Benjamin Gilman: “Mr. Speaker, it has been 2 years since Cambodia had its first democratic election that brought to power the current…”

“Mr. Speaker, it has been 2 years since Cambodia had its first democratic election that brought to power the current coalition government. Over the past 4 years, the United States donated some $700 million to the efforts to help Cambodia rebuild its economy and become a democracy. But some very serious problems remain. Last year the Cambodian National Assembly passed a provision to the press law that will allow the Government under the vague rubric of national security and political stability virtually unfettered power to confiscate and close down newspapers and charge journalists with criminal offenses. The government has requested prosecution and closure of several Cambodian newspapers, as well as the highly regarded english language weekly, the Phnom Penh Post. In addition to these problems, there are the serious questions surrounding the unsolved killings of three journalists, and the expulsion and threatened expulsion of members of parliament who expressed views critical of the ruling coalition. One trial ended with the conviction of Thun Bun Ly, the editor of Khmer Ideal on charges of disinformation for critical and satirical essays that the paper published. The newspaper has been closed and Thun Bun Ly has been fined 10 million riel--$4,000--and sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment should he fail to pay in 2 months. The Congress needs to closely watch the situation in Cambodia.”