“Freedom comes never as a gift; it has always to be won.” Today, 16th of July, marks the 30th deaths anniversary of Heinrich Böll. He was one of the most important German authors after the 2nd world war. 1972 he was honored with the Nobel Prize for literature. What is more he was actively participating in daily political events in order to promote peace and human rights. Because personalities like him criticized the political situation in Germany at those times and triggered public debate, positive changes could occur and lead us to a better social and political atmosphere in Germany. Heinrich Böll personified the values we as a foundation stand for: freedom, civic courage, tolerance, open debate and the appreciation of art and culture as independent spheres of thought and action.

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

Sometimes when Cambodians are unable to express themselves, they might say they are dam-douem-kor (planting a kapok tree); if they are depressed, they will often use the phrase thelea-tdeuk-ceut (the water in my heart has fallen); and if they are feeling anxious, they may describe it as khyal goeu (wind overload, to explain their shortness of breath).

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).

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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.

Phnom Penh, 29 April, 2015The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), Youth for Peace (YFP), KDEI KARUNA (KdK), Transcultural Psychological Organization (TPO) and Asian International Justice Initiative (AIJI) call on the Cambodian TV and radio stations as well as local newspapers to increase their coverage of the on-going trials and current events at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).   

Healthy soils are crucial to human nutrition and the fight against hunger. But worldwide 24 billion tons of fertile soil is lost annually. Barbara Unmüßig calls attention to the growing threat to one of Earth’s most important resources.

Beijing plus 20 – Voices from Cambodia (Ung Yok Khoan) - Heinrich Böll Stiftung Cambodia Watch on YouTube This external content requires your consent. Please note our privacy policy. Ung Yok Khoan – Director of Amara Ms. Ung Yok Khoan is founder and director of Amara, Cambodian Women's Network for Development, which was originally thought as a women’s network to prepare a report for the Fourth World Conference on Women presented by the UN in Beijing, September 1995.