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CAMBODIAN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
INTERN AND VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
2010
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INTRODUCTION 2
ABOUT CCHR 2What we do 2Why we do it 2History 2
OUR PROJECTS 3Community Trainings and Hearings Project 3Network and Capacity Building Project 3Human Rights Defenders Project 4Business and Human Rights Project 4Trial Monitoring Project 4Pilot Project to Combat Human Trafficking 4LGBT Project 4Other Work 4
HUMAN RIGHTS IN CAMBODIA 5Legal Framework 5Human Rights Infrastructure 6Land Rights 7Freedom of Expression and Assembly 8Fair Trial Rights 11Culture of Impunity 13
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 14Air tickets 14Visas 14Health insurance and vaccinations 15Organizing Accommodation 15What to Pack 18Clothing 18
WORKING AT CCHR 19
LIFE IN PHNOM PENH 19Getting around 19Mobile phones 19Medical Advice 19Money 20Internet 20Eating and Drinking 20Social Customs 21Finding Your feet 21Things To See 22Things To Do 22
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN CAMBODIA 22
FURTHER READING 23
CONTACT US 24
Appendix: KHMER FOR BEGINNERS 25
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INTRODUCTION
This handbook is intended as a short, practical guide about your work at theCambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and for your stay in Cambodia.
ABOUT THE CCHR
What we doThe CCHR is a non-political, independent, non-governmental organization thatworks to promote and protect democracy and respect for human rightsthroughout Cambodia. Our focus is primarily on civil and political rights, althoughwe work on a variety of interlinked human rights issues.
Our VisionThe CCHR’s vision is of a non-violent Cambodia in which people can enjoy theirfundamental human rights, are treated equally, are empowered to participate indemocracy and share the benefits of Cambodia’s ongoing development. Wedesire rule of law rather than impunity; strong institutions rather than strong men;and a pluralistic society in which variety is harnessed and celebrated rather thanignored or punished. The CCHR’s logo shows a white bird flying out of a circle ofblue sky – this symbolizes Cambodia’s claim for freedom.
HistoryThe CCHR was founded in 2002 by Kem Sokha, former Senator and currentNational Assembly Member and leader of the Human Rights Party. It wasofficially launched on 12 November 2002 to promote and protect democracy andhuman rights in Cambodia. Since our foundation, the CCHR’s emphasis hasbeen on empowering communities, being the first NGO to facilitate ‘publicforums’ throughout Cambodia. In December 2006, Kem Sokha and other civilsociety leaders were arrested and imprisoned for allegedly defaming theCambodian government. They were released after a campaign led by Ou Virak,the CCHR’s president since April 2007. Ou Virak is the founder of the Alliancefor Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC), and in 2007 he won the ReebokHuman Rights Award for his campaign to secure the release of Kem Sokha andthe removal of a custodial sentence for defamation.1
1 Whilst the campaign for decriminalisation resulted in the removal of the custodial sentence for defamation, Prime
Minister Hun Sen’s pledge to decriminalise the offence entirely has yet to materialise.
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OUR PROJECTS
In order to promote and protect democracy and human rights we empower civilsociety to claim its rights and drive change; and through detailed research andanalysis, based partly on the information received through our empowermentwork, we develop new, concrete and constructive ideas and recommendationsfor the institutional, legislative and policy changes required to improve the humanrights situation. We use traditional and new communications technologies totransfer these ideas to Cambodian and international audiences, engage indialogue with all stakeholders including the government, test domestic andinternational human rights mechanisms, and lobby at home and abroad.
COMMUNITY TRAININGS AND HEARINGS PROJECT
Through our community trainings and hearing projects we empower civil societyto claim its rights, participate in democracy and drive change. We do not attemptto lead or represent people.
We provide learner-centeredCommunity Training to marginalizedcommunities on human rights, andthe advocacy skills for claiming theserights. We organize CommunityHearings, a case-driven conflictresolution mechanism that seeks tobring those affected by rightsviolations together with governmentrepresentatives, parliamentariansand other stakeholders to resolvelocalized conflicts. We host PublicForums for communities to discusstheir human rights concerns with arange of stakeholders; to foster a more open society where debate is acceptedand encouraged. We broadcast Hearings and Forums on the radio to sharecommunities’ experiences and ideas with as many Cambodians as possible.
NETWORK AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT
We facilitate a Human Rights Network to enable the development of naturalalliances and the transfer of skills, knowledge and resources between thoseworking to promote and protect human rights, including non-governmental,sector-based and community-based organizations. Our online CambodianHuman Rights Portal Sithi.org supports the Network, mapping participants andhighlighting their work. We provide training to Network participants on humanrights, advocacy, monitoring and documentation, and organizationaldevelopment. We collaborate on joint advocacy initiatives and provide micro-
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grants for Network participants to implement their own initiatives. Networkparticipants include trade unions, youth organizations, indigenous groups andbusiness associations. We have developed a Human Rights Library to providethe safe space and resources for anyone to study and discuss human rights.
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS PROJECT
Through our Human Rights Defenders Project we empower, protect and promotethose individuals who speak out for the rights of others. We provide training tothem on human rights and advocacy skills, coordinate the provision of legal andhumanitarian services when they are under threat, and advocate for their rights.
BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT
Through our Business and Human Rights Project, we work to increasebusinesses’ understanding of their impact on and responsibilities vis-à-vis humanrights, encourage them to respect human rights in their operations, and toadvocate for rule of law to guarantee a fairer, stable and less risky businessenvironment.
TRIAL MONITORING PROJECT
Through our Cambodian Trial Monitoring Project we monitor trials and assesstheir fairness against international standards, and use our findings as a basis fordialogue with judicial and other stakeholders to promote fair trials rights in theKingdom.
PILOT PROJECT TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Through our Project to Combat Human Trafficking, we work with others todevelop new ideas for combating the increasingly serious problem of humantrafficking.
LGBT PROJECT
The Cambodian Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Rights Project worksto promote and protect the rights of LGBT Cambodians, advocating foraccountable, transparent and inclusive democratic processes, with the voices ofthe most vulnerable in society heard.
OTHER WORK
In addition to our core projects, the CCHR carries out ad hoc research and policydesigned to promote and protect freedom of opinion and expression, assembly,association, movement, conscience religion and belief. We coordinate the
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Campaign for Freedom of Expression. We engage in dialogue with thegovernment on the ASEAN Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission andthe National Human Rights Institution. We have assessed and advocated formechanisms and activities to bestow the Khmer Rouge Tribunal’s promisedlegacy of reform and strengthened rule of law in Cambodia. We have alsoconducted research and advocacy on the situation of the Khmer Krom and ethnicVietnamese.
HUMAN RIGHTS IN CAMBODIA
The Kingdom of Cambodia has a strong international and domestic legalframework that in theory should protect the human rights of its citizens. TheConstitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia (the “Constitutions”) provides, in Article31, that Cambodia shall recognize and respect human rights as stipulated in theUnited Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR”),and the covenants and conventions related to human rights. However, despitethis protection on paper, Cambodia still suffers from regular and severe humanrights violations. Areas of particular concern include, but are not limited to landrights, the right to freedom of expression and assembly, fair trials, and impunity.
Legal Framework
Article 15 of the Paris Peace Accord - intended to restore and maintain peace inCambodia after decades of bloody civil war - provides that, “All persons inCambodia shall enjoy the rights and freedoms embodied in the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights and other relevant international human rightsinstruments.” The UDHR was adopted by the United Nations (the “UN”) GeneralAssembly and provides for human rights standards accepted by all UN MemberStates. Much of the UDHR is regarded as having acquired legal force ascustomary international law and, as noted above, is binding on Cambodia as partof its Constitution. The “other international human rights instruments” to whichthe Paris Peace Accord refers include the International Covenant on Civil andPolitical Rights (the “ICCPR”), to which Cambodia acceded in 1992, and theInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (the “ICESCR”),to which Cambodia acceded to in 1992. The ICCPR and ICESCR are legallybinding and expand on the UDHR.
The protection and promotion of human rights that is expressly provided for inArticle 31 of the Constitution was reinforced by a decision of the CambodianConstitutional Council dated 10 July 2007, which held that all human rightsinstruments to which Cambodia has ratified and acceded to form part of theConstitution.
Human Rights Infrastructure
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In Cambodia, the Constitutional Council is the supreme body through whichcitizens should be able to challenge the constitutionality of laws, regulations andstate decisions that affect their constitutional rights. The procedures involved inmaking such challenges, however, prevent citizens from accessing the Council.A citizen who wishes to make a complaint has to either get the King, the PrimeMinister, the President of the Senate, the President of the National Assembly,one tenth of Cambodia's MPs or one quarter of its Senators to request that theCouncil adjudicate the case. Further, the Constitutional Council is notindependent from the Government.
Articles 147 to 149 of the Constitution provides for an annual National Congress -an institution of direct democracy whereby Cambodians can meet their rulers "tobe directly informed of various matters of national interest" and "to raise issuesand make proposals for the state authorities to address." Unfortunately theNational Congress has never been convened, and on 4 March 2009, PrimeMinister Hun Sen said that it should be removed from the Constitution.
Three other state institutions have a role in protecting human rights. TheNational Assembly and the Senate each have a Human Rights and ComplaintsReception Committee, and the Government has its own Cambodian HumanRights Committee. These bodies are able to conduct investigations, but havefailed in providing protection and redress to victims or in bringing perpetrators tojustice. They are widely regarded as being politically controlled. In September2006, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced plans to create a new National HumanRights Commission (“NHRC”) to be based on the Paris Principles. The ParisPrinciples relate to the status and functioning of independent national institutionsfor the protection and promotion of human rights. Cambodia currently has nonational action plan or policy for protecting and promoting human rights.
Regionally, Article 14 of the ASEAN Charter calls for the creation of an ASEANhuman rights body that will protect and promote human rights and fundamentalfreedoms. In this regard, Cambodia is bound to negotiations and engagementwith civil society. Cambodia has a thriving civil society that is supported byinternational donors and has attracted wide praise. However, NGOs facecontinuing harassment from the Royal Government of Cambodia (the “RGC”), asreflected in this report. Further, they face new attempts by the RGC to controlthem through a planned NGO Law. The draft NGO Law gives the RGC controlover NGOs finances, provides for complex registration rules, and outlaws politicalaims.
Internationally, Cambodia signed the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR onSeptember 27,2004 which allows for citizens to bring claims of human rightsviolations directly to the UN Human Rights Committee (after they have exhaustedall domestic remedies). However, Cambodia has not yet ratified the OptionalProtocol and it is not therefore legally binding.
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Cambodia hosts a country office for the Office of the Higher Commission onHuman Rights (“OHCHR”), which plays an important role in monitoring humanrights.
Land Rights
Whilst the CCHR does not explicitly work on land rights, land issues are soendemic in Cambodia that invariably impact on the civil and political rights thatwe cover.
Cambodia is obligated under the terms of the ICESCR to protect the right toadequate housing by all appropriate means including the adoption of legislationand the provision of judicial remedies.
The Land Law (2001) provides a legal framework that lays out how peopleacquire land ownership individually and collectively. However, governmentalsocial and economic land concessions have resulted in the forcible removal ofthousands of families from their homes and land that they have owned. Landconflict, which usually involves the rich and powerful grabbing land from the poorand marginalized, is often marked by violations of other human rights; victims areintimidated, physically harmed, their complaints are silenced and their livelihoodsare taken.
According to Article 30 of the 2001 Land Law: “Any person who, for no less thanfive years prior to the promulgation of this law, enjoyed peaceful, uncontestedpossession of immovable property that can lawfully be privately possessed, hasthe right to request a definitive title of ownership.” Further, Article 42 offersadded protection of land for “any person who, due to ignorance or negligence,failed to register his possession has the right to the protections of Article 29,
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Article 30, and Article 31 of this law.”
It is estimated that 11% of the population of Phnom Penh has been evicted since1992. Moreover, at least 150,000 Cambodians currently live under the threat offorced eviction, including approximately 70,000 in Phnom Penh. In its StateParty report to the UN Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee (the“ESCR Committee”) the RGC states that evictions are carried out only whennecessary in the public interest; that evictees are provided fair and justcompensation in advance and that those evicted are provided with financialsupport or re-housed in development areas with full access to necessary publicservices. Unfortunately, the reality on the ground, and especially in the case ofmarginalized urban and rural communities, is not demonstrative of the claimsmade by the RGC in its report to the ESCR Committee.
In fact, Cambodia consistently fails to meet the international human rights lawrequirements. Indeed, by relying on vague and undefined terms such as publicinterest the Government has a carte blanche in determining the use to which landis put, regardless of the consequences that follow for the people they purport torepresent. Evictions are carried out in the absence of exceptional circumstances,and very often for private developments or land speculation for private profit.Alternatives to eviction are not explored. Those affected by evictions have hadno opportunity for participation and consultation prior to evictions; rather, take itor leave it offers are made, in the form of monetary compensation orresettlement, which are consistently inadequate and well below the market valueof peoples houses and/ or land.
Freedom of Expression and Assembly
The last few years have seen freedom of expression and assembly seriouslyundermined with opinion restricted, parliamentarians silenced, the mediacontrolled, access to information blocked, and assembly and publicdemonstration prevented. The RGC has breached its international andconstitutional human rights obligations, and has relied on national legislationwhich itself breaches these obligations. The crackdown on freedom ofexpression has targeted the pillars of Cambodia’s democracy: parliamentarians,the media, lawyers, human rights activists and the Cambodian people.2
• On 8 August 2010, a demonstration by villagers from Battambang near thePrime Minister’s house in Phnom Penh was forcibly broken up with policeviolently loading the villagers onto a bus out of town.
2 See the recent CCHR coordinated joint civil society freedom of expression report, Cambodia
Gagged: Democracy at Risk?, September 2010, available at:http://www.cchrcambodia.org/English/add_report/reports/joint_report_on_foex.10sept.eng.pdf.
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• On 21 July 2010, the Phnom Penh Municipality banned a garment workersforum from taking place on grounds of “safety, security and public order”.Union leaders decided to continue with the meeting on 25 July 2010, citingworkers’ rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.
• On 14 July 2010 it was announced that the RGC had banned two textbooksfrom schools nationwide after finding text deemed critical of the PrimeMinister and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). The author, PenPuthsphea, suggested in the book that corruption at the top level ofgovernment would affect Cambodia’s development. It has subsequentlybeen reported that Pen Puthsphea has received death threats.
• On 2 July 2010, Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) MP Mu Sochua was found guiltyby the Supreme Court of Cambodia of defaming Prime Minister Hun Senafter her own allegations against the prime minister were dropped. The UNHigh Commissioner for Human Rights stated that the case showed analarming erosion of freedom of expression in Cambodia with the justicesystem becoming a “blunt instrument to silence freedom of expression.”
• On 26 February 2010, Sam Rainsy was charged with disinformation andfalsification of public documents following his publication of a series ofdocuments that he claimed showed border encroachments by Vietnam.
• On 15 July 2009, Moeung Sonn, head of the Khmer Civilization Foundation,an NGO with a mandate to protect and promote Cambodian culture, wassentenced to two years imprisonment on a charge of disinformation as aresult of concerns he raised in regards to a lighting installation at AngkorWat.
• On 10 July 2009, Dam Sith, the owner of Moneaksekar Khmer (KhmerConscience), one of Cambodia's oldest and most influential oppositionpapers, closed the newspaper to avoid criminal prosecution for criticism ofgovernment officials.
• On 26 June 2009, Hang Chakra, the editor-in-chief of the opposition-alignedKhmer Machas Srok newspaper received a one-year jail sentence and$2,250 fine following stories accusing a Council Minister, Sok An, ofcorruption.
• On 21 June 2009 SRP MP Ho Vann were stripped of parliamentaryimmunity for pending lawsuits. Ho Vann, was accused of defaming andincitement after publicly criticizing the value of the certificates awarded tothe officers by the government of Vietnam. He was subsequently acquitted,
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however, it took some 5 months before he had his parliamentary immunityrestored.
• On 8 June 2009 the Phnom Penh Municipality reportedly sent armed forcesto close the Lazy Fish guesthouse in the Boeung Kak area after its owneragreed to rent the premises to CCHR for a public forum on Human Rightsand Development on June 12, 2009. The intimidation culminating in thetemporary closure of this guesthouse caused CCHR to decide to suspendits public forum.
• On 4 June 2009, Soung Sophorn, a law student, SRP activist and aresident of Boeung Kak, was arrested after he had unveiled banners at hishome reading; "Absolutely fighting against communist policy," and "PeopleSuffer due to Cheap Government and Company". After spending two daysin police custody, the young activist was hurriedly convicted of criminaldefamation by the Municipal Court of Phnom Penh on 6 June, a non-working day for the court.
• On 24 January 2009, the violenteviction of the Phnom Penh DeyKrahorm community also saw lawenforcement personnel preventingjournalists from reporting on thecase.
• Most notoriously, on 12 July 2008journalist Khim Sambo of theMonaksekar Khmer (KhmerConscience) newspaper was shotdead with his son in Phnom Penhjust weeks before the generalelection. Still, no arrests have beenmade. Sambo often reported oncorruption, illegal logging and landgrabbing by powerful governmentfigures. Moneakseka Khmer, which islinked to the opposition SRP, is oneof only a handful of consistentlycritical publications in Cambodia.
• From January to October 2008, theCCHR organized 48 public forums ofwhich nine were disrupted and two banned. The local authorities bannedthe two forums (in Takeo and Kampong Chhnang) because they wanted to
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keep good order for the general election period.
• In December 2007, the police dispersed with excessive force a peacefuldemonstration by Khmer Krom monks in front of the Embassy of Vietnam.Two monks were seriously injured.
• A June 2007 report by a London-based watchdog group, Global Witness,exposed corrupt officials linked to illegal logging, was met withcondemnation and censure from the Government. The Governmentblocked the website and distribution of the report in Cambodia and expelledGlobal Witness staff from the country.
Fair Trial Rights3
Exacerbating rights violations is a non-independent judiciary that is largelyinfluenced by the executive branch of government. During her 2006 visit toCambodia, the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbourstated that the strengthening of the judiciary in Cambodia was of capitalimportance. Arbour noted that an independent, professional judiciary withrecognized integrity would not only be essential in protecting fundamental humanrights and freedoms but also facilitate the resolution of a number of difficultiesevident in Cambodia including impunity, conflicts over land and corruption.
Unfortunately, little has changed in the four years since the visit of Ms. Arbour.The difficulties remain and political influence continues to be a serious problemthroughout the Cambodian legal system, compromising the judiciary and the BarCouncil and preventing lawyers from freely representing their clients. All thisdespite the guarantee in Article 109 of the Constitution of the Kingdom ofCambodia of a judiciary that is independent and impartial. The CCHR’s recentanalysis on the fairness of Mu Sochua’s trial takes a look at the independence ofthe courts and separation of powers (or lack thereof) in the context of the trial.4
The recent spate of criminal charges of defamation, disinformation andincitement initiated against members and supporters of the main oppositionparty, the SRP, in 2009 and 2010 are testament to the function the Cambodianjudiciary plays in silencing dissent and anti-government opinions. These caseshave targeted the pillars of democracy; politicians, lawyers, journalists andmembers of civil society, and are evidence of attempts by the ruling CPP todissolve the main opposition party and move Cambodia towards becoming a
3 See the bi-annual CCHR Fair Trial Rights in Cambodia Report available at:
http://www.cchrcambodia.org/English/add_report/reports/tmp-report-en(071310_1279077859).pdf4 See CCHR, Analysis of the Fairness of the Judicial Process Resulting in the Conviction of
Elected Representative Mu Sochua, available at:http://www.cchrcambodia.org/English/add_report/reports/cchr_analysis.pdf.
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one-party state similar to Vietnam or China.
The ongoing conflict at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia(ECCC) between the national and international co-prosecutors as to whetherthere will be charges against further suspects, suggests that political controlstretches beyond the local and municipal Courts and into an institution thatpurports to be applying international fair trial standards in prosecuting thosealleged to hold the greatest responsibility for the crimes committed during theKhmer Rouge period. Though the names of the potential additional suspectsremain unknown it has been suggested that they may include members of thecurrent government. Questions necessarily arise as to whether the stance of thenational co- prosecutor, who is the niece of the Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, isinfluenced by the government.
The UN Special Rapporteur for the Independence of Lawyers and Judges,Leandro Despouy, in 2009 voiced his concerns over the independence oflawyers and restrictions on their freedom to represent their clients. The SpecialRapporteur was speaking out in response to the following three instances inwhich the independence and freedom of lawyers has been interfered with:
• In April 2009, Kong Sam Onn, the lawyer for SRP Parliamentarian Ms. MuSochua, was charged with defamation and threatened with expulsion fromthe Cambodian Bar Council after his client initiated defamation proceedingsagainst Prime Minister Hun Sen. Kong Sam Onn, in order to avoidprosecution and the loss of his livelihood, apologized to the Prime Minister.The charges against him were dropped.
• In January 2009, Cambodian Judges threatened with possible legal actiondefence lawyers at the ECCC, who had called for allegations of corruptionat the Court to be investigated by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
• In June 2007, lawyers representing an indigenous community in RatanakkiriProvince who were involved in a land conflict with a private individual withclose links to the government, were alleged to have incited their clients tofile a lawsuit to retrieve their land. The lawyers were threatened withcriminal charges and disciplinary action before the Bar Council.
According to international principles, bar associations are intended to be non-partisan entities working to promote and protect the independence of lawyersfrom outside interference, especially government interference. In their 2007briefing paper entitled Restriction on the Legal Profession by the Bar Association:A Threat to Free & Independent Legal Aid in Cambodia Cambodian NGOLICADHO noted however that sadly, in the context of Cambodia’s feeble anddysfunctional justice system, the Bar has shown itself to be part of the problem,not the solution.
The Bar has close ties with the government and the ruling CPP. As LICADHO
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have stated; “In 2004, Prime Minister Hun Sen and three senior CPP-affiliatedgovernment officials were granted bar association membership even though theylacked legal credentials.” The Bars stance is indicative of a legal system“compromised by the Cambodian governments interest in controlling the judiciaryand undermining the development of rule of law.”
Furthermore, allegations of endemic corruption continue to cast a shadow overthe Cambodian judicial and legal systems. The Cambodian people consider thatthe judiciary is amongst the most corrupt institutions in the country where low paymakes judges and members of the legal profession easy targets for bribery bythe rich and the powerful. These corrupt practices necessarily give rise to anunfair power dynamic in which wealthier Cambodians can use the legal systemas a means to attack those in less fortunate positions who, for example, refuse tosell them their land.
Culture of Impunity
As is evident from the foregoing, the Cambodian justice system serves the richand powerful. This necessarily gives rise to a culture of impunity in Cambodiasuch that in instances in which members of the elite are implicated in crimes,such as the murders of opposition journalist Khim Sambo in 2008 and labourunion activist Chea Vichea in 2004, those responsible are rarely brought tojustice.
In the case of Chea Vichea, two men were found guilty of the murder andsentenced to 20 years in prison despite having strong alibis and a dearth ofevidence against them. Although one of the men, Borng Samnang, originallyadmitted to the killing, he subsequently withdrew his confession stating that itwas made under duress. The other man, Sam Sok Oeun, denied anyinvolvement in the crime. The criminal investigation and the trial werecondemned by the then Special Representative of the United Nations' SecretaryGeneral for Human Rights in Cambodia, Peter Leuprecht, as lacking anycredibility. The trial verdict was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appealdespite the Prosecutors admission that there had been a lack of evidenceagainst the two men. The two men were eventually released on bail in 2008,having served 1799 days in prison, after the Supreme Court ordered the Court ofAppeal to reinvestigate the case.
The impunity benefiting the powerful perpetrators of serious crimes remains themost pervasive evil affecting Cambodia today. As the UN Secretary General’sSpecial Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia wrote in his 2006 reportto the Human Rights Council, “Impunity means that Cambodian citizens are notprotected by law… With impunity there is no protection of human rights. Impunityis the opposite of accountability and the antithesis of the rule of law.” This cultureof impunity that pervades Cambodia today is the basis on which human rightsviolations in all of foregoing sections are invariably committed.
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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Air Ticket
Book your flight as early as possible. Flights might get more expensive the lateryou book them and there is also a chance that they are already fully booked acouple of months ahead.
It can be expensive to fly directly through to Phnom Penh. A cheaper option maybe to book a flight to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur and fromthere book a separate ticket from a discount airline to Phnom Penh InternationalAirport.
Discount airlines include:- Air Asia: www.airasia.com- Jetstar Asia: www.valueair.com.sg
If you want to fly with a discount airline you should be aware that the baggagelimits might be low (15 kg at Air Asia) and that you have to pay for excessbaggage.
Note: You will be charged $25 departure tax when flying out of Cambodia.
An even cheaper way to get from Bangkok to Phnom Penh is by bus. Youshould know though that scams and touts are common at the border crossing, sowatch out if you choose this option! Bus tickets are available at guesthouses andtravel agencies in Bangkok. There is no departure tax when leaving Cambodiaby road.
Visa
It is not necessary to organize a visa in advance. You can purchase a one-month business visa when you arrive in Cambodia. When you arrive, all youneed is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months, US$25 for the visa and apassport photo.
Note: If you do choose to organize your visa in advance, please be aware thatsome Cambodian embassies abroad and Cambodian immigration at the borderwith Thailand have issued three-month visas to interns and volunteers. Theseare NOT valid as the maximum duration of a Cambodian visa granted abroad isone month, regardless of what you may be told at the consulate abroad.
The business visa is issued for one month, but can be extended as many timesas your want for one, three, six or twelve month periods at a time. Your
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guesthouse will be able to renew the visa or you can make arrangements withany travel agent. A one-month visa extension costs $45.
Please note that these visas are not usually multiple entry visas. Multiple entryvisas can only be obtained for visas that are for six months or longer. Therefore,if you do not have a six-month visa or more, you will be required to purchase anew visa every time you leave Cambodia.
If you overstay your visa, you pay a $5/day penalty when you leave.
For further information or for organizing the visa in advance you can contact theCambodian Embassy in your country.
Health Insurance and Vaccinations
Before your travel, ensure that you have adequate health insurance. Make surethat you are insured for motorbike accidents and emergency evacuations.
There are several vaccinations recommended for travel to Cambodia. Checkwith your General Practitioner at least 6 weeks before departure whatvaccinations are needed. At the least, you should be vaccinated for Hepatitis A& B, Typhoid, and Tetanus if you have not already, and consider JapaneseEncephalitis, Meningitis, and Rabies.
You may also consider bringing anti-malaria medication with you. AlthoughPhnom Penh is considered to be malaria-free, it is very likely during your time inCambodia that you will venture into the provinces where malaria is common.Regardless of whether you are taking anti-malaria medication, it is important tominimize your exposure to mosquito bites as cases of dengue fever are reportedthroughout Cambodia.
You should also bring enough of your prescription medication to last the entiretyof your stay, as well as some common antibiotics for travelers diarrhea.
Organizing Accommodation
Guesthouses can be fun places to stay, as they are very social. Oftenguesthouses have a kitchen, so you are never too far from a decent meal.Laundry may be included in the room price, or as a small extra.
Intern/Volunteer recommendations:
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OKAY Guesthouse #5 Street 258, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• 7 USD for a fan room, hot shower, T.V and double bed.
• Cheap food, Khmer meal $2.50 and western food, inc mash potato!
• Busy and friendly open restaurant and reception on entrance
• Quiet and clean rooms
• Free wi-fi and cheap laundry service
• Great location!
“Okay guesthouse has treated me well. I would certainly recommend it to someone who has comealone and wants to make a few friends in the evenings, but still have a quiet space to get some mustneeded rest after work! It is very reasonably priced, although rooms start at 5 USD per night, I’d sayfor 7 USD you’d have everything you need for a comfortable stay. Located 10 min from the River andjust a street away from the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Park and Palace, you can enjoy eveningsthere without the need for transport!
If you want an evening in, you can be sure they’ll be a cheesy film on downstairs, which you canenjoy with a pot of hot tea for $0.35 or a large bottle of Beer for $2.00!
It takes about 15min to get to work by tuk tuk and should cost no more than 2USD each way, bagyourself a driver and you won’t have to worry about directions every morning!” – Rachel, August 2010
Alibi Guesthouse
Address: Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh, CambodiaTel: +855 16901590Email: [email protected]: http://www.alibiguesthouse.com/contact.php
• Monthly room rental – 300 USD.• All rooms are ensuite and come with linen, towel, cable TV, hot shower and fan included in
the price. Air-conditioning is also available, but the price is unpredictable as it is metered.• Quiet and clean rooms – cleaned daily, towel change• Very secure.• Good location.
“Alibi Guesthouse is a quiet family-friendly guesthouse. If you are looking for somewhere that fits inbetween the madness of a hostel and the quietness of a house this may be the place for you.Located in a quiet lane off Sothearos Boulevard, right beside Vietnam-Cambodia monument it is theideal location. It is quite literally in the middle of everything - 2 minutes walk from Royal Palace and10 minutes walk from the Riverside (the tourist hub) and BKK (unofficially named InternationalQuarter). For the added extras Alibi also offers a pool table, an abundance of communal areas andinternet, though not Wi-Fi as of yet.
It takes about 15 minutes to get to work from Alibi.” – Hannah and Aidan, July 2010
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Some more tried and tested guesthouses are:
• Top Banana (Street 278) is very popular, which can make it hard to get aroom. It is cheap (about $5-8 for a room) very social, (think university halls ofresidence), serves nice food and is in a good central location. It is also wellknown with drivers, so you shouldn’t have a problem communicating whereyou want to go.
• Tat (Street 125) is a bit cheaper than others and is a very friendly, family runbusiness, which again, serves great food.
• Amber (Street 278) is very comfortable and clean, a bit like a small hotel.Some of the rooms have little kitchenettes with gas burners, kettle and basiccooking equipment, so they can feel a little like a studio apartment. It is $20 anight, so on the expensive side, but you should be able to negotiate a monthlet for between $450 -$500. All rooms have internet, cable TV, air-con andfree (unlimited) laundry service.
• Goldie (Street 57, on the corner of 278) is another ‘flashpacker’ option forPhnom Penh and might appeal to people who do not want the liveliness ofsomewhere like Top Banana.
All of these guesthouses and many more are described in greater detail inguidebooks and have online reviews. It is easy enough to move guesthousesuntil you find one that suits you. If you plan to stay in a guesthouse for a longperiod of time; a month or more, it is worth trying to negotiate the price; negotiatethe price of everything!
Apartments can offer a greater sense of independence then guesthouses. Manycafes have adverts for tenants or roommates, though mainly it is a case ofnetworking and asking around for vacant apartments. The Phnom Penh Postalso advertises private accommodation. Average rent is about $200 – $350 amonth. There are a number of good estate agents on Street 57 and Street 278.
Intern top tips
‘’We were 5 housemates so we decided to look for an apartment or a house with a realestate agency. I think this is a good solution as agents are only paid by owners, so it didnot cost us anything.
There were more apartments for 2-3 people than for 5.We visited some apartments and houses, for good prices and pretty clean.
We ended up renting a house in a very good street (near SOS international and theSenate and near CCHR): 250 m2 with 5 rooms, Kitchen, living room and a huge terraceand balconies for 1200 USD/m (240 USD/m/person - a bit on the expensive side). It is
furnished (fridge, washing machine, AC in all rooms, 5 bathrooms and all furniture).Usually electricity is extra, as well as internet but the Agent helps. You have to be carefulwith the owners and the Agent, as they sometimes promise things and then they changetheir minds, so you always have to remind them! Generally they will end up keeping their
promises.’’
Daphnee Spyrou, August 2010
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The CCHR might be able to arrange you a family home stay. Please contact us ifyou are interested in finding out more.
What To Pack?
Generally, you can buy nearly everything in Phnom Penh. However, we suggestthat you pack the following items:
• Laptop, charger and power adapter (you MUST bring this for your work at theCCHR)
• Clothes for work and leisure• Camera• Mobile phone• Adapter• Flash light (occasionally there are power cuts/outages at night)• Toiletries• First aid kit• Mosquito repellents• Sunscreen (very expensive)• Light clothes• Some pairs of shoes• Towel
Clothing
Cambodia is situated within the tropics, so it is pretty hot all year round.However, there is some seasonal variation. From June to October the weather ishot and rainy, from November to January it is cooler with little rain, and Februaryto May is the hottest part of the year. Lightweight, breathable clothing isimportant. Clothes in Cambodia are also usually hand washed, which will wearthem out quickly. Luckily, clothes are very cheap to buy here. At the traditionalmarkets, you can get shirts from US$4 upwards and trousers for around US$7.So you might want to leave open some space in your baggage for yourCambodian acquisitions.
Tailors are also widespread throughout Phnom Penh and can make new clothesfor you at cheap prices. They can copy an item of clothing that you bring them, orproduce something similar if you show them a picture.
Note: The office dress code in Cambodia is relatively modest and shouldbe followed in most situations, including whilst working at the CCHR.Women are expected to cover their shoulders and typically wear long orshort- sleeved tops and skirts covering the knee or trousers. Men usually
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wear long pants and button-down shirts. Shorts are not acceptable. Eithersandals or shoes are appropriate.
WORKING AT THE CCHR
Upon arrival in Phnom Penh your supervisor / manager will explain to you thetasks you will be undertaking at CCHR. These will depend on your skills andprevious work experience. Interns and volunteers are expected to work Mondayto Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a two-hour lunch break. Further details of theterms and conditions can be found in the offer letter.
LIFE IN PHNOM PENH
How to Get Around
The normal way to get around Cambodian cities is by motorcycle taxi or by tuktuk. You find drivers everywhere or they find you as soon as you appear on theroadside. Motorcycle taxis are cheaper but for the transport of a couple ofpersons a tuk tuk is more comfortable.
To the CCHR office from the Independence Monument will cost around US$2 ina tuk tuk and around $1 on a motorcycle. Transport is readily available, althoughbe sure to bargain with the driver for a satisfactory fair before accepting the ride.
The traffic here is dangerous! Stop signs and traffic lights mean nothing, andpeople routinely drive in the oncoming lane. You MUST buy a helmet (costsaround US$10) if you often drive with a motorcycle taxi. Also, it is important toalways keep your personal belongings close to you during transit.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are the easiest way to keep in touch in Cambodia and a local simcard will be substantially cheaper than using your mobile phone from home.Mobile signal is generally very reliable in Phnom Penh. Sihanouk Blvd hasseveral mobile phone shops, but be prepared to haggle. You can expect to paybetween $10 and $15 for a second hand handset and should be able to get a payas you go sim card for $5 onwards. Phone credit is sold in most shops, and bylots of street sellers, so it is easy to top up. ‘Mobitel’ and ‘Hello’ are networks youmay want to consider using.
Medical Advice
Regarding health concerns while in Phnom Penh, although there is a pharmacy
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on every corner, you may want to stick with Pharmacy de la Gare, No. 81Monivong Ave., well-known among westerners and U-Care, located throughoutthe city. They sell western medicine, and their staff are trained pharmacists andspeak English.
There are a number of decent medical clinics; many westerners have had goodexperiences with such as International SOS, 161 St. 51, which has foreign andCambodian doctors (and dentists).
Money
Although Cambodia has its own currency, the Riel, the operating currencycurrently is the US dollar. The dollar is used for payment, and the riel is used aschange. US coins are worthless in Cambodia.
ATMs are generally found around the city and inside gas stations, and dispenseUS dollars. Be sure to always carry riel or small US currency as many places willnot accept large US bills.
Despite exchange rate fluctuations, local vendors will always accept 4000r =US$1 (bigger supermarkets and restaurants will account for rate fluctuations).Credit cards are very rarely accepted in Cambodia; the economy relies on cash.Only high-end hotels, restaurants and medical clinics will accept cards.
There are lots of banks in Phnom Penh that for a fee will give you credit cardcash advances or cash traveler’s checks.
Internet
You can find internet cafes everywhere in Phnom Penh. The speed of theconnection can vary but are generally quite good. Internet café prices vary from1500 to 4000 riels an hour. Many have headphones and microphones makingSkype an incredibly cheap way to keep in touch with home, especially asCambodia hardly has any payphones. Many coffee shops and restaurants nowalso have wi-fi as well.
Eating and Drinking
Tap water must not be drunk. Bottled water is very cheap and is readily available.Due to the heat and humidity it is very important to always keep your fluids upand prevent dehydration.
A standard Khmer meal at will cost no more than US$1.50-3 (less if from a streetvendor), and a Western meal will cost about double. There are local Khmerrestaurants absolutely everywhere in Phnom Penh, although many staff do notspeak any English so it is usually necessary to bring a Khmer phrase book.
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There are Western restaurants scattered throughout Phnom Penh, although thebiggest selection is found along the riverfront area.
You should probably be familiar with Lucky Market, a supermarket on SihanoukBoulevard. It sells all sorts of western and local food, and is a good place tostock up on croissants and baguettes for breakfast. It also has an ATM upstairs,and Lucky Market is place in town where you can guarantee that they can breaka $50 or $100 bill.
Social Customs
Public displays of affection are inappropriate throughout Cambodia.Monks (identifiable by their saffron robes) cannot touch women under anycircumstances. Women should be cautious about standing too close to monksand about blocking their way in a crowd.
Virtually every Cambodian has been affected in some way by the Khmer Rougeperiod. This is a sensitive topic and you should approach it cautiously.
When visiting temples or shrines, you should wear something that covers yourlegs and shoulders.
Finding Your Feet
• St. 278 is a good all round street; guesthouses, great places to eatbreakfast, lunch and dinner, nice bars, and ‘Elsewhere’, a lovely place tospend a lazy weekend morning soaking up the sun and having a swim.
• St. 240 is a great street to treat yourself: it has a lovely spa that offers arange of treatments. ‘The Shop’ is a great place to eat; fresh salads,sandwiches and an amazing selection of handmade cakes, ice cream andchocolates, and some lovely (but very expensive) jewellery and clothesshops.
• St. 178 has a couple of nice bars and clubs. Gym Bar is a comfortableWestern spots bar with a big screen and pool table. Tuesday night is Quiznight. A little further along is Blue Chilli, a gay bar, with a fantastic dragqueen show Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m.
• Lakeside is a nice den of inequity. It has a lot of charm, cheap places to eatand beer can cost as little as 2000 Riel. The Lazy Gecko is worth going to;it serves delicious food and is owned by a friendly ex pat couple who run agreat quiz on Thursdays from 8 p.m. Lakeside offers a nice contrast fromthe rest of Phnom Penh and was once very popular with backpackers.Unfortunately, due to development, the lake is quickly disappearing.
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• Riverside is another location full of great places to eat and spend anevening with lots of bars and restaurants ranging in price, from the famousFCC to Memphis for some good old school rock.
What To See
Interesting places to visit in Phnom Penh include:
• Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (formerly S-21)
• The Killing Fields (Choeung Ek)
• National Museum
• Russian Market
• Phnom Chisor Temple
• Royal Palace
• Silver Pagoda
• Central Market
• Wat Phnom
Guidebooks offer a much more extensive account of the attractions in PhnomPenh and surrounding areas.
What To Do
There are a number of different activities that you can do in Phnom Penh overthe weekend, in addition to going to the markets and going out in the evening:
• Sun-set cruise on the Tonle Sap – you can get a boat on the riverside andcruise down the river, great chance to see the city from a distance.
• Go to Snowy’s for Sunday swing – Snowy’s Bar (also known as Martine’s)is a great spot on the other side of the Japanese bridge. It is lovely place towile away a Sunday evening.
• Go-karting at Kombol F1 Go Karts.
• Shuffle board at the Shuffle Board Lounge at the Scan Hotel on St. 282(near Wat Lanka).
• Bowling at Parkway Super Bowl, no. 113, Mao Tse Tong (St. 285).
• Meta House and the Flicks regularly put on a number of films anddocumentaries, the closest thing to a cinema in Cambodia!
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN CAMBODIA
Internships and volunteer positions are short and since interns and volunteers
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have a lot of responsibility, there is no opportunity to have time off during theweek. You may want to allow for some time either before or after your time atthe CCHR to travel. Weekends away are a great way to see different parts ofCambodia. Popular destinations and ones that only take 4 – 5 hours fromPhnom Penh are:
Sihanoukville – The closest that Cambodia gets to a beach resort. It has plentyof guesthouses, ranging in price, and proximity to the beaches. There are lots ofgreat cafes, bars and restaurants, and beach sellers with delicious cookedlobster. It is quite cheap, but can be expensive given the amount of goods andservices for sale: mani/pedicures, massages, threading and bracelets to namejust a few! You can also take a boat out and spend a day island hopping. KohRussei, or Bamboo Island, is a particular favourite.
Kep – Although it does not have a beach, it has all the charm of a seaside town.Kep is renowned for fresh and inexpensive seafood. ‘Rabbit Island’ is a shortboat ride away and with a tranquil beach, it is a great location to spend a day ortwo relaxing. Siem Reap -Cambodia’s most touristy town and takes 5 – 7 hours to drive fromPhonm Penh. A nightbus makes this a doable trip on a Friday evening, comingback Sunday evening. Like the capital, Western luxuries are freely available.The temples of Angkor are however, what brings millions of tourists a year toSiem Reap. Angkor Wat is the largest, and most breathtaking of the monuments,and believed to be the largest religious structure in the world. There are manytemples to explore, making for quite a busy weekend.NOTE: When visiting temples or shrines, you should wear something that coversyour legs and shoulders.
FURTHER READING
This handbook is only designed as a short overview of Cambodia, so we suggestthat you also purchase a guidebook.
We recommend you familiarise yourself with the CCHR website(www.cchrcambodia.org) where we post news articles, CCHR press releasesand CCHR publications.
For information on human rights in Cambodia, we also recommend looking at theCambodian Human Rights Portal that is facilitated by the CCHR at www.sithi.org.This site includes details of human rights violations, links to relevant law, newsarticles, press releases and publications about human rights in Cambodia from anumber of different organizations and media outlets.
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The following websites are also useful to keep up-to-date on the news inCambodia:
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php
http://www.voanews.com/khmer/
There are also many interesting books written on Cambodian history. Some werecommend are:
• Pol Pot: The History of a Nightmare by Philip Short
• When the War Was Over by Elizabeth Becker
• When Broken Glass Floats by Chanrithy Him
• First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung
• Survival in the Killing Fields by Haing Ngor
• Sideshow by William Shawcross
• The Gate by Francois Bizot
• Cambodia: Year Zero by Francois Ponchaud
• A History of Cambodia by David P. Chandler
• The Death and Life of Dith Pran by Sidney Schanberg
• River of Time by Jon Swain
CONTACT US
If you have any questions, please contact:
Sana Ghouse, Legal Consultant and Intern Coordinator
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Appendix
KHMER FOR BEGINNERS
The Khmer language is influenced by Sanskrit and Pali. Unlike other languagesspoken in Southeast Asia – such as Thai and Lao – Khmer is not tonal. TheKhmer alphabet is the longest in the world with 74 letters. It is for this reasonthat most beginners or casual students of the language learn using Khmer wordstransliterated into the latin/roman alphabet, variations of which are used inEnglish, French, German etc. This usually involves Khmer words being written inroman script by a teacher and given to a student, or a student listening to ateacher pronounce a word and transliterating it using her/her own phonetics. Itshould be noted that this often gives rise to confusion with differentteachers/students using different phonetics. The phonetics used by nativeEnglish and native French speakers for example, tend to differ considerably.Further, the phonetics of one native English speaker may be misguiding toanother.
The following are a number of general terms that are likely to help a newlyarrived international intern/volunteer/consultant at the CCHR get around and getalong! These words are written by a native English speaking and should bepronounced (where relevant) as though they are English words.
Getting alongHello Sua-se-day Yes (M) BatHow are you? Sok-sa-by? Yes (F) JaI am fine Knium Sok-
sa-byNo Ot-day
Thank you Aw-kun Please SumNo thanks Ot-day Aw-
kunGoodbye Lee-hi
I/Me Knium You NeaHe/she Go-at Us YoungThey/them Boo-gay When? Bail na?Who? Nea na? Where? Now Na?Name Ch-moo-a What is your name? Nea Ch-moo-a
I?My name is Knium Ch-
moo-aAnn/Mary
Same question toyou (you can say thisafter answering anyquestion if you wishto return thequestion)
Jaw-nea-wing
How many? Pun man Year A-youHow old are you? Nea a-you
pun man?I am X years old Knium X A-you
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pun man?Time/hour Ma-ung What time (literally -
how many hours)Mao-ung punman?
People (from aparticular country)
Chun-chee-it Come from Mok be
I come fromEngland
Mok beAnglais
I am Irish Knium Air-glaun
Country Sraw American people Chun-cheet-itAmerik
Work Twow gaa At NowI work at Knium Twow
gaa nowCCHR Ma-Chey-a
Mondul SetManuKampuchea
Human Manu Right SetHuman right Set manu Centre Ma-chey-a
MondulCambodia Kampuchea I work at the CCHR Kniom twow gaa
now ma-chey-amondul setmanukampuchea
Getting aroundWhen talking to tuk tuk and moto drivers as well as people working in shops,bars etc. you should call him/her “Bong” which means older brother/sister. Ifthe person if younger than you, you should call he/her “Pa-own”. So an easystarting point with a moto driver will be “sua-se-dey bong”.Tuk tuk Tuk tuk Moto MotoHow much/many? Pun man Cost/price TlyHow much does itcost?
Tly pun man Expensive Tly na
Money Loi Have meanDon’t have Ot mean I don’t have money Ot mean loiAlready Howie I already have it/one Mean howieGo Dow Turn BotStraight Trong Go straight Dow trongLeft Sweng Right Sadam(please) turn left (sum) bot
sweng(please) turn right (sum) bot
sadam(please) Stop (sum) Chup (please) Wait Sum JamWait a minute Jam Ma-
plateTurn around Bot Tra-lop
Graw-eeCome Mao Come back Mao winFast Loon Slow YutMarket Saa Street Plow
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Pagoda/temple (auseful landmark)
Wat Riverside Mot ton-lay
Know (a place) Squall Do you know whereCCHR is?
Squal Ma-chey-aMondul setmanuKampuchea?
Yes, I know Bat, squall I don’t know Ot squallNear Jet Its near Boeung Trabek
MarketJet SaaBouengTrabek
