National delegation attends UN enforced disappearance session
ACAMBODIAN delegation held constructive discussions with the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) in Geneva, Switzerland, during the committee’s 6th session, held from February 19-20.
A February 21 Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) press release said the Cambodian delegation was led by CHRC deputy chief Keo Sothies. Also present were Neak Seakirin, secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice, and Y Soky, deputy National Police chief, and other CHRC members.
During the three hour session, streamed live by the UN, discussions touched on a wide range of aspects related to forced enforced disappearance, as well as the establishment of the national human rights institution, anti-corruption activities, emergency law, the protection of migrant workers, antihuman trafficking operations, the independence of the judicial system and juvenile justice.
According to the UN, the CED is a body of independent experts which monitors the implementation of the Convention for the Protection of all Persons against Enforced Disappearance by all state signatories. The Kingdom is unique as the sole Southeast Asian nation to ratify the convention, which it did in 2013.
The CHRC release said that the CED shared its appreciation for the submission of Cambodia’s first national report on the implementation of the convention, and announced that it was prepared to offer technical assistance on this effort.
“The CED appreciated Cambodia’s
efforts regarding this issue, and acknowledged the will and commitment of Cambodia to enforce the convention,” it added.
“The CHRC is prepared to accept the provision of technical assistance to ease the implementation of the convention,” it continued.
It explained that the CED sessions are held regularly, in order to follow up on the implementation of provisions by the convention’s signatories.
“These sessions are not a forum
to criticise or attack each other. They are an opportunity for state parties and delegation members to engage in constructive dialogue and share and exchange best practices, experience, loopholes, concerns and other relevant issues. The discussion also focuses on futures goal and the possibility of cooperation to ensure the implementation of the convention among state parties,” it added.
Am Sam Ath, operations director
of rights group LICADHO, said that it is understandable that the first meeting would used to gain an understanding of the general situation of Cambodia regarding the implementation of the convention, as well as relevant provisions.
“Overall, it is an excellent step that the first meeting has been held. This is closely related to the promotion of human rights, especially regarding enforced disappearances,” he added.