CSOs and Democracy

Shrinking – closing – no space: Governments across all continents villainize civil society actors. Where does their sense of threat emanate from?

having regard to European Parliament resolutions 16 January 2014 on the situation of rights defenders and opposition activists in Cambodia and Laos, as well as of 26 October 2012 and of 17 February 2011 on Cambodia having regard to the Local EU Statement on the new legislature in Cambodia of 23 September 2013 and on violence surrounding labor disputes of 8 January 2014

Unofficial translation! Official German version follows. Press release 25th June 2015 With regard to the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO), Mr. Uwe Kekeritz, Member of the German Parliament and Spokesperson for Development Cooperation expressed his concerns as follows: The draft LANGO presented by the government fails to meet the minimum international human rights standards. According to the content of the draft, the government aims to silence local and international civil society organizations that have been actively supporting Cambodian people in their struggle against land grabbing and human rights violations.

We, the undersigned international NGOs and membership organizations, call on the National Assembly of Cambodia to immediately withdraw the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO).

The professional NGO world is unable to reverse the major global trends. It can, however, prevent projects and policies by forging powerful alliances - and build alternatives.

Civil Society Organisations/Local Authorities (CSOs/LAs) inDevelopment and European Instrument for Democracy andHuman Rights-Country Based Support Scheme (EIDHR- CBSS) Reference: EuropeAid/136724/DD/ACT/KH Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom of Cambodia is seeking proposals for human rights and good governance in Cambodia with a possible financial assistance of 7.8 Million Euro from the Civil Society Organisations-Local Authorities in Development and European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights programmes.

Our Cambodia office director Manfred Hornung has registered with Cambodia's National Election Committee (NEC) as an independent observer for the parliamentary elections. In his articles he reports about worried citizens and protests on the election day.