveillance of Cambodia National Rescue Party officials in the provinces, party members said[…]

The Interior Ministry has instructed provincial officials to urgently report any instances in which activities are carried out by any NGOs or grassroots associations without prior notification, adding that authorities can stop any planned events if they affect “public order and national security”. The letter, which was dispatched countrywide on October 2, coincides with an intensified government crackdown on nongovernmental organisations. “Associations and NGOs wishing to conduct activities in the[…]

A group of environmental activists petitioned the government yesterday to release information about the potential impact of the proposed 2,600-megawatt Sambor dam on the Mekong River in Kratie province, which they say could displace thousands and destroy ecosystems. Speaking after submitting the petition to the Ministry of Environment, Chum Hour, a representative of the youth group Social and Environmental Protection Youth (SEPY), said 20,000 families would be evacuated and 70,000[…]

The government has officially staffed a newly created “Civil Society Forum” – empowered to influence policy in the sector – with government officials and very few civil society members, prompting observers to suggest the body will only serve to legitimise flawed legislation like the controversial NGO Law and the recent clampdown on independent NGOs. While the forum was created through a sub-decree last year, a directive issued earlier this month – and published[…]

NGOs huddled yesterday to make sense of a letter from the Interior Ministry asking them to comply with controversial provisions of the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO), with some considering requesting further clarification or an extension of a September deadline for compliance. The meeting was organised by the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia (CCC) following the issuance of an Interior Ministry letter calling on NGOs to comply with the law,[…]

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has yet again warned of war and chaos should his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) lose commune elections on Sunday, prompting the country’s opposition leader to slam him for trying to upend the democratic process. In a message posted to his Facebook account late on Wednesday, Hun Sen questioned whether Cambodians want to “try a taste of war and family separation,” after sharing an anecdote[…]

Though the Adhoc 5 cannot protest from behind bars, the #FreeThe5KH campaign has tried to keep their voices alive throughout 365 days of detention. The #FreeThe5KH campaign was born in August when a group of 55 local and international NGOs partnered up and began posting daily infographics counting the days the five workers have been detained. Mory Sar, co-founder and vice president of the Cambodian Youth Network, said he regularly[…]