Joint Statement on The Tenth Round of Amendments to the Constitution
Phnom Penh, 27 July 2022
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, trade unions, associations and communities would like to express our strong concerns about the tenth round of amendments to the constitution requested by the Royal Government. Civil society organizations, trade unions, associations and communities see that amendment in these circumstances can affect the stability of state power and respect for the rights and freedoms of Cambodian citizens as inscribed in the constitution due to:
- Non-reflection of the will of Khmer citizens as there was no publication or inclusion of these amendments in the policies of political parties during the past election campaign, leading Cambodian citizens to not yet widely known about this amendment initiative.
- Affects to multi-party liberal democracy (which is prohibited by the new Article 155) as this draft still maintains package voting and increases the number of parliamentarians required to impeach the Government (thereby reducing the change of a referendum) and appointing elites as the Prime Minister without the consent of the President and Vice-President of the National Assembly which reduces the power of the National Assembly.
- Affects to the spirit of national unity and solidarity due to the fact that the circumstances remain politically divisive (Article 92 which prohibits the National Assembly from approving laws which affect the political unity of the nation).
- The parliamentary system of representative democracy through the National Assembly. Whenever the power of the National Assembly is decreased, it will affect overall trust in the legal system, economic development and the victims shall be the citizens and the nation as a whole
We, as civil society organizations, trade unions, associations and communities, although our institutions are not mandated to represent the people’s will like political parties, we wish to see Cambodia have a strong constitution, reflective of the will of the people as in the preamble to the Constitution, and see national political unity between all political parties and politicians.
We request the National Assembly consider delaying the approval of these draft constitutional amendments until political parties have included them in their policies to campaign and explain to the citizens who express their will through an election.
Civil society organisations, unions, associations, and communities supporting this statement:
| 1. | People Center for Development and Peace (PDP) |
| 2. | Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) |
| 3. | Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL) |
| 4. | Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) |
| 5. | Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC) |
| 6. | Youth Resource Development Program (YRDP) |
| 7. | Transparency International Cambodia (TIC) |
| 8. | Cambodian Human Rights Action Coalition (CHRAC) |
| 9. | Community Legal Education Center (CLC) |
| 10. | Help the Old Age and Most Vulnerable (HOM) |
| 11. | Equitable Cambodia (EC) |
| 12. | Aphivat Strey Organization (AS) |
| 13. | Human Right Organization for Transparency and Peace (HROTP) |
| 14. | Cambodian Institute for Democracy (CID) |
| 15. | The coalition for Integrity and Social Accountability (CISA) |
| 16. | Peace Bridges Organization (PBO) |
| 17. | The Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) |
| 18. | Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) |
| 19. | The Affiliated Network for Social Accountability-Cambodia (ANSA) |
| 20. | Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC) |
| 21. | Youth Council of Cambodia (YCC) |
| 22. | Building Community Voices (BCV) |
| 23. | Advocacy and Policy Institute (API) |
| 24. | Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) |
| 25. | The Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA) |
| 26. | Coalition of Cambodia Farmers Community (CCFC) |
| 27. | Cambodian Youth Network (CYN) |
| 28. | Cambodian’s Independent Civil-Servants Association (CICA) |
| 29. | Cambodian Truck Driver Association (CTDA) |
| 30. | Cambodia Informal Economy Reinforce Association |
| 31. | Khmer Kampuchea Krom for Human Rights and Development Association (KKKHRDA) |
| 32. | Cambodia Informal Economy Workers Association (CIWA) |
| 33. | Cambodian Grassroots Cross-sector Network (CGCN) |
| 34. | Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (C.CAWDU) |
| 35. | Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) |
| 36. | Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation (CFSWF) |
| 37. | Cambodia Labour Confederation (CLC) |
| 38. | Cambodia Independent Trade Union Federation (CITUFEED) |
| 39. | Independent Trade Union Federation (INTUFE) |
| 40. | The Free and Independent Trade Union Federation (FUFI) |
| 41. | Cambodian Tourism Workers Union Federation (CTWUF) |
| 42. | Cambodia of Free Trade Union of Women Textile (CFTUWT) |
| 43. | Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC) |
| 44. | Solidarity House (SH) |
| 45. | Labour Rights Supported Union Khmer Employee of Naga World (LRSU) |
| 46. | Cambodian Alliance of Trade Union (CATU) |
| 47. | Prey Peay Community Forest |
| 48. | Putung Puhung Community Forest |
| 49. | 92 Community |
| 50. | Udom Sre Pus community |
| 51. | Khmum Srok Thlok Russey community forest |
| 52. | Sameakki Trapeang Tuntoem Community |
| 53. | Phnom Prelan community |
| 54. | Torzhu Community |
| 55. | Kouy Preas Kaak Indigenous Community |
| 56. | Bos Community |
| 57. | Run Ta Aek Community |
| 58. | Seila Khmer Community |
| 59. | Prey Peay Community |
| 60. | Phnom Tnaot Community |
| 61. | Prek Tnaot Community |
| 62. | Tnaot Bridge Community |
| 63. | Tbaeng Lech Community |
| 64. | Chan Sar Community |
| 65. | Tuol Cruos Community |
| 66. | Kouk Kakthen Community |
| 67. | Phkoam Community |
| 68. | Banteay Chhmar Community |
| 69. | Svay Leu Community |
| 70. | Ta Beam Community |
| 71. | Ta Phou Community |
| 72. | Teuk Chou Community |
| 73. | Thmor Kol Community |
| 74. | Tani Community |
| 75. | Kbal Tonsaong Community |
| 76. | Kdep Thmor Community |
| 77. | Beng Mealea Community |
| 78. | Prey Roka Community |
| 79. | Samrong Community |
| 80. | Khnar Sanday Community |
| 81. | Chambak Puosh Community |
| 82. | Pouthi Community |
| 83. | Sameakki Sangkae Pir Community |
| 84. | Boeung Tonle Merech community |
| 85. | Tuek Kraham Community |
| 86. | Thnal Bott Community |
| 87. | Dombok Khpuos Community |
| 88. | Trapeang Prei Community |
| 89. | Ph’av Community |
| 90. | Trapeang Tav Community |
| 91. | Kouk Mon Community |
| 92. | Anlong Veng Community |
| 93. | Bak Anloung Community |
| 94. | Thlat Community |
| 95. | Kouk Khpos Community |
| 96. | Beng Community |
| 97. | Bansay Reak Community |
| 98. | Preah Pralay Community |
| 99. | Lumtong Community |
| 100. | Pongro Community |
| 101. | Tumnob Dach Community |
| 102. | Samrong Community |
| 103. | Prek Luong Fishing Community |
| 104. | Preaek Norint Fishing Community |
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