The Cambodian government has hit back at groups criticizing a proposed NGO Law and took a swipe at the international community for not doing the same for Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime.

The statement came amid mounting pressure from donors, as well as foreign and domestic civil society groups for the Cambodian government to reconsider passing an NGO law, which is seen to give government discretionary powers over foreign and domestic NGOs and suppress freedom of expression in the country.

Ek Tha, a spokesman and deputy director of the press unit at the Council of Ministers, defended the proposal earlier this week. He said Cambodia has become a “safe haven” for 3,000 non-governmental organizations and associations, the Phnom Penh Post reports.  

Ek Tha was reacting to actions by a coalition of 10 human rights groups who are urging donors to consider freezing their assistance to Cambodia should it enact the NGO law in its current form.

“What else do they want? We just want to have a proper law to regulate their operations to follow the rule of law in the country where they are operating,” he said. 

In an apparent swipe at the international community, Ek Tha also said: “I wish we had foreign NGOs and human rights activists voice their concerns in the 1970s when we were being treated badly under the Khmer Rouge regime.” 

“Sadly, no one went to protest before U.N. headquarters, no foreign country at the time, except the Vietnamese who helped the Cambodian People’s Party at the time, to drive Pol Pot from power.”

The proposed NGO law, which is now on its third draft, is being discussed by the Council of Ministers. The draft will next go to parliament, where it is expected to be passed by the ruling party.

Read more:

• In Global Trend to ‘Restrict’ Civil Society: Cambodia Moves Closer to Enacting NGO Law
• Cambodia’s Consecutive Warnings, Suspension of Critical NGOs a Preview of Things to Come?
• Pending Passage of NGOLaw,CambodiaSuspends Urban Poor Group
• Cambodia to World Bank: We Don’t Need Your Money
• Donors Urged to Halt Aid for Cambodia

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