By Lauren Crothers
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia
Senators from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party passed a law on the regulation of NGOs Friday that has been widely criticized both locally and abroad, as opposition senators decided to boycott the vote in protest.
Despite a chorus of voices from activists gathered outside the Senate in the morning — rights group Licadho estimated about 400 people to have shown up — the law was passed with minimal debate by the 44 present senators at around 10 a.m. (0400GMT).
Hong Sok Hour, a Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) senator who boycotted the vote, said those present “have the same ideas, so there was nothing new” in terms of any kind of debate.
“We had drafted an amendment for Article 24, because it is very hard to choose if NGOs are neutral or not,” he told Anadolu Agency, in relation to a provision that all groups must be neutral.
“There were a lot of points on registration -- many points we would like to see reviewed, but I personally have debated in the commission five days ago,” he added.
It was decided after that fruitless commission hearing that the SRP senators would not attend Friday’s vote.
Political analyst Ou Virak said the passage of the law through the Senate came with “no surprises.”
“The Senate is not a powerful body and has no real power, so I’m not surprised at all,” he told Anadolu Agency.
Asked if there was any significance to the boycott — which mirrored a similar strategy employed by 55 Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmakers on July 13 when 68 CPP members of Parliament passed the law — Virak said it would not have made a difference had they attended and voted it down.
“Either way, it’s one and the same,” he said.
The law has been derided both at home and abroad for being a tool to restrict and stifle the work and activities of NGOs in Cambodia.
While those in favor of it have argued that it will be used to prevent groups with nefarious intentions from operating out of Cambodia, civil society organizations have expressed concern that it could be used to shut them down and limit the work of grassroots networks.
The law will now be put before the King to be signed in officially, but requests can be made for the Constitutional Council of Cambodia to review it.
